Running head: PROJECT 3 BIPOC STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN A BLENDED 1

Project 3 BIPOC Student Performance in a Blended Learning Environment

Cheryl R. Gonzalez

Central Michigan University

Author Note

Cheryl R. Gonzalez, EDU 811, Central Michigan University

Correspondence concerning this article review should be addressed to Cheryl Gonzalez, Doctor

of Educational Technology department, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI

48859.

Contact: smith6cr@cmich.edu
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Abstract

This project will provide a perspective on implementing a more impactful online and blended

learning space for Black, Indigenous, People of Color. Covid-19 revealed many inequities in

learning although they have been there for as long as education has been an integral part of

society. We will explore historic impacts and future planning for education which will have an

impact on all students, especially students of color.

Keywords: Blended Learning, Online Learning, Motivation in Online Learning, BIPOC,

Students of Color, Impactful Learning, Impactful Teaching

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BIPOC Student Performance in a Blended Learning Environment

The Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) population have been impacted the

most since remote learning became essential due to the pandemic. This is not to say that

structural barriers were not already in place that made it more difficult for students of color to

succeed in school. “Moreover, COVID-related discrimination and health disparities

disproportionately affect minoritized individuals continue to lay bare racial inequities embedded

in the U.S. and in the socio-historic contexts from which Students of Color derive cultural values

towards schooling” (Fong, 2022). To understand the barriers, we must first link structural racism

to the difficulties faced by BIPOC folks in the public education system.

Desegregation. Structural racism is defined as “implicitly discriminatory practices and policies

that have negative consequences for individuals and groups of color” (Crutchfield, Phillippo, &

Frey, 2020). In 1954, the Supreme Court justices listened to a landmark case Brown vs. Board of

Education. To live in this country and to obtain your education here, it would be impossible to

have not heard of this case - unless you live under a rock. After hearing the case, the justices

momentously “ruled unanimously that racial segregation of children in public schools

was unconstitutional” (History.com Editors, 2009).

In the decision, issued on May 17, 1954, Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren

wrote that “in the field of public education the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’

has no place,” as segregated schools are “inherently unequal.” As a result, the

Court ruled that the plaintiffs were being “deprived of the equal protection of

the laws guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.” (History.com Editors, 2009).

While this was a win for students of color, the hill we climb was just beginning.

Desegregation in this country included equally impactful and important events such as
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Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on public transportation, the Montgomery bus

boycott, the toppling of Jim Crow Laws, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting

Rights Act of 1965, the Fair Housing Act of 1968, and the Runyon vs McCrary ruling

regarding private schools denying admission to students of color where the Supreme

Court ruled that denying admission based on race violated federal civil rights laws.

The Hill We Climb

All of this to say that we are not done and that was unequivocally proven

during the pandemic where many students had no access; to the internet, a computer,

critical support structures including educated family willing to help or resources for

children with disabilities. Language barriers and poverty were blatant barriers as well.

The students being most affected even prior to the pandemic, by the above issues are

BIPOC students according to Spievack and Gallagher’s (2020) analysis of the 2014 –

2018 American Community Survey data:

Figure 1. For Students of Color, Remote Learning Environments Pose Multiple Challenges;
analysis of 2014-2018 American Community Survey Data
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Disparities Compound Risk Factors

Risk factors are proven to err overwhelmingly on the side of underserved, lower

socioeconomic locations where BIPOC students attend school. These risk factors magnify when

facing more than one of them. The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) lists several factors

impacting students of color including lack of college readiness (AP) courses, less access to gifted

and talented education programs, systematic bias in teacher expectations and overall educational

expectations from the schools (UNCF, 2022). The UNCF lists nine statistics worth delving in to.

Two extremely necessary to point out are as follows:

 STATISTIC #3: BIPOC students are often located in schools with less qualified teachers.

 STATISTIC #7: Schools with 90 or more students of color spend $733 less per student

per year than schools with 90 percent or more white students.

These statistics prove there is a loophole in teacher inequity and federal laws enabling lower

spending on students of color. Relating this to my final paper in my master’s program, there is a

lack of BIPOC personnel in education which makes inclusiveness impossible from the stance

that students need to see racial representation.

Representation matters. In every community, in every country, representation is important to

help young people feel connected. “For students looking for clear cultural diversity in the

classroom and role models in their school, having a teacher from the same background can lead

to deeper connections and more engaged learning” (Beach, 2022). I imagine the same goes for

BIPOC teachers to feel as though they are having a positive impact on their own culture.

