Swimming Up Stream 2

by Drayton, Brendaly; Rosser-mims, Dionne; Schwartz, Joni; Guy, Talmadge C.

• ISBN13: 9781119284062
• ISBN10: 1119284066
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2016-07-05
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass Inc Pub

Summary

This volume is the continuation of a two-part series that focuses on salient topics and issues affecting Black males as they engage in adult education and learning. Considering the historical and current effects on the way these men participate in adult education, this volume broadens the conversations around adult Black males’ educational experiences by utilizing academic research as well as program descriptions and personal narratives with a concern for the “lived experiences.” More specifically, the authors explore:

• the agency of Black men in carving out pathways to success,
• the programs that support these endeavors, and
• the role of civil society in facilitating or inhibiting their progress.

Topics covered include the digital divide, sports, professional career development, sexuality, role of religion, college as a choice, and the Black Lives Matter initiative. Practitioners will be encouraged to
reflect on their own practices as they work toward engagement of Black males in learning communities.

This is the 150th volume of the Jossey Bass series New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. Noted for its depth of coverage, it explores issues of common interest to instructors, administrators, counselors, and policymakers in a broad range of education settings, such as colleges and universities, extension programs, businesses, libraries, and museums.

Author Biography

Brendaly Drayton is the coordinator of the Guided Study Groups program and an adult education instructor at The Pennsylvania State University.

Dionne Rosser-Mims is an associate professor and assistant department chair in the Department of Leadership Development and Professional Studies at Troy University.

Joni Schwartz is an associate professor in the Humanities Department at LaGuardia Community College, City University of New York.

Talmadge C. Guy is an associate professor of adult education at the University of Georgia.

Table of Contents

EDITORS’ NOTES 5
Brendaly Drayton, Dionne Rosser-Mims, Joni Schwartz and Talmadge C. Guy

1. The Intersection of Black Lives Matter and Adult Education: One Community College Initiative 13
Brian Millerand Joni Schwartz

This chapter Brian Miller, Joni Schwartz explores the Black Lives Matter movement and the role of adult education by highlighting the response of one community college initiative. It is a call to action for adult educators to critically engage with this social justice movement through pedagogy, community engagement, and scholarly activism.

2. Black Men and the Digital Divide 25
Simone C. O. Conceição and Larry G. Martin

This chapter provides an overview of the ongoing technological, economic, and social changes brought about by digital technology in the context of Black men’s lives. It also reviews how adult educators can support Black men in reaching their goals for success and navigation of the digital divide.

3. Self-Directed Learning and Not Choosing College: A Counterstory 37
Richard Osborne and Joni Schwartz

This chapter explores the possibilities of alternatives to college and technical schools through a dialogic approach that explores entrepreneurship, self-directed learning, and lifelong learning. This counternarrative addresses the inhibitive costs of higher education and includes advice and suggestions for Black males weighing the important decisions of the when, where, and why of college.

4. Black Males in Black Churches 47
Traci L. Hodges, Michael L. Rowland and E. Paulette Isaac Savage

The African American church has historically been the primary institution in the Black community to offer not only religious, but educational, and other social services to the Black community. This chapter provides an overview of the role of Black churches as adult education agencies that address the needs of Black males and promote religious and civic leadership.

5. Adult Education and Spirituality: A “Liberatory Space” for Black Gay Men 59
Lawrence Bryant, Lorenzo Bowman and E. Paulette Isaac Savage

This chapter examines the lived experiences of Black gay men in the development of their spirituality as they grow older. Autoethnographic data are used to examine alternate meaning-making strategies that support the intersection of Black gay men and spirituality.

6. Academic and Career Advancement for Black Male Athletes at NCAA Division I Institutions 71
Ashley R. Baker, Billy J. Hawkins

Sport has been a viable means of upward social mobility for many Black males who were born into lower socioeconomic circumstances. This chapter seeks to address the structural arrangements and challenges many Black male student-athletes encounter resulting from their use of sport for upward social mobility. It calls for the holistic development of Black male student-athletes through mentorship for academic advancement and career preparation beyond sports.

7. The Brotherhood in Corporate America 83
Tonya Harris Cornileus

This chapter draws attention to the intersection of race and gender identities and their impact on the career development of Black men. Through the voices and lived experiences of 14 Black professional men, the chapter challenges the overarching assumption of male privilege in corporate America by identifying systemic obstacles as well as discussing facilitative strategies to address them.

8. Swimming into the Open 97
Brendaly Drayton, Dionne Rosser-Mims, Joni Schwartz and Talmadge C. Guy

This concluding chapter makes the case for why Black men’s voices matter in adult education theory and practice.

INDEX