Date of Award

12-31-2018

Document Type

Campus Access Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Education/Higher Education PhD

First Advisor

Tara L. Parker

Second Advisor

Ray Franke

Third Advisor

Frank Tuitt

Abstract

This study identified a six-factor model for classroom racial microaggressions in higher education. The effect of classroom experiences with racial microaggressions for students of color in higher education were also examined. The research was driven by three major questions: 1) What are the latent factors that can be used to quantify racial microaggressions in college classrooms? 2) What is the effect of the latent factors on degree completion and persistence outcomes for students of color at four-year public PWIs? And, 3) Does institutional context have any impact on the effect of the latent factors on degree completion and persistence outcomes for students of color? An original survey instrument was developed. Study participants included 737 students representing 18 four-year public institutions across the United States. The study consisted of a two-part analytical process. First, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were used to generate and confirm latent factors used to represent classroom experiences with racial microaggressions. Second, a series of hierarchical general linear models were used to determine the effect of the latent factors, among other variables, on college persistence outcomes for students of color. The factor analyses process findings indicated that six latent factors effectively represent classroom experiences with racial microaggressions for students of color in higher education. This study validates that racial microaggressions in college classrooms have the potential to negatively impact outcomes related to college persistence and thus should be an important focus for higher education policy and practice.

Comments

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