COMMITTEE CHAIR: Dr. Fred Bonner

TITLE: STRATEGIES FOR SCALING DISTANCE LEARNING AT HBCUS

ABSTRACT: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) continue to face systemic challenges in scaling distance learning, including limited funding, uneven faculty preparation, and technological inequities. These barriers constrain institutional capacity for growth, enrollment, and retention while complicating efforts to replicate the culturally affirming, community-centered environment of HBCU campuses in virtual settings. Addressing these issues requires equitable, sustainable approaches that integrate cultural responsiveness with digital innovation. This phenomenologically informed multiple-case study investigates both the institutional barriers and the lived experiences of faculty, students, IT leaders, and administration engaged in expanding distance learning at HBCUs. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) theoretical extensions TAM2, supplemented by selected TAM3 antecedents and paired with Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory, guide the study’s examination of stakeholder perceptions of digital transformation, readiness, and culturally relevant pedagogy in resource-constrained HBCU contexts (Davis, 1989; Venkatesh & Davis, 2000; Venkatesh & Bala, 2008; Rogers, 2003). The research will be conducted at two HBCUs in Texas, a large public institution and a small private institution.  They were selected to provide contrasting institutional contexts. Data will be collected through eight semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, including one representative from each of four groups.  By capturing insights from these diverse roles at two distinct institutions, the study seeks to generate a nuanced understanding of how technological initiatives are perceived, implemented, and experienced within HBCU environments. The findings are expected to inform best practices for integrating technology inclusively and effectively in higher education. (No results are reported in this proposal, as the study is yet to be conducted; however, the anticipated contribution is a set of recommendations and insights tailored to large public and small private HBCU contexts.) The scholarly approach, purposeful sampling strategy, and focus on multiple stakeholders will ensure the research is robust and aligned with qualitative research standards (Creswell & Poth, 2018; Yin, 2018). Findings aim to scale digital infrastructure, foster faculty development, and promote culturally grounded online learning ecosystems that advance access, equity, and institutional sustainability across HBCUs.

Keywords: Distance Learning, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Phenomenology, Case Study, Technology Acceptance Model 2 (TAM2), TAM3, Diffusion of Innovations (DOI), Digital Equity, Faculty Development, Culturally Responsive Pedag

Room Location: Delco Building, Room # 228