The impact of self-efficacy on the mathematics achievement of African American males in postsecondary education

This study presents positive depictions of African American men within higher education mathematics. Using social cognitive theory and culturally appropriate research methods, this qualitative study investigated reasons why some African American men are able to achieve academic success in mathematics at the postsecondary level. Six African American men were given opportunities to define, discuss, and reflect on their beliefs in their mathematics abilities, the sources of their beliefs, and the impact of their beliefs on their motivation and subsequent academic achievement in mathematics.;The autobiographies and interviews revealed seven themes: (1) teacher influence; (2) family influence; (3) peer influence; (4) perception of mathematics; (5) problem solving approach; (6) African American male teachers; and (7) prior experiences. Responses to certain themes were consistent, but there were also variations among participants' responses, which offer different alternatives for future research. The teacher influence theme represents the feedback that teachers gave to these participants through verbal cues or the creation of a supportive environment. The family influence theme represents the role that parents, siblings, or other family members portrayed in developing the participants' self-efficacy. The perception of mathematics theme represents the participants' identification of how other African American men view mathematics and therefore avoid the subject. The problem solving approach theme represents one aspect of perseverance demonstrated by the participants. The African American male teachers theme represents the participants' opinions on the benefits of more visibility of these potential role models. The prior experiences theme represents the early achievements in mathematics that encouraged further pursuits in the subject.;All of the participants' articulated highly optimistic beliefs concerning their mathematics self-efficacy. The sources that these African American men identified as being conducive to their mathematics self-efficacy were enactive attainment, verbal persuasion, and vicarious experience, which had the most significant influence. These African American men's choices of classes were positively influenced by their beliefs in their abilities and their willingness to persist in mathematics was also positively inspired by their beliefs in their abilities. Finally, through observation of appropriate behaviors and through suitable comparisons, African American male thinking about and behavior towards mathematics was altered.