Hi,
My name is Olanrewaju Oriowo and I am a doctoral student, in the Curriculum and Instruction program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. I am conducting a research study, the purpose of which is to explore the mathematics experiences of Black women who are undergraduates in a secondary mathematics education program, focusing on credit-bearing undergraduate mathematics courses they took on the road to matriculation. Specifically, I will give attention to Black women who persisted (defined by continuing with the licensure-preparation program), seeking to understand the various factors to which they attribute their ability to stay the course. The current study is a tentative endeavor to contribute to the growing research that takes an anti-deficit view of the ability of Black girls and women in mathematics and the resources or capital that they possess, especially women who intend to join this nation’s teaching force. This study is IRB approved (IRB-22-0995).
To that end, I would appreciate your assistance in my recruitment efforts. I seek recommendations of students who are at least a rising senior in an undergraduate secondary mathematics education program (or undergraduate program leading to secondary mathematics education licensure):
- 18 or older
- Female
- Black or African American
- Attend a four-year university or college (HBCU, PWI, public or private)
- At least a rising senior in a licensure-seeking secondary mathematics teacher preparation program (or a recent graduate).
If you are willing, I would appreciate the names of the students and their school email addresses in order that I might reach out to them, to introduce myself and tell them a little about my study. If you prefer, you can first talk to the students to seek permission to share their contact information with me, whichever is more comfortable. Please share with the students that sharing their contact with me is simply an opportunity for me to extend an invitation to participate: the recommendation is not a mandate to participate. To maintain confidentiality and to protect privacy, I will not inform the students about the source of the recommendation nor will I report any participation decisions made by the recommended students.
Another option that would be equally valuable, is if you would disseminate the attached recruitment flier that provides details about my study and a means for interested students to reach out to me. Your support in either of these regards would be greatly appreciated.
If you need additional information in order to make a decision as to whether to assist me, please do not hesitate to email me.
Sincerely,
Olanrewaju Oriowo, ooriowo@uncc.edu
Doctoral Candidate, Curriculum and Instruction: Urban Mathematics Education
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Allison W. McCulloch, amccul11@uncc.edu
Associate Professor, Mathematics Education
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
University of North Carolina at Charlotte