The Perceived Undergraduate Classroom Experiences of African-American Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorFries-Britt, Sharon L.en_US
dc.contributor.authorHolmes, Kimberly Moniqueen_US
dc.contributor.departmentEducation Policy, and Leadershipen_US
dc.contributor.publisherDigital Repository at the University of Marylanden_US
dc.contributor.publisherUniversity of Maryland (College Park, Md.)en_US
dc.date.accessioned2013-10-04T05:30:41Z
dc.date.available2013-10-04T05:30:41Z
dc.date.issued2013en_US
dc.description.abstractThe purpose of this dissertation study was to explore African-American women's perceptions of undergraduate STEM classroom experiences, and the ways in which those experiences have supported or hindered their persistence in physics majors. The major research question guiding this study was: How do African-American women perceive the climate and interactions with peers and faculty in undergraduate STEM classrooms? Using qualitative methods and a multiple case study design, a sample of 11 women were interviewed. This study was also informed by data from 31 African-American women who participated in focus group interviews at annual meetings of the National Society of Black and Hispanic Physicists. Findings indicated that the women excelled in small courses with faculty who took a personal interest in their success. They also perceived that there was a pervasive culture in physics and other STEM departments that often conflicted with their own worldviews. Findings also indicated that the women's perceptions of classroom experiences varied widely depending on professors' behaviors, institution types, and the level of courses. It is anticipated that through a better understanding of their perceptions of STEM learning environments and factors in their persistence, STEM faculty and departments can better retain and support this population of students.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/14521
dc.subject.pqcontrolledHigher educationen_US
dc.subject.pqcontrolledScience educationen_US
dc.subject.pqcontrolledAfrican American studiesen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledAfrican-Americanen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledClassroomsen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledPhysicsen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledSTEMen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledUndergraduateen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledWomenen_US
dc.titleThe Perceived Undergraduate Classroom Experiences of African-American Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)en_US
dc.typeDissertationen_US

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Holmes_umd_0117E_14490.pdf
Size:
4.41 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download

Collections

UMD Theses and Dissertations
Teaching, Learning, Policy & Leadership Theses and Dissertations