A Comparative Analysis: Assessing Student Engagement on African-American Male Student-Athletes at NCAA Divisional and NAIA Institutions

The purpose of this study was to analyze whether a significant difference exists in the three levels of student engagement, (a) academic challenge, (b) active and collaborative learning, and (c) student-faculty interaction among male African-American student-athletes at NCAA Divisional (Division I, II, and III) and NAIA Institutions. The study utilized the 2013-2014 secondary data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The 2013 and 2014 data were the most recent data provided by NSSE because of unidentifiable factors at the student or institutional level that have not been currently measured. The results supported the conclusion that there was a significant difference in academic challenges between African-American male student-athletes at NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA institutions. The results illustrated that NCAA Division III institutions provided support systems that focused to help African-American male student-athletes to be more engaging in educational activities, while assisting them with psychological coping mechanisms that may contribute to completing college more efficiently than their counterparts at NCAA Division I, II, and NAIA institutions. This discovery of the findings speaks volume to the academic culture of NCAA Division III institutions and the roles that are played in each student athlete's life.