Off-campus UMass Amherst users: To download dissertations, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your UMass Amherst user name and password.
Non-UMass Amherst users, please click the view more button below to purchase a copy of this dissertation from Proquest.
(Some titles may also be available free of charge in our Open Access Dissertation Collection, so please check there first.)
The relationship between educational environments and academic achievement: A study of Chinese-American college students
Abstract
This dissertation examined the relationship between educational environments and academic achievement of Chinese-American college students—a conspicuous ethnic group with above-average academic records. A two-step sequential interview and survey questionnaire were employed as the primary methods for data collection. In-depth interview was applied to 12 Chinese-American college students with GPA equal to or above 3.5, 10 equal to or under 3.0, and two between 3.0 and 3.5. The analysis of the empirical data indicates that: (1) The participants had higher than average GPA and SAT scores and their selected majors concentrated on sciences and engineering. With an overwhelming majority being first and second generation, the participants had typical bicultural characteristics. Their parents were relatively well educated and had higher than average family income. (2) Familial emphasis on education and the tendency to maximize educational resources contribute to the high academic achievement of Chinese-American college students. (3) Derived from the reciprocal obligations between generations, stable family relations, secure family environment, and consistent parental concern and involvement erect a psychological safety island for Chinese-American college students and encourage high achievement. (4) High educational level and handsome income of the parents, and mindfully rehashed degree sagas, influence and motivate Chinese-American college students and materialize their educational goals. (5) Their determination to realize their goals along an often predetermined educational course drives Chinese-American students to work hard maximizing their capabilities and even stretching beyond their limitations. The goal is so definite or tangible that they seldom digress into other concerns such as racial discrimination or social status as a minority. In conclusion, although there may be many factors that have direct or indirect impact on educational achievement, two are prominent: traditional cultural values and economic status or goal. These two factors interact to promote educational achievement of Chinese-American college students. Traditional cultural values, economic goal, and education, as both means and ends, form a dynamic circle in motion.
Subject Area
Higher education|Minority & ethnic groups|Sociology|Educational sociology
Recommended Citation
Cao, Zili, "The relationship between educational environments and academic achievement: A study of Chinese-American college students" (1999). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9932302.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9932302