As the number and complexity of instructional tools have increased, universities have rapidly adapted to ensure their students have the necessary tools and resources for academic success (Rafi et al., 2014; Rafi et al., 2020). One of these adaptations has been the creation of virtual learning platforms using Virtual Reality (VR) technology. This…

We joined an initiative to engage faculty and undergraduate students in research by scheduling regular early college-level mathematics research presentations with pre- and post-lecture exercises. While our program featured six talks that were predominantly in the mathematical biosciences, the concept of creating themed topics for presentations can…

This qualitative study explores the perceived barriers to professional advancement among Black Americans who graduated from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) in Louisiana. Through in-depth interviews with 36 participants spanning four generations (Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation…

With the new era of higher education centered on reshaping curricula in community colleges, educators and researchers are left with the task to develop innovative ways to keep students focused. The perceived best practices to educate students are always changing and with the millennial generation geared more towards participatory and hands on…

The digital divide has been described as the distance or gap in access to information based on race, ethnicity, income, education and geographical location. This study examined how freshmen and first-semester journalism and mass communications students at five Historically Black Colleges and Universities [HBCUs] have been able to bridge the…

Several factors contribute to the college retention rates of black students. There could be issues related to the student's own personality attributes, personal and/or family circumstances, financial factors, background events, social factors, as well as a myriad of institutional factors associated with the school system and/or a particular school…

This study explored college student persistence at a historically Black university affected by Hurricane Katrina. Predictor variables including sex, residence status, Pell Grant status, campus housing status, college grade point average, attendance before Hurricane Katrina, and attendance at the university by parents or another close relative were…

Students (N = 1,146) from five Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma participated in this study. Although students report a moderate level of HIV knowledge, they are deficient on three items related to the role of Nonoxynol-9 on HIV transmission, role of prior STD history on HIV transmission, and meaning of…

The role of motivation and collaboration in STEM learning and performance is paramount. A learning community represents an educational approach that can engage students in learning in a motivated, thoughtful, active, and collaborative way. The focus of this article is on the nature of students' interest, attitudes, learning experiences and…

At Coppin State University, a historically Black university, nearly 120 ninth-graders are enrolled in the Coppin Academy. The academy is one of nearly a dozen such innovative school partnerships nationwide, aiming to apply study results that suggest that African-American students may perform better in smaller, more personalized learning…