Participation in Ext-Curricular Activities Affect

¶ … participation in ext-curricular activities affect a high school student's GPA, Attendance, honor roll, discipline, behavior etc.

Grade Point Averages are Higher among Students that are Participants in Extra-Curricular Activities

In a study reported in the Journal of Educational Research and written by Elisha Chambers (2002) the stated purpose of study was stated by Chambers to be in the examination of the relationship between the student's after school pursuits or "extra-curricular" activities. The beginning of the study was stated to be in the early 1990's "when educators became interested in the child in terms of overall development" stating that by the turn of the century these type of studies were discouraged. Many studies exist inclusive of findings such as one termed "The Involvement Principle" which assists in grasping yet another aspect in discovery within case study pertaining to understanding the benefits in extra-curricular activities and in establishment as fact the thoughts that enhancement provided to learning. Building knowledge upon knowledge, or the theory known well by the name of "Bloom's Taxonomy" in the statement of Benjamin Bloom concerning knowledge of prior attainment being conducive for the building of more knowledge in the brain of the individual learner. Support is found through this as well in a separate study that is in relation to the effect of music upon the childhood brain and cross-curricular learning which is stated to be scientifically based. Finally, the researcher in the present study has performed data collection and analysis are stated as well.

Grade Point Averages are Higher among Students that are Participants in Extra-Curricular Activities

I. Introduction

Context of Issue and Rationale for the study

The music teacher/researcher in this study has taught in the present school of Neligh-Oakdale for three years. The teacher scores Division 1 rating and has experienced success. The practice of that teacher is reflected within this research and the success of the music department relies on this type of critical thinking in the practice of teachers who are effectively applying their talents in education. The researcher has experiential knowledge of what has also resulted in that which appears to be evidential data that music indeed affects the student in terms of cross-curricular learning. The questions formed in the mind of the teacher/researcher has focused the research from questions and assumptions that formed over the three-year period of contemplation of the present study.

II. Research Questions:

1. Does the participation in extra-curricular activities help or hinder a students overall GPA?

2. Is there a difference in the number of absences in students who participate in extra-curricular activities vs. those who don't?

3. Are there gender related differences when comparing students GPA's which the extra-curricular activities that they are or aren't involved in?

4. What life skills can be taught by being involved in extra-curricular activities?

III. Findings of the Study

Findings of the study are that extra-curricular activities are definitely connected to higher grade point averages and this is evidenced through study based on analysis of data as well as through literature research of credible sources based on evidence in case study research in abundance. Furthermore the findings in this study show that music education is related closely to cognitive brain functioning and as well that these benefits are cross-curricular in the effects upon brain functioning in view of student learning. While sports activities tend to promote knowledge in health and well-being other activities promote skills in leadership and team work as well as other professional, business and societal skills needed in the future by the student in life skill requirements for success.

As to the differences in gender there is only a slight difference noted. In the comparison of female students vs. male students that did not participate in extra activities and were not honor roll students the group averages were as follows:

Female

Male

In the comparison of female vs. male students that did participate in extra activities but were not honor roll students the following was revealed in the group averages:

Female 89.0

This may be considered a limitation as there is only one student in this group and is not representative of an actual averaging of collective GPA's.]

Male 88.076666

Comparison among the groups of male and female students in terms of those students who were honor roll students yet were not participant in extra activities revealed the following group averages:

Female 94.0675

Male 94.281111

Finally, in the last of the groups compared the female and male students who were honor roll students with no extra activity participation revealed the following group averages:

Female 93.11

Male 95.88

This may be considered a limitation as there is only one student in this group and is not representative of an actual averaging of collective GPA's.]