Connecting that to their purpose for teaching is a strong indicator that representation is important

on any area of the spectrum. While saying this, it is also important to understand that

representation for the sake of representation can do more harm than good. Hiring BIPOC staff to
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walk the walk of an anti-racist agenda is not enough. The selection process in every educational

institution should be specific in finding the right people to provide the equity and inclusive space

that every student needs to succeed. Just because one may look like another does not mean that

the history is comparable nor that the student will learn without ensuring that the educator has

the skills and knowhow to teach and the willingness to build ALL their students up. Not only will

that need to occur, but the student will also need the motivation to do the work.

Finding Motivation in Blended and Online Settings for BIPOC Students

While many are excited about the return of face-to-face classes, the idea that education

will ever be the same is questionable. Many ideas have been disrupted as to what the ideal

learning situation should be. High school students have attended much of the last two years

online and the impact is evident with the fall 2022 incoming freshman trends in online program

applications hiking upward. Will this trend change anytime soon? Doubtful. This makes blended

and online learning an even greater asset; one that we must provide equitable learning outcomes

for.

Equitable ways to impact. Mental health, caregiving, unexpected illnesses, and job loss

are some of the main reasons for the need for online learning. Offering flexibility through online

learning is important and while there is more flexibility in online courses, there is still an

opportunity for greater impact. “Flexibility needs to be structured within a framework that

includes deadlines to motivate students to complete the coursework and allows learners to

interact with one another during the course for collaborative learning (Daniel, 2017).” Providing

support for students with limited internet access and older computers is critical to the success of

online learners. In How Implementing a New Course Framework Positively Impacted Student

Perceptions of Learning During the Pandemic literature review, Lebens discussed scheduling,
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lecture modules, assignments, rubrics, assessments, and project scaffolding. These measurements

provided insight in students meeting course learning outcomes. The assessment noted that:

“Most students, over 95%, described their progress on gaining a basic understanding of

business analytics as substantial or exceptional. This response is astounding, given that

the stressors of the pandemic were shown in the literature to be particularly detrimental to

the course progress of students from underserved populations, who made up the bulk of

the students in the sample of this study.” (Lebens, 2022).

Creating a new, more impactful and technical coursework positively impacted the students of

color in this article and could be applied more widely for students across the world.

Summary

Online learning used to be a thing of the future but is becoming more necessary in current

and changing times. The pandemic broke the educational system, and we will continue to see

ripple effects. As Indra Nooyi says, “the world is changing in such profound ways. If you’re not

going to remain a lifelong learner, it’s going to be very hard to keep up.” This is as an educator

and a learner. Students find motivation and learn best when they feel seen, safe, and included.

Seeing others who look like them in the online classroom as well as those teaching them also

helps. “A culture of belonging is crucial to rethinking school so that students can succeed”

(Beach, 2022). Still, the call to action remains, do the best we can to provide an equitable

learning experience for all involved.

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References

Beach, Hana. (2022). Why Representation Matters to BIPOC Teachers and Their Students.

Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://xqsuperschool.org/rethinktogether/bipoc-

teacher-representation/#:~:text=The%20Importance%20of%20Representation

%20in,connections%20and%20more%20engaged%20learning

Crutchfield, Phillippo, K. L., & Frey, A. (2020). Structural Racism in Schools: A View through

the Lens of the National School Social Work Practice Model. Children & Schools, 42(3),

187–193. https://doi.org/10.1093/cs/cdaa015

Daniel, J. (2017). Making sense of flexibility as a defining element of online learning.

Proceedings of the World Conference on Online Learning. Presented at the World

Conference on Online Learning: Teaching in the Digital Age, Toronto, Canada. Retrieved

from https://teachonline.ca/sites/default/files/tools-trends/

downloads/makingsenseofflexibility.pdf

Fong. (2022). Academic motivation in a pandemic context: a conceptual review of prominent

theories and an integrative model. Educational Psychology (Dorchester-on-Thames),

ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2022.2026891

History.com Editors. (2009). Brown v. Board of Education. History.com. Retrieved October 20,

2022, from https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/brown-v-board-of-education-

of-topeka

Lebens, M. (2022). How Implementing a New Course Framework Positively Impacted Student

Perceptions of Learning During the Pandemic: Quarterly Journal. S.A.M.Advanced

Management Journal,  87(2), 50-60.

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https://cmich.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/how-

implementing-new-course-framework-positively/docview/2708410953/se-2

Spievack, N., & Gallagher, M. (2020). For students of color, remote learning environments pose

multiple challenges. The Urban Institute. Figure 1.

UNCF (2022). K-12 Disparity Facts and Statistics. Retrieved October 18, 2022, from

https://uncf.org/pages/k-12-disparity-facts-and-stats