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a. What are the perceptions of African-American/Black students regarding the barriers to academic success, if any? The study found participants’ experiences with online classes shared commonalities, but there were also differences unique to the individual. Many of the participants attributed their academic motivation as a contributing factor to their academic success in online classes. However, the majority of participants referred to asynchronous online courses as independent work. In a study conducted by Jaggars (2014), students also expressed they were “teaching themselves” in online courses. The findings are consistent with the literature, in that online courses tend to be suited for the field-independent learner (Rovai et al., 2008). However, the findings differed slightly from the literature review in Chapter Two, since many of the participants in the study would be characterized as field-independent learners. Whereas, African-American/Black participants were deemed as field-dependent learners in previous studies (Rovai, 2007; Tingoy & Gulluoglu, 2012). All participants in this study revealed the need for flexibility and convenience as a driving influence in their decision to enroll in online classes. This finding supports the research, noting that asynchronous online courses offer flexibility and convenience to students (Daymont et al., 2011; Luo, Pan, Choi, Mellish, & Strobel, 2011). The data supports the finding that most participants had a preference for real-time interaction and learning that happens in a face-to-face setting (Ashong & Commander, 2012). Thus, some participants described their interaction with instructors and students in their online classes as impersonal or superficial. According to Oztok (2013) the reliance on asynchronous threaded discussions, without further opportunities to form relationships beyond the academic content, may create a diminished form of socialization in the online learning environment.
Object Description
| Title | African-American/Black students’ experience and achievement in asynchronous online learning environments at a community college |
| Author | Whitaker, Tammara |
| Author email | tammarawhit@gmail.com;tammaraw@usc.edu |
| Degree | Doctor of Education |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | Educational Leadership |
| School | Rossier School of Education |
| Date defended/completed | 2020-07-10 |
| Date submitted | 2020-08-05 |
| Date approved | 2020-08-06 |
| Restricted until | 2020-08-06 |
| Date published | 2020-08-06 |
| Advisor (committee chair) | Tambascia, Tracy |
| Abstract | This qualitative study explored the experiences and perspectives of African-American/Black community college students in asynchronous online learning environments. This study was guided through the lens of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. Despite the growing number of African-American/Black students enrolling in California community colleges and online courses, there is little known regarding the online learning experiences of this student population. Furthermore, African-American/Black students have poor academic outcomes in online courses in the California community colleges. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 15 African-American/Black students who completed at least one asynchronous online course at a community college in Southern California. The study found that African-American/Black students in asynchronous online learning environments had limited interaction with their peers in the course. Furthermore, the participants used many on-campus support services and were not aware or did not utilize the online support services offered by the college. The participants also highlighted the importance of family, faculty, and counselor support throughout their academic journey. The study offers recommendations to improve the online student experience of racially minoritized students, specifically African-American/Black students, in asynchronous online learning environments at a community college. |
| Keyword | distance education; online learning, asynchronous online learning; asynchronous online learning environments; community college; online learning experience; California community college; African American online student; ecological systems theory |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Provenance | Electronically uploaded by the author |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Rights | Whitaker, Tammara |
| Physical access | The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright. The original signature page accompanying the original submission of the work to the USC Libraries is retained by the USC Libraries and a copy of it may be obtained by authorized requesters contacting the repository e-mail address given. |
| Repository name | University of Southern California Digital Library |
| Repository address | USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 7002, 106 University Village, Los Angeles, California 90089-7002, USA |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Filename | etd-WhitakerTa-8891.pdf |
| Archival file | Volume13/etd-WhitakerTa-8891.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 97 |
| Full text | 87 a. What are the perceptions of African-American/Black students regarding the barriers to academic success, if any? The study found participants’ experiences with online classes shared commonalities, but there were also differences unique to the individual. Many of the participants attributed their academic motivation as a contributing factor to their academic success in online classes. However, the majority of participants referred to asynchronous online courses as independent work. In a study conducted by Jaggars (2014), students also expressed they were “teaching themselves” in online courses. The findings are consistent with the literature, in that online courses tend to be suited for the field-independent learner (Rovai et al., 2008). However, the findings differed slightly from the literature review in Chapter Two, since many of the participants in the study would be characterized as field-independent learners. Whereas, African-American/Black participants were deemed as field-dependent learners in previous studies (Rovai, 2007; Tingoy & Gulluoglu, 2012). All participants in this study revealed the need for flexibility and convenience as a driving influence in their decision to enroll in online classes. This finding supports the research, noting that asynchronous online courses offer flexibility and convenience to students (Daymont et al., 2011; Luo, Pan, Choi, Mellish, & Strobel, 2011). The data supports the finding that most participants had a preference for real-time interaction and learning that happens in a face-to-face setting (Ashong & Commander, 2012). Thus, some participants described their interaction with instructors and students in their online classes as impersonal or superficial. According to Oztok (2013) the reliance on asynchronous threaded discussions, without further opportunities to form relationships beyond the academic content, may create a diminished form of socialization in the online learning environment. |
