Exploring Native American students' attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors toward academic success and tribal affiliation.

摘要

Native American students in higher students have the lowest enrollment, retention and graduation rates of any ethnic group. Prior research and retention programs were geared toward Native American students as a homogenous group. With limited research examining how specific tribal affiliation influences the students' attitudes, beliefs, or perceived behavioral controls toward academic success in higher education, the researcher addressed the problem regarding the influence of tribal affiliation on Native American historically low enrollment, retention, and graduation rates in higher education. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine how Native American students' tribal affiliation with respect to their attitudes, normative beliefs, and perceived behavioral controls may influence their academic success in higher education using the theoretical lens of planned behavior and transculturation theory. The theory of planned behavior and transculturation theory comprised the theoretical framework of the study. The researcher collected data from ten Native American students who attend Lower Brule Community College and are members of Lower Brule, Crow Creek, or Cheyenne River tribe. The researcher worked with the administration and available participants at the tribal college to conduct face-to-face interviews. The themes showed that students had a positive attitude toward academic success in higher education and that cultural identity positively influenced their attitude academic success. Further research is recommended to further examine whether the student's attitudes, normative beliefs, and perceived behavioral controls are indicative of their GPA, course attendance, and retention semester to semester.