Addressing concerns of black students in their academic experiences in a predominately white university -

Lessons from qualitative institutional research

Neil Currant – Oxford Brookes University

@ncurrant

Some Theory

Belonging

• Sense of belonging has been identified as an important factor in persistence and success for all students (Thomas 2012).

• Under-researched area of the literature (Hausmann, Schofield & Woods 2007)

• Understanding minority students’ sense of belonging is key to understanding their experiences at university. (Hurtado & Carter 1997)

What is sense of belonging?

• ‘fit’ - focuses on the student’s perceived cohesion within a group (Bollen & Hoyle 1990). • Peer, department, course, student society etc

• ‘contact’ - the relational interactions with others characterised by stability, emotional concern and on-going positive contact (Baumeister & Leary 1995).• Peer, personal tutor, lecturer

‘Onlyness’

• ‘Onlyness’ captures the experiences of many black students at institutions where they may be the only person from their ethnic group in their class (Harper 2009) and the sense of isolation and discomfort this may bring. (fit)

• For black students, their staff and peer interactions are more likely to be ‘cross-racial’ whereas as white students’ interactions are more likely to be with individuals who are also white. (contact)

Background context

Background – Oxford Brookes

83.70%

16.30%

Proportion of students

WhiteBME

2010 2011 2012 2013 201440

50

60

70

80

Good completion BMEGood completion White

Attainment at Oxford Brookes University: Proportion of 1st & 2.1 degrees (home, f/t, UG students)

Brookes research

• In depth, open-ended interviews with twelve BME undergraduates about their experiences at university.

• The interviews were conducted by two BME postgraduate research students.

Findings

• Strategies for Belonging1. Post-racial

2. Academic

3. Advocacy

Ways of belonging successfully

1. Post racial -

“It’s not like I’ve got to make sure I put it in there so people know I’m African or anything like that, it doesn’t matter…I don’t want it to be the first thing people see, or think, is that I am black, so I tend not to want to go towards them groups (Afro Caribbean society), that’s the reason why I didn’t go to X University ‘cos when you go there it’s quite a big black group, which is fine, I’m not saying you don’t want to hang out with your own people, but don’t make it out so that everyone needs to know that we’re black.” (Student 3)

2. Academic

“…people will judge you (for being black), people will look at you by what you do … get good grades, that is when you get the respect … the truth is you cannot measure yourself with a white person in this country, what a white person needs to do, you need to do double to be able to be recognised.” (Student 4)

3. Advocacy

“I think it does lead me to when I get given assignments, all I want to do is race because that’s what they’ve missed out…I think me being so clued up about race issues is a form of self-protection.” (Student 1)

Strategies: fit & contact

Strategy Fit Contact

1. Post-racial Yes with wider university activity; an ‘engaged’ student.

Less important than fit

2. Academic With similar peers on course, less important than contact

Requires good contact with academic staff. Academically ‘engaged’

3. Advocacy With like minded peers, e.g. through SU. Politically ‘engaged’.

Social / peer contact is more important than academic contact.

Actions for belonging

Helping ‘fit’

“There were students from all parts of the world so most of the lecturers give us an international perspective.” (student 5)

versus

“What happens is they (lecturers) think because you are African you always bring in Africa to things. Just as you raise your hand and they say to you “yes I know in Africa” (in sarcastic tone).”

(Student 9)

• Positively acknowledge different cultural contributions in the classroom.

Helping ‘fit’ 2

• Acknowledge race / ethnicity plays a role in the dynamic of the class.

• Confront ‘questionable’ student attitudes.• Reflect on your own cultural ‘essentialism’ and consider

the message you convey about race / ethnicity.

“they’re very aware of gender, very aware, very great at that and that pleases me, like that’s really good, but they shy away from race so much. And, you know, even in my

classes like cultural and linguistic diversity, they shy away from race” (Student 1)

Helping ‘contact’

• Support staff and personal tutors who are experienced in diversity issues.

• For example, new lecturers tend to draw on their own experiences of university (or from what they see around them in the department) which can be very different to the student they are advising.

“once you are admitted you can easily get lost in the system…Are student support staff trained to deal with this area” (Student 10)

“I went to counselling a bit last year which was terrible…She was sort of shutting down the way I was thinking about it…I’d like to have someone, as a black person or as a mixed person to be able

to talk to, to relate to these kind of issues.”(Student 1)

Conclusion

• We have to acknowledge and be sensitive to race and its impact on the student experience.

• We have to reflect on our own cultural biases.• We might need to use positive action to address the

attainment gap issue