Communal socialization: (re)imagining the role of communal socialization on african american high schoolers’ engagement and performance in mathematics.

Abstract

Studies have primarily identified the positive associations between students' communal values and teachers' culturally relevant practice in separate investigations. The current study examined African American students' perceptions of their mathematics teachers' practice specifically related to the transmission of communal values, communal socialization. It also explores associations between these perceptions and students' academic engagement and performance in mathematics. Communal socialization is the transmission of implicit and explicit messages, models, and experiences that teach, honor, and reinforce students' values of social connectedness, interdependence, and common purpose. African American high school students (N = 308, 81% 14-17 years old, 74% female, 71% subsidized lunch status) participated in this study. Exploratory factor analyses were used to examine the dimensionality of communal socialization. Latent profile analyses yielded profiles to explore the varied experiences of students in secondary mathematics. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between communal socialization and students' academic (i.e., academic engagement and performance), achievement motivation (i.e., attainment value), and social responsibility outcomes. Results were in support of the multidimensional nature of the Communal Socialization Scale including four factors: personal responsibility, community utility, equitable actions, and global responsibility. In addition, four latent profiles emerged, each with distinct levels in these factors: highly communal, moderately communal, least critical, and least communal. Students in the highly communal socialization profile reported significantly more value for mathematics, academic engagement, and perceived higher social responsibility. As a culturally sustaining practice, communal socialization has the potential to shape mathematics instruction toward fostering and sustaining social and community connections for the benefit of students' value, engagement, and persistence in mathematics. Educational Impact and Implications StatementThis study explores an emerging construct, communal socialization, and its measurement and implications for students' academic and social outcomes. Communal socialization is the transmission of messages, models, and experiences that teach, honor, and reinforce students' values of social connectedness, interdependence, and common purpose. It can be reflected in teacher practice that fosters social and community-oriented connections in mathematics classrooms. African American high school students who perceived higher communal socialization in their mathematics classrooms also reported higher value of mathematics, greater academic engagement, and a stronger sense of social responsibility. Communal socialization can have positive implications for students academically and socially and can be further explored as a mechanism toward their engagement, persistence, and excellence in mathematics.