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Abstract
The percentage of degrees awarded to African Americans decreases drastically at the highest levels of the educational pyramid. This may be attributed to the negative impact of dominant culture classrooms for African Americans. The present study sought to determine the extent to which race impacts perceived classroom dynamics of African American and Caucasian American adult learners in graduate classrooms. The study sample consisted of 302 adult learners enrolled in graduate classes at one Predominately White Institution and 3 Historically Black Colleges & Universities in a southeastern state of the United States. Data were collected in 27 graduate classrooms using a self-completion, forced-choice survey instrument, the Classroom Dynamics Questionnaire (Valentine, Oliva, & Thomas, 2002). This instrument was designed to measure students? interpersonal relationships with respect to four dimensions of classroom dynamics, Teacher Respect, Teacher Confidence, Learner Cohesion, & Learner Voice.