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College students' perceptions of classroom experiences /environments: A collective case study relative to diversity /multiculturalism

Jake Kirkland, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Abstract

The purpose of this case study was to explore perceptions of students of color have regarding their experiences in college classrooms at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). The central areas of inquiry concerned students' of color perceptions of the social interactions among students and faculty, and their perceptions of the curriculum as well as how students' gender and/or race might influence both. The research questions for this study examined students' perceptions across five dimensions of classroom environment: student learning style/preferences, instruction, student-student (group) activities, curriculum, and instructor-student interactions. This study serves as a continuation of the findings of a quantitative pilot study conducted during the spring semester of 1999 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Ten students of color, representing members of four minority groups (African American, Asian American, Mexican American, and Native American), were interviewed and results analyzed to examine their perceptions on the five dimensions of classroom environment. In addition, data were analyzed that led to several emergent themes from this case study and recent research relating to students' of color perceptions of their college classroom experiences/environments (e.g., learning style/preference, instruction, curriculum, student-student interaction, and instructor-student interaction) was reviewed. The implications of the themes and possible directions for future research are discussed.

Subject Area

Bilingual education|Teacher education|Black studies

Recommended Citation

Kirkland, Jake, "College students' perceptions of classroom experiences /environments: A collective case study relative to diversity /multiculturalism" (2002). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI3064562.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI3064562

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