Where the Boys Are: College Readiness

SkillsMASL 2015 Spring

ConferenceQUIETLY MAKING NOISE

Kim Heyl and Laurie Seibel, Librarians

Kirkwood High School Kirkwood School District

Significance of Study

African American males least likely group to graduate compared to other ethnic/student groups.

Two thirds drop out by the end of freshman year (Harper, 2004).

Educators need to bridge this gap.

High School Predictor

High school predictor of college success – the ability to think critically through the research process (Craney et al., 2011).

Purpose of Study• To determine research strategies that successful African American male college students possess

• To compare research strategies to those that high school students currently use

Research QuestionsWhat research skills do African American male high school students possess?

What research skills do successful African American male college students possess?

What are the research skills that African American male students need to learn at the high school level in order to be successful college students?

High School Participants

• 30 African American males

• Attended local high school

• Sophomores, juniors, and seniors

College Participants• 30 successful African American male college sophomores, juniors, and seniors • Attended medium-sized, Midwestern suburban private university

• Earned 2.5 GPA+ based on 4.0 GPA scale after freshman year

Quantitative SurveyAcademic Research Skills

Qualitative Studypersonal interviews

3 high school students 3 college students

6 open-ended questions

Mothers’ Education Levels

High School Students 57% = Associate31% = Bachelor19% = Master 8% = Doctorate/equivalent

College Students

14% = Associate21% = Bachelor18% = Master

Fathers’ Education Levels

High School Students43% = Associate19% = Bachelor19% = Master

College Students52% = Associate24% = Bachelor16% = Master

Q

High School College Mother Favorite teacher* Grandmothers Grandfathers* Coach* Father Minister* Uncles* Siblings Aunts*

Mother Father Grandmothers Siblings Favorite teacher* Uncles* Grandfathers* Coach* Aunts* Minister*

Q

Q

High School Students Relied

More on Technology• Writing• Using Google • Citing sources• Searching databases• Organizing information• Researching confidently

• Instinctive use of Internet (Messineo & DeOllos, 2005)• Lack database confidence (Du and Evans, 2001)

College Students’ Research Readiness

Skills• Comfortable writing academic papers • Comfortable working on research projects • Accepted that research is long process • Understood plagiarism • Knew where to find citation tools

High School Students

Locating articles Reliable sources Citing sources

Purcell et al. (2012)

College Students

Locating articles Primary documents Citing sources

Salisbury & Karasmanis (2011)

Google Databases

Practice Skills•Retrieving information •Organizing data•Analyzing information•Understanding plagiarism•Learning appropriate research tools

•Think critically via research process (Craney et al. 2011)•Freshmen lack information literacy skills (Henderson et al.2011)

Implications of Practice

• Influence teaching methodologies & strategies

• Understand importance of student/teacher relationships and family connections

• Promote open communication secondary-college

• Pave way for successful transition to college

Relationships ERDD Parent Book Club

Kirkwood High School

After school library - minority students Recognized a need (focus on academics) Mainly freshmen and sophomores Tracked # missing assignments on chart Develop positive habits; provide support Community project

http://www.governing.com/topics/education/gov-barbershop-books-alvin-irby.html

Eradicate Red Dot Disease (ERDD)

Parent Book ClubConnect with great

literatureConnect with our teensConnect with each other

Parental Involvement

Connections Cost = timeParents “in the know”

Required ReadingsFreshmen

Teacher Option ReadingsFreshmen

Required ReadingsSophomores

Teacher Option ReadingsSophomores

ReferencesCraney, C., McKay, T., Mazzeo, A., Morris, J., Prigodich, C., & de Groot, R.

(2011). Cross-discipline perceptions of the undergraduate research experience. The Journal of Higher Education, 82(1), 92-113.

Du, J., & Evans, N. (2001). Academic library services support for research information seeking. Australian Academic & Research Libraries,

42(2), 103-120.Harper, S. (2004). The measure of a man: Conceptualizations of masculinity

among high-achieving African American male college students. Berkeley Journal of Sociology, 48, 89-107.Henderson, F., Nunez-Rodriguez, N., & Casari, W. (2011). Enhancing research

skills and information literacy in community college science students. The American Biology Teacher, 73(5), 270-275.Messineo, M., & DeOllos, L. (2005). Are we assuming too much? Exploring

students’ perceptions of their computer competence. College Teaching, 53(2), 50-56.Purcell, K., Rainie, L., Heaps, A., Bachanan, J., Friedrich, L., Jacklin, A., Chen, C., & Zickuhr, K. (2012, November 1). How teens do research in the digital world? Pew Research Center’s Inernet & American Life Project. Retrieved November 12, 2012 from http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Student-Research.aspx Salisbury, F., & Karasmanis, S. (2011). Are they ready? Exploring student information literacy skills in the transition from secondary to tertiary education. Australian Academic & Research Libraries, 42(1), 43-58.

Questions?

MASL 2015 Spring ConferenceQUIETLY MAKING NOISE

Kim Heyl and Laurie Seibel, LibrariansKirkwood High School

kim.heyl@kirkwoodschools.orglaurie.seibel@kirkwoodschools.org

Where the Boys Are:College Readiness Skills