For Better or Worse? African American Undergraduate Students Recount Experiences in a `Reformed' Introductory Biology Course at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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  • March 19, 2019
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  • Burgess, Terrance
    • Affiliation: School of Education
Abstract
  • The purpose of this thesis is to explore the experiences of six African-American students who have taken a reformed introductory biology course at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to add qualitative insight into a preexisting quantitative study conducted by biology professors at the University of Washington and UNC-Chapel Hill. Due to the accolades of this university's healthcare preparation programs, many undergraduate students matriculate with the intent of pursuing a health-related career. As a result, students take Biology as a required prerequisite course. Although the biology course itself is relatively diverse, the occurrence of diversity within these healthcare professions is significantly less. Increasing course structure reportedly improved exam performance for African American students, whereas this study reveals four critical themes that contradict the findings of the preexisting study and ultimately includes non-generalizable points of consideration for both the university professor and high school biology teacher to further prepare African American students in biology.
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  • In Copyright
Advisor
  • Noblit, George W.
  • Carlton Parsons, Eileen
  • Stone, Lynda
Degree
  • Master of Arts
Degree granting institution
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Graduate School
Graduation year
  • 2015
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  • Chapel Hill, NC
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  • There are no restrictions to this item.
Date uploaded
  • June 23, 2015

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