Abstract
Since their creation, online and distance-learning programs have afforded traditional and non-traditional students access to learning. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students represent many enrollments each year in online and distance-learning undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs. While the absence of in-person and synchronous learning can impact the connections made by all students, this learning modality has also amplified some existing challenges for BIPOC students in these higher educational settings. This chapter will describe themes of isolation, a sense of belonging, and the quest for safe spaces amongst BIPOC students. This chapter will also discuss the role and responsibilities of mentorship; the importance of fostering meaningful relationships that combat isolation linked to BIPOC students' perception of support, safety, and belonging; and the position of culturally specific virtual affinity spaces in uncovering links to connectedness in online programs.
TopExamining The Academic Experiences Of Bipoc Students In North America
The description of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) involves person-first language that shifts away from the traditional labels such as “marginalized” and “minority” used to describe the cultural groups of Black, American Indians, or Native Americans, First Nations, Native Alaskans or Alaska Natives, Hispanic, East Asian, South Asian, and Hawaiian and Pacific Islander racial and ethnic individuals (Silverstein et al., 2022). These populations should not be viewed as monoliths but recognized as individuals with distinctive and shared life experiences based on historical occurrences, cultural traditions, physical attributes, and societal practices and treatments. As with all scholars, BIPOC students enter the field of higher education bringing life experiences and perceptions into their academic journeys (Silverstein et al., 2023). On the one hand, these understandings can shape how BIPOC students contribute to the practice of their future careers. On the other hand, these understandings can also impact how BIPOC students view their learning institutions, the educational process, their future career fields of choice, and the people responsible for preparing them for their future careers (Scott et al., 2022).
While the United States Census Bureau (2022) reported an increase in BIPOC individuals with bachelor's degrees from 2011 to 2021, Clarke and Davison (2020) and the National Center for Education Statistics (2022) denoted the existence of underrepresented BIPOC populations in graduate and post-graduate institutions. The BIPOC student population has increasingly received access to academic opportunities and success; however, Preston (2017) shared that BIPOC students have historically faced additional obstacles to educational success from grade school to post-graduate work. These struggles represent an ongoing systemic issue involving a deficiency in resources and support for these students, which can result in inequalities in retention rates, underrepresented populations in higher education, and disparities in degree completion rates (Preston, 2017).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Cultural and Ethnic Representation: The visibility and recognition of individuals who share physical and social connections with others in physical presence, curricula, and policies.
Mentorship: Influence, guidance, and direction from one more experienced person to another, and support networks include individuals who provide social, financial, emotional, and spiritual guidance.
Safe Spaces: Settings where individuals experience safety and security in expressing opinions, taking risks, and exploring their actions, feelings, and familiarities.
Racial Microaggressions: Verbal, nonverbal, or visual offensive exchanges that emphasize the power differentials amongst racial groups.
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC): Person-first language that shifts away from the traditional labels such as “marginalized” and “minority” used to describe the cultural groups of Black, American Indians or Native Americans, First Nations, Native Alaskans or Alaska Natives, Hispanic, East Asian, South Asian, and Hawaiian and Pacific Islander racial and ethnic individuals.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Policies and procedures that promote the representation and involvement of diverse groups of individuals incorporate people of different ages, races, ethnicities, abilities, disabilities, genders, religions, cultures, and sexual orientations.
Online Educational Programs: Training or academic courses that include remote or virtual access to connect with course materials or teachers.
Virtual Cultural Affinity Groups: Spaces for connection utilizing the technological capabilities of online programs, telephone, or electronic communication to support individuals who share common demographic and cultural profiles.