Using interpretive phenomenology to explore the essence of the experience of African American students in the sciences

Dwight E Lewis, Purdue University

Abstract

Over 30 years of well-documented research findings on the recruitment and retention of African Americans to graduate science programs shows that—despite an array of various initiatives and programs—African Americans are still statistically underrepresented in biomedical science graduate programs. The purpose of this study is to: first, examine the historical impact of access based on differential racially discriminatory policies in schools and poverty on African Americans; second, analyze how African Americans have been denied access to equitable public education; and third, examine and synthesize current issues regarding the phenomenon of success and the progress of African Americans within the context of a public/higher education settings. This study will then explore the lived experiences and the perceptions of minority students through their experiences in the biomedical sciences. This work provides a context for understanding the stories of minority students and my interpretations of their perceptions from their stories. This study answers the following questions: What are the life experiences of students of color and how do those experiences contribute to these students’ success in post-secondary education? The purpose of the study is to discover how the life experiences of students of color affect their perceptions of graduate experiences. Interpretive phenomenology is especially suited to revealing contextual understanding of questions of meaning; it is a particularly useful method of study. Its philosophical foundation derives from Heidegger, who devoted much of his writing to ontology: what does it mean to be a person and how is the world intelligible to us all?

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Malewski, Purdue University.

Subject Area

African American Studies|Black studies|Science education|Curriculum development

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