Performing Arts Education and the Academic Identity Development of African American Male High School Students

1 online resource (219 pages) : PDF

2015

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

AbstractThis study examined the effects of performing arts participation on the academic achievement of African American male high school students. The study investigated how engagement in school-based performing arts influenced the academic identity development and school experiences of African American males who attended an arts-themed urban high school. This interpretive case study used African American Male Academic Identity Development Theory, a proposed original theoretical framework, to address the following research questions: What are the experiences of African American male students who participated in standards driven performing arts education programs while attending an urban high school? How do performing arts education experiences influence the academic identity development of African American male high school students? Purposive criterion sampling was used to recruit participants for this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 5 African American males who attended and graduated from Piedmont School of the Arts (Piedmont School of the Arts is a pseudonym), an urban performing arts based high school. The findings of the study suggest that Black male students who participated in school-based performing arts 1) Experienced a positive school climate, 2) Demonstrated enhanced academic achievement, and 3) Acquired a more positive racial identity. The findings from this study help to inform educational policies and practices that are aimed at improving school outcomes for African American male students.

doctoral dissertations

Curriculum planning
Art--Study and teaching
African Americans--Study and teaching
Ethnicity--Study and teaching

Ph.D.

Academic Identity Development
African American Males
Black Males and High Academic Achievement
Performing Arts Education
School-Based Performing Arts
Urban High Schools

Curriculum & Instruction

Wiggan, Greg

Butler, Bettie
Campbell-Whatley, Gloria
Germain, Felix

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2015.

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