A Study of BIPOC First-Generation Community College Students' Intrinsic Motivation and Perceptions of Institutional Barriers

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: Contemporary Issues Related to Student Success (San Diego)

Abstract

This mixed-methods action research study examines community college students’ intrinsic motivation to pursue their educational goals and their perceptions of institutional structural barriers, and how these factors may impact graduation rates. A review of the literature indicates that students, particularly first-generation BIPOC students, face additional challenges compared to their non-first-generation peers. In addition, institutional structural barriers exacerbate the problem due to the number of complex decisions students are expected to make with minimal guidance. One hundred eighty-five community college students (including recently transfer students to a 4-year university) from three California colleges participated in a 23-question survey and interviews. Quantitative and qualitative analysis results indicate that students are intrinsically motivated yet face institutional structural barriers that hinder academic success.

Authors

• Kaitlyn Victoria Famalett, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

• Andrea F Somoza-Norton, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo