Enhancing Academic Motivation and Ethno Racial Identity Development Through Ethnic and Racial Coalition in Minority Serving Institutions

Abstract

This study examines how ethnic and racial coalitions can encourage academic motivation and the growth of ethno-racial identities in Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). It makes the case that coalitions can foster conditions that encourage academic engagement and identity affirmation by drawing on empirical data and theoretical viewpoints. The need to pay maximum attention to education at higher level especially in Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) cannot be over emphasized. The study aimed at ascertaining the roles of ethnic and racial coalition in enhancing academic motivation and ethnoracial identity development amongst students in Minority Serving Institutions. This study makes a persuasive case for the use of such coalitions as an effective means of reducing educational inequities by evaluating quantitative and qualitative data from a sample of these institutions. Two research questions were raised and answered and two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at .05 level of significance. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design. The sample consisted of 22 African students and 15 Non-African students. The instrument used for data collection is a structured questionnaire. The reliability indices of the instrument were found to be .90 and .91. The data collected was analyzed using mean to answer the research questions and Analysis of Variance to test the null hypotheses. The findings illuminate the potential of ethnic and racial coalitions to foster positive academic outcomes, cultural affirmation, and increased self-identification among ethnic and racial minority students. Findings also revealed among others that provision of adequate career orientation, and encouraging belief in the value of education are roles of ethnic and racial coalition in enhancing academic motivation as well as holding cultural celebrations, providing support for group identification and cohesion are roles of ethnic and racial coalition in enhancing ethnoracial identity development amongst students in MSIs. The study recommended among others that the management of the Minority Serving Institutions should provide administrative support for ethnic and racial coalition on MSI campuses for enhancing the academic motivation and ethno racial identity development amongst students.