Where You Go, What You Do, Where You Go, What You Do, What You Know?What You Know?

Understanding the Influences of Campus Understanding the Influences of Campus Experiences on the Academic Achievement Experiences on the Academic Achievement

and Self-Concept of Black Undergraduatesand Self-Concept of Black Undergraduates

Kimberly A. GriffinKimberly A. Griffin

Walter R. AllenWalter R. Allen

University of California, Los AngelesUniversity of California, Los Angeles

AIR Annual Forum 2007AIR Annual Forum 2007

Academic Achievement and Academic Achievement and Academic Self-ConceptAcademic Self-Concept

Self-concept: Beliefs about one’s abilities Self-concept: Beliefs about one’s abilities in relation to the abilities of others in relation to the abilities of others

Exploration of self-concept, especially in Exploration of self-concept, especially in education, to improve achievementeducation, to improve achievement

Which comes first – high self-concept or Which comes first – high self-concept or high achievement?high achievement?

Reciprocal Effects ModelReciprocal Effects Model(Marsh and Colleagues)(Marsh and Colleagues)

Black Students: Relationship Between Black Students: Relationship Between Achievement and Self-ConceptAchievement and Self-Concept

Lower levels of academic achievement Lower levels of academic achievement than peers BUT higher self-conceptthan peers BUT higher self-concept

Gender differences: mixed evidence of Gender differences: mixed evidence of higher self-concept for Black maleshigher self-concept for Black males

Unclear evidence regarding environmental Unclear evidence regarding environmental influences on college achievement and influences on college achievement and self-conceptself-concept

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

Reciprocal effects model – does it work for Reciprocal effects model – does it work for Black students?Black students?

Influence of college experiences on Influence of college experiences on achievement and self-concept for Black achievement and self-concept for Black undergraduates?undergraduates?

Different factors important for Black men Different factors important for Black men and women?and women?

Reciprocal Effects ModelReciprocal Effects Model

High School GPA

College GPA

High SchoolASC

CollegeASC

College Effects ModelCollege Effects ModelHigh School

GPA

College GPA

FacultyInteraction

CampusEngagement

Sense of Community

High SchoolASC

CollegeASC

MethodsMethods Structural equation modeling (SEM)Structural equation modeling (SEM) used to used to

assess how well empirical data fit the assess how well empirical data fit the conceptual modelsconceptual models Combines factor analysis and regression Combines factor analysis and regression Goodness of fit assessed with Root Mean Goodness of fit assessed with Root Mean

Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) and Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) and Comparative Fit Index (CFI). Comparative Fit Index (CFI). • RMSEA: <.05 – close fit; .05-.08 – fair fit; .08-.10 – RMSEA: <.05 – close fit; .05-.08 – fair fit; .08-.10 –

mediocre fitmediocre fit• CFI: >.9 – acceptable fit; >.95 – good fit CFI: >.9 – acceptable fit; >.95 – good fit

EQS 6.1 SoftwareEQS 6.1 Software

Data SourceData Source Cooperative Institutional Research Program, Cooperative Institutional Research Program,

Higher Education Research Institute, UCLAHigher Education Research Institute, UCLA Large, national study of over 400,000 studentsLarge, national study of over 400,000 students Longitudinal study Longitudinal study Assesses influence of college experiences and Assesses influence of college experiences and

environments on students’ academic achievement, environments on students’ academic achievement, career aspirations, and attitudes.career aspirations, and attitudes.

