Investigating Preservice Black Male Teachers’ Identity as Men, Teachers, and Researchers Through Undergraduate Research

ABSTRACT

Research of preservice Black male teachers’ experiences in teacher education programs is limited in general and specifically at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Moreover, there is little research about the initiatives established to support Black men in teacher education programs, such as undergraduate research experiences. Thus, this participatory action research project uses African American male theory and the scholar identity model to examine how an undergraduate research experience about Black male teachers helped to enhance preservice teachers’ unique identities as Black men, teachers, and researchers. The data corpus for this study consists of individual and focus group interviews, video and audio recorded research sessions, pictures, artifacts, and documents. The findings illustrate how the three participants’ self-proclaimed identities were enhanced and further developed through the research project. This study offers recommendations on how to support preservice Black male teachers in teacher education programs and undergraduate research experiences.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Julius Davis

Julius Davis is the University System of Maryland Wilson H. Elkins Associate Professor of Mathematics Education and Director of the Center for Research and Mentoring of Black Male Students and Teachers, Bowie State University, Bowie, MD.

Keisha McIntosh Allen

Keisha McIntosh Allen is Assistant Professor of Education, Department of Education, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD.

Ramon Goings

Ramon Goings is an Assistant Professor in the Language, Literacy, and Culture Doctoral Program, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD.

John Watts

John Watts is an education major and Undergraduate Fellow in the Center for Research and Mentoring of Black Male Students and Teachers, Bowie State University, Bowie, MD.

Brandon McKay-Davis

Brandon McKay-Davis is an English Teacher at Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School, Prince George's County Public Schools, Laurel, MD.

Avery Thomas

Avery Thomas is a mathematics and secondary education alumnus of Bowie State University, Bowie MD.

Wil Parker

Wil Parker is Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, Department of Educational Studies and Leadership, Bowie State University, Bowie, MD.