Understanding Minority Enrollment in Graduate Schools of Education Programs

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Understanding Minority Enrollment in Graduate
Schools of Education Programs

• Poster Presentation Holmes Partnership Conference
  January 24, 2008
• Bernadine Pearson, Yojanna Cuenca, Bonnie Loriz,
  Zora Marschall, Anthony Terrell George Mason
  University

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Abstract

• Abstract The purpose of this research is to
  explore the reasons why currently enrolled
  minority (non-white) students in graduate
  education programs pursue careers in education.
  This survey research is designed to address the
  research question Are the reasons minority
  (non-white) educators choose education as a
  career field different from those of their white
  counterparts? To address this research question,
  graduate students enrolled in education programs
  were surveyed. We present findings related to
  increasing the number of minority educators. We
  discuss these findings relative to educational
  policy.

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Introduction

• There is a low proportional representation of
  non-white teachers in the professorate.
• The purpose of this research is to explore the
  reasons why currently enrolled minority
  (non-white) students in graduate education
  programs pursue careers in education.
• Previous research results have been both
  contradictory and incomplete in explaining the
  reasons non-white graduate students in graduate
  education programs pursue careers in education.

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Literature Review

• Watt Richardson (2007) presented findings that
  separated motivation to enroll into four
  categories
• make social contribution (I chose to become a
  teacher because teaching enables me to give back
  to society)
• work with children and adolescence (I chose to
  become a teacher because I like working with
  children and adolescents)
• prior teaching and learning experiences ( I
  chose to become a teacher because I have had
  positive learning experiences)
• social influences ( I chose to become a teacher
  because people I have worked with thought I
  should become a teacher)
• Furthermore, Watt and Richardson (2007) concluded
  that making social contributions was the most
  important reason to pursue educational programs.
  
• Mulholland (2003) discovered three positive
  motivational factors that contribute to males
  becoming elementary school teachers
• working with children
• teaching was seen as a desirable career with good
  working conditions
• parental support of teaching as a career for
  sons.

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Research Question

• Research Question 1 Are the reasons minority
  (non-white) educators choose education as a
  career field different from those of their white
  counterparts?
• Research Question 2 To what degree is minority
  (non-white) enrollment in education programs
  predicted by prior teaching and learning
  experiences, social influences, and the desire to
  contribute to society.

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Method

• Participants Randomly selected minority
  (non-white) and white graduate students enrolled
  in graduate education programs.
• Measures Closed choice and open ended
  questionnaire related to the reasons minority
  (non-white) graduate students pursue education
  degrees.
• Procedure Participants will complete an online
  questionnaire via survey software.

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Questionnaire

• 1. What is your gender?
• 2. What is your age range?
• under 25 26-35
• 36-45 over 45
• 3. What is the highest degree you hold?
• Bachelors Masters
• Education Specialist Doctorate
• 4. What licensure endorsement (s) do you hold
  currently?
• 5. In what capacity do you currently work in
  Education?
• Administrator counselor
• Librarian psychologist
• Teacher other
• 6. At what level are you working in Education?
• elementary
• middle
• higher school
• higher education

• 7. How many years have you been working in
  Education?
• 0-3 4-7
• 8-12 12
• 8. How many years do you or did you expect to
  remain in Education?
• 0-3 4-7
• 8-12 12
• 9. What is your most important reason for
  pursuing graduate education?
• Advice of a role model or mentor
• Family tradition
• Income
• Increased influence in the field of Education
• Personal fulfillment
• Requirement for job promotion

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Questionnaire

• I. Please respond to the statements below using
  the following scale
• 1 Strongly agree 2 Agree 3 Uncertain 4
  Disagree 5 Strongly agree
• I believe there is a need for more minority
  educators in Education.
• I believe my teacher preparation program is
  preparing me well to address the needs of all
  students, especially culturally, linguistically,
  and ability diverse students.
• I believe there is a need to promote the
  inclusion of more minority graduate Education
  students in my universitys graduate Education
  program.
• I believe that all teachers should be aware of
  cultural differences in order to work effectively
  with culturally, linguistically, and ability
  diverse students.
• I believe there is a relationship between a
  teachers exhibiting culturally competent
  behaviors in the classroom and student
  achievement.
• I believe efforts to increase cultural competence
  of educators improve school communities.
• 10. Is Education your first career choice?

• 11. Did you come to Education from another career
  field? If so, which field (s)?
• 12. What positions or jobs do you anticipate
  pursuing in the field?
• Administrator central office
• Counselor department chair
• Psychologist other
• National Board certified teacher
• 13. Is anyone in your family currently or has
  been previously employed in Education?
• II. Please respond to the statements below using
  the following scale
• 1 Strongly agree 2 Agree 3 Uncertain 4
  Disagree 5 Strongly agree
• My family supports my decision to become an
  educator.
• My family values the teaching profession.
• I currently have alternate career options
• Teaching is a temporary career choice for me.
• 14. What do you enjoy least about working in
  Education?
• 15. What do you enjoy most about working in
  Education?

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Proposed Data Analysis

• RQ1 To address research question one, reasons
  for enrollment in education programs for minority
  (non-white) students will be compared to those of
  white students.
• RQ2 To address research question two, multiple
  regression will be used with minority enrollment
  in education programs as the dependent variable
  and prior teaching and learning experiences,
  social influences, and the desire to contribute
  to society as independent (predictor) variables.

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Expected Results

• Research Question 1
• Minority (non-white) students will have
  statistically significant differences in their
  reasons for enrolling in education programs
  compared to their white counterparts.

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Expected Results
Research Question 2

• Y Minority (non-white) enrollment in education
  programs
• X1 Prior teaching and learning experiences
• X2 Social influences
• X3 A desire to contribute to society

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Limitations

• Collecting qualitative data through interviews
  and focus groups with the participants of the
  survey will improve the overall design of the
  study.
• Other variables should be explored as possible
  reasons for enrolling in education programs,
  (i.e. gender and age).
• Further limitations will emerge as data
  collection is completed.

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Educational Implications

• Since it is expected that there are different
  reasons minority and white students enroll in
  graduate education programs, it is important that
  teacher preparation programs take these reasons
  into consideration when attempting to recruit and
  retain exceptional minority educators. We must
  also address the prior teaching and learning
  experiences, social influences, and the desire to
  contribute to society in understanding student
  decisions to pursue educational programs.