John Ogbu Case Study

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John Ogbu’s Theory of the Academic Achievement and School Performance of Minorities Current research and scholarly literature continue to examine various aspects of learning in today’s society (Farkas, Lleras, & Maczuga, 2002). Particular attention is given to research in the educational system, especially with regards to minority students (Fisher, 2005). Considering the on-going social discussions on racial/ethnic disparities, many researchers now seek to explore the relationships and themes that exist in, and influence the academic achievement and school performance of minority students (Farkas et al., 2002; Roscigno & Ainsworth-Darnell, 1999). While this research area may seem fairly new to some due to its increased and continued …show more content…

Ecology refers to the environment or world in which minorities live, while culture references how minorities live and behave which is essentially their way of life (Ogbu, 1990). This theory examines the interplay between societal factors, school factors and underlying factors within the minority communities (Ogbu, 2003). The theory consists of two major parts which are a system and community forces. A system is a structural environment barrier in minority education. It refers to the mistreatment of minorities in education, specifically in regards to societal educational policies and practice, and societal rewards for educational accomplishments which he believed did not favor minorities (Gilbert, 2009; Roscigno et al., …show more content…

Community forces comprises of four factors which include symbolic beliefs about schooling (e.g., whether the cultural and language identity of minorities will be threatened by learning), minority school comparison frame, relational interpretations of schooling (e.g., level of trust and confidence in the educational system), and instrumental value of schooling (e.g., whether or not school credentials are necessary for getting ahead in life) (Ogbu, 1978; Ogbu & Simmons, 1998). These forces are products of sociocultural adaptations within the minority communities. Over the years, in more current literature, cultural barriers have been adapted to also include community and social barriers such as behavioral characteristics, attitudinal factors and socioeconomic status which are significant predictors of school performance in minority students (Ainsworth-Darnell & Downey, 1998; Fordham, Signithia, & Ogbu, 1986; McLoyd, 1998). Duncan and Magnuson (2005) found that socioeconomic status accounts for more than half of the initial academic achievement gap that exists between minority and majority populations. Poverty and culture conflicts significantly contribute to why minorities achieve poorly in school performances (Smith, Brooks-Gunn, & Klebanov, 1997). Ogbu and Simmons (1998) suggest that cultural and language differences can also cause learning

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