The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore how African American male graduates experience and understand academic goal commitment and grit regarding college education in a small Southeastern regional North Carolina district. Duckworth's grit theory was the framework used to explore the learning problems…

Purpose is an indicator of healthy human development and believed by some theorists and educators to be an important outcome of college. The aim of this study was to test the potential for assessing purpose using a person-centered analysis, thereby providing more individual-specific understanding of students' purpose development, and second by…

This study explored teachers' perceptions of their experiences participating in self-directed learning (Knowles, 1970, 1975). The teacher participants (n = 127) were guided through a self-directed learning framework for professional learning and reflected on their experiences. Findings indicate teachers reporting increased autonomy and…

Objective: To assess the COVID-19 pandemic's effects on college students' stress, life satisfaction, and college experiences and investigate sources of resilience. Participants: 1,042 students from 11 U.S. colleges and universities. Methods: Longitudinal study with surveys in winter 2018-2019 and fall 2021. Interviews with 54 survey respondents,…

This article shares the results from a quasi-experimental mixed-methods study of a promising transition-focused professional development approach. The 12-week team-based intervention resulted in positive outcomes among intervention group participants' knowledge and capacities. The intervention group exhibited statistically significant changes in…

While the majority of U.S students are children of color, only 20% of teachers are people of color. What's more, 40% of the nation's public schools do not have a single teacher of color on record. Research shows that all students, regardless of race or ethnicity, benefit socially, emotionally, and academically from a diverse teacher workforce.…

"My Progress is Our Progress" is a qualitative study that examines how first-generation Latinx students navigate their experiences at three North Carolina community colleges. The Latinx population has significantly increased in North Carolina but that has not translated into an increase in Latinx student enrollment in higher education.…

According to stereotype threat theory, the prospect of being judged in terms of a negative stereotype triggers underperformance (Steele, 1997; Steele & Aronson, 1995). Targets need not personally subscribe to the negative stereotype to be affected but must simply be aware that others may subscribe to it. The goal of this study was to…

This study examined the relationship of a medium-sized coastal community college with African American males' choices concerning college transfer or career and technical education. The studied college serves two counties, forming a diverse community located in a southeastern North Carolina city. The combined population of both counties was nearly…

The intent of this exploratory study was to inventory the motivations of the North Carolina FFA Meats Evaluation Career Development Event (CDE) competitors and investigate the relationship motivation has on performance. Participants (n = 93) completed a battery of motivational measures (achievement goals, grit, interest, self-efficacy, task value,…

This study examined the educational gaps in the North Carolina Department of Public Safety and the North Carolina Community College System and its impact on recidivism. The study aims to establish a holistic and comprehensive transition plan for inmates within 12-24 months of release into society. The study examined classes and training offered to…

In this article, we explore a program designed to engage high school and college students with learning disabilities (LD) in conversations about their hopes, expectations, and fears for the future. We explore the mindset of students by focusing on their self-identified passions for life and sense of strengths and limitations. We found that males…

This report focuses on a competency-based grading initiative at Carroll Middle School. The initiative was implemented from 2018-19 to 2020-21 to address the lack of alignment between report card grades and End-of-Grade (EOG) test results and was designed to ensure consistent delivery of standards-based instruction, formative assessment, and…

Research says that teacher diversity benefits all students, regardless of race or Ethnicity. However, while the majority of students in the U.S. are of color, only about 20% of teachers are of color. Increasing the racial and cultural diversity of the teacher workforce takes a statewide commitment to collecting and analyzing educator workforce…

The brilliance of Black men and the strengths of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been understudied and invisibilized. This focus group study examines the skills, habits, characteristics, and relationships to learning and achievement of 26 high-achieving, first-year Black male students at five HBCUs in North Carolina. This…