Each student in the sample completed 2 Each student in the sample completed 2 surveys:surveys: 1994 Student Information Form (SIF): high school 1994 Student Information Form (SIF): high school

experiences, demographic characteristics, and high experiences, demographic characteristics, and high school achievement school achievement

1998 College Student Survey (CSS): students’ 1998 College Student Survey (CSS): students’ college activities, perceptions, and academic college activities, perceptions, and academic achievementachievement

SampleSample

529 African American students529 African American students Enrolled at Historically White InstitutionsEnrolled at Historically White Institutions 352 women, 177 men352 women, 177 men 95.5% graduated from high school in 199495.5% graduated from high school in 1994 51-100 miles from home51-100 miles from home 81.4% aspired to graduate or professional 81.4% aspired to graduate or professional

schoolschool

MeasuresMeasures

Academic Achievement Academic Achievement (1994 & 1998)(1994 & 1998)

Self-reported GPA Self-reported GPA

Academic Self Concept Academic Self Concept (1994 & 1998):(1994 & 1998):

Academic abilityAcademic ability Drive to achieveDrive to achieve Intellectual self-confidenceIntellectual self-confidence

Campus EngagementCampus Engagement Voted in student electionVoted in student election Time spent in clubs/groupsTime spent in clubs/groups Time spent doing volunteer Time spent doing volunteer

workwork

Faculty InteractionFaculty Interaction Offered advice and honest Offered advice and honest

feedbackfeedback Showed respect and Showed respect and

offered emotional supportoffered emotional support Discussed homework, Discussed homework,

developed academic skills, developed academic skills, offered intellectual offered intellectual challengechallenge

Satisfaction with sense of Satisfaction with sense of community on campuscommunity on campus

LimitationsLimitations

Self assessments of GPA and self-conceptSelf assessments of GPA and self-concept No measure of experiences with racism or No measure of experiences with racism or

own sense of communityown sense of community 4 year gap4 year gap

FindingsFindings

Reciprocal Effects ModelReciprocal Effects Model Black WomenBlack Women Black MenBlack Men

College Experiences ModelCollege Experiences Model Black WomenBlack Women Black MenBlack Men ComparisonComparison

Reciprocal Effects:Reciprocal Effects:Black Men & WomenBlack Men & Women

Poor FitPoor Fit WOMEN: RMSEA = .115; CFI = .894WOMEN: RMSEA = .115; CFI = .894 MEN: RMSEA = .119; CFI = .892MEN: RMSEA = .119; CFI = .892

Validity of Reciprocal Effects ModelValidity of Reciprocal Effects Model High school GPA positively related to high school self-High school GPA positively related to high school self-

concept and college GPAconcept and college GPA High school academic self-concept related to college High school academic self-concept related to college

self-conceptself-concept NO RELATIONSHIP between high school self-NO RELATIONSHIP between high school self-

concept and college GPAconcept and college GPA

Black Women – Reciprocal EffectsBlack Women – Reciprocal Effects

High School GPA

College GPA

High SchoolASC

CollegeASC

.254

.656

- .046

.561

.511

Black Men – Reciprocal EffectsBlack Men – Reciprocal Effects

High School GPA

College GPA

High SchoolASC

CollegeASC

.289

.570

.154

.503

.366

FindingsFindings

Reciprocal Effects ModelReciprocal Effects Model Black WomenBlack Women Black MenBlack Men

College Experiences ModelCollege Experiences Model Black WomenBlack Women Black MenBlack Men ComparisonComparison

College Experiences – College Experiences – Black WomenBlack Women

College GPACollege GPA Direct EffectsDirect Effects

• High school GPAHigh school GPA• Faculty InteractionFaculty Interaction

Indirect EffectsIndirect Effects• n/an/a

College ASCCollege ASC Direct EffectsDirect Effects

• High School ASCHigh School ASC• College GPACollege GPA• Faculty InteractionFaculty Interaction

Indirect EffectsIndirect Effects• Faculty InteractionFaculty Interaction• High School GPAHigh School GPA

““Fair” fitFair” fit•RMSEA = .046; CFI = .963RMSEA = .046; CFI = .963

PREDICTORS OF KEY OUTCOMESPREDICTORS OF KEY OUTCOMES

College Experiences – College Experiences – Black WomenBlack Women

High School GPA

College GPA

FacultyInteraction

CampusEngagement

Sense of Community

High SchoolASC

CollegeASC

.631

.292

.248

.208.179

.348 .149

.477

.390

College Experiences – College Experiences – Black MenBlack Men

College GPACollege GPA Direct EffectsDirect Effects

• High school GPAHigh school GPA• Campus EngagementCampus Engagement

Indirect EffectsIndirect Effects• High school GPAHigh school GPA

College ASCCollege ASC Direct EffectsDirect Effects

• Sense of community Sense of community (negative)(negative)

• High School ASCHigh School ASC• College GPACollege GPA

Indirect EffectsIndirect Effects• High School GPAHigh School GPA

““Fair” fitFair” fit•RMSEA = .063; CFI = .924RMSEA = .063; CFI = .924

PREDICTORS OF KEY OUTCOMESPREDICTORS OF KEY OUTCOMES

College Experiences – College Experiences – Black MenBlack Men

High School GPA

College GPA

FacultyInteraction

CampusEngagement

Sense of Community

High SchoolASC

CollegeASC

.533

.253

-.183

.455

.330

.382.276

.210

.306

Comparing Total Effects on Comparing Total Effects on College GPACollege GPA

Women MenR-squared 0.170 0.308PredictorsSense of Community -0.013 -0.126High School Academic Self-Concept 0.009 0.322Faculty Interaction 0.360* 0.093Campus Engagement 0.064 0.379*1994 Grade Point Average 0.253* 0.239*

Total Effect

Faculty interaction had an significant influence on the Faculty interaction had an significant influence on the college GPA of Black women, but NOT Black men.college GPA of Black women, but NOT Black men.

Campus engagement had a significant influence on the Campus engagement had a significant influence on the college GPA of Black men, but NOT Black womencollege GPA of Black men, but NOT Black women

Comparing Total Effects on Comparing Total Effects on College ASCCollege ASC

Women MenR-squared 0.535 0.654PredictorsSense of Community 0.016 -0.097*1998 Grade Point Average 0.153* 0.151*High School Academic Self-Concept 0.440* 0.523*Faculty Interaction 0.183* 0.123Campus Engagement 0.023 0.171*1994 Grade Point Average 0.123* 0.117*

Total Effect

Faculty interaction had an significant influence on the Faculty interaction had an significant influence on the college ASC of Black women, but NOT Black men.college ASC of Black women, but NOT Black men.

Campus engagement had a significant influence on the Campus engagement had a significant influence on the college ASC of Black men, but NOT Black womencollege ASC of Black men, but NOT Black women

ConclusionsConclusions

College experiences are important in College experiences are important in shaping both achievement shaping both achievement andand self-concept self-concept

Different factors are related to academic Different factors are related to academic achievement and self-concept for Black achievement and self-concept for Black men and women.men and women. Women – Faculty interactionWomen – Faculty interaction Men – Campus engagementMen – Campus engagement

Implications for Institutional Implications for Institutional ResearchersResearchers

Improving Black students’ self-concept may not Improving Black students’ self-concept may not influence academic achievementinfluence academic achievement

High self-concept may limit help-seeking High self-concept may limit help-seeking behaviorbehavior

Institutions Institutions mustmust acknowledge gender acknowledge gender differences when developing retention and differences when developing retention and academic support programsacademic support programs Women – facilitate interactions with professorsWomen – facilitate interactions with professors Men – facilitate their engagement in campus activitiesMen – facilitate their engagement in campus activities

Future DirectionsFuture Directions Compare findings to outcomes for Compare findings to outcomes for

students attending Historically Black students attending Historically Black InstitutionsInstitutions

Test conceptual model for all Test conceptual model for all undergraduatesundergraduates

Explore the influence of satisfaction Explore the influence of satisfaction with sense of communitywith sense of community

Thank you!Thank you!

If you have any questions or would like a If you have any questions or would like a copy of this paper, please contact:copy of this paper, please contact:

Kimberly GriffinKimberly Griffin

kag@ucla.edukag@ucla.edu