An Exploratory Study of Cultural Identity and Culture-Based Educational Programs for Urban American Indian Students

Abstract

Extant survey data collected from 240 urban American Indian students were used to examine the impact of culture-based and universally accepted effective practices in education on American Indian educational outcomes. The results found that culture-based programs had a largely indirect effect, affecting students'educational outcomes via universal constructs, such as a safe and positive school climate, parent involvement in school, and instruction quality. Furthermore, individual students' cultural identification appears to moderate the effects of cultural programs. Cultural programming appeared to have greater influence on urban American Indian students who were most strongly identified with their American Indian culture.