Satisfaction Matters: A Comparative Study of African American Students in Education Programs within the Academy

Abstract

Research has shown that when students have high-quality experiences on campus, student satisfaction levels increase. The mixed methods research presented is a comparative pilot study on the student satisfaction rate of African American students in teacher education programs attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Historically White Colleges and Universities (HWCUs). The Higher Education Student Satisfaction Survey (HESSS) and focus group interviews were used in an effort to learn what African American students report about their experiences. Results of the pilot study may be used to improve the satisfaction rate of African American college students, improve the student and university relationship, and increase the admission and retention rates of African American college students.