In this phenomenological study we relied on classroom observations and 22 in-depth interviews with students as they interacted with African American faculty. Findings reveal the meaning students made from these classroom interactions and the ways African American faculty, significantly and positively, influenced the student experience. More specifically, students described the faculty as open, passionate, and caring, thereby making students feel comfortable, valued, and respected. This study supports previous research on the benefits of student–faculty interactions by providing additional evidence regarding the importance and value African American faculty bring to the academy.
Research shows that an oppressive classroom environment impairs learning and academic performance for students with oppressed identities. Less research examines faculty perceptions of their classroom, but such research could reveal whether an oppressive environment impairs teaching effectiveness. Although the literature shows that women faculty of color spend a disproportionate amount of time teaching, researchers have not systematically examined their classroom experiences. My study relies on transcripts of 17 in-depth interviews with women faculty of color at a large, predominantly white research institution. Despite their legitimate authority as professors, these women describe gendered racism in their classroom interactions with students. Specifically, they depict white male students as challenging their authority, teaching competency, and scholarly expertise, as well as offering subtle and not so subtle threats to their persons and their careers.
Berzelius failed to make use of Faraday's electrochemical laws in his laborious determination of equivalent weights.