Academic Motivation Trajectories of Kenyan Diaspora in the United States

Abstract

Most academic research on immigrants in the United States is done on Asians. There is a dearth of African immigrant research. To widen the scope of immigrant education research this study was carried out on African, specifically Kenyan, immigrants to the Southeast United States. This study helps fill gaps of understanding how the Kenyan Diaspora in the United States are academically motivated. This study addresses the knowledge gap about Kenyan immigrants in the South Eastern United States. The sample consisted of 169 Kenyans living in Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina.  There were 84 females and 85 males. Results revealed that with a mean score of 3.75 there were similarly as many that had intrinsic motivation to know (3.75) as there were with extrinsic motivation – toward accomplishment (3.80). Results also revealed that there were no gender differences in all motivation measures. Kenyans living in North Carolina were found to have a better Intrinsic Motivation-to experience stimulation and also extrinsic motivation – external regulation compared to those living in Georgia and Alabama. Kenyans in the US between the ages of 18-25 were found to have a better perception of Extrinsic Motivation-External Regulation.