IV. Literature Review

1. Two Schools-of-Thought - Extracurricular Activities

In a study reported in the Journal of Educational Research and written by Elisha Chambers (2002) the stated purpose of study was stated by Chambers to be in the examination of the relationship between the student's after school pursuits or "extra-curricular" activities. The beginning of the study was stated to be in the early 1990's "when educators became interested in the child in terms of overall development" stating that by the turn of the century these type of studies were discouraged. According to Chambers there are two schools of thought in relation to the extra-curricular issue activities. The first of these is based in the:

Zero-sum concept, in which it is hypothesized that these activities will displace academic time needed for learning. The greater amount of time spent in non-academic centered activities will decrease or subvert academic achievement by absorbing valuable academic time." (Camp, 1990; Marsh, 1992)

Chambers cites Porter (1991) who holds the view that loads are not academic in nature interfere with academic work, however the reality according to Chambers is that it is only the amount of time affected in a decrease for the individual overall and not specifically in terms of academic learning time. The second school of thought according to Chambers (2002) is: "based on the idea that these activities provide an experience that contributes to the overall development of the students." (Gerber, 1996 as cited by Chambers 2002) Chambers states that the study by research questions associated with differences in ethnic background and as to non-organized and organized academic activities. Findings of the study conducted by Chambers are:

Neither the zero-sum concept nor the commitment to school hypothesis was well supported. Academic works appear to be the pursuits most consistently related to achievement, although this varied by content domain and ethnicity. Nonacademic pursuits of the most part were not significantly related to achievement." Chambers (2002)

2. School "Connectedness" Results in Higher Levels of Psychosocial Functioning and other Healthy Behavior

In a study entitled "Differences in Behavior, Psychological Factors and Environmental Factors Associated with Participation in School Sports and Other Activities in Adolescence" which was published in the Journal of School Health (2003) it is stated as the Objective in conduction of the study in this case to make a determination as to whether or not participation in school team sports exclusively or in combination with other extracurricular activities, is associated with higher levels of psychosocial functioning and healthy behavior than participation in other extracurricular activities alone or non-participation. According to this study there is a type of bonding that takes place when students participate in extracurricular activities and results in what is referred to as "connectedness." Narayan (2003)

Stated is that such connectedness has been found to be "even more powerful than family connectedness in terms of protection against acting out behaviors in adolescence" and that "research which has been conducted on school-based interventions suggests that the relationship may be causal: what happens at school can influence students' feelings of being cared for." Narayan (2003) Findings in this study were the among male students 19.1% engaged in neither "sports" or "other activities" with 23.4% in "other activities" only, 15.1% engaged in "sports" only and 42.4% of the students engaged in both "sports" and "other activities." In the group of female students 12.6% were involved in neither with 31.6% in "other activities" and 7.3%% in "sports" only and 48.6% engaged in both activities of "sports" and "other."

The study findings include the fact that adolescents from single-parent homes were less likely to participate in either sports or other activities and were especially less likely to participate in both activities. Particularly disturbing was the finding that this study found a lower rate of participation in sports among students who were victims of either physical violence or sexual abuse and those from families with substance abuse problems. The findings of the study do seem to give weight to self-esteem indeed being a byproduct of participation in sports activities. Furthermore, the level in the participation in the school sports or other activities was targeted in the studies with a classification assigned to the students as to the specific activity(s). Narayan (2003) states that:

The four-category level of participation variable was cross tabulated with a set of health-enhancing and risk behaviors and a set of psychological and environmental factors separately for males and females as to whether participation in sports was a specific benefit. Significant findings were that the survey revealed that "participants in any type of extracurricular activity were significantly more likely than non-participants to exercise and consume nutritious foods, to like school and do homework, and to express positive attitudes about self, peers, teachers, and parents. Involved students were less likely to skip school, get into fights, vandalize property, smoke cigarettes or marijuana, binge drink, or have sexual intercourse. Students who participate in sports are less likely to suffer depression than non-participants. "

3. The Involvement Principle:

Reported in the Journal of Higher Education (1995) the work entitled "The Other Curriculum: Out-of-Class Experiences with Student Learning and Personal Development" sought to understand the relationship between leadership and socialization skills in relation to the personal development that seemingly takes place during extracurricular activities. According to the author of this work George D. Kuh, graduates believe that participation in student's organizations, part-time work as well as other extracurricular activities" are believed to prepare the student to better meeting the challenges faced after graduation in the socialization aspect of their work. A principle referred to in this study as the "Involvement Principle" was utilized. The involvement principal states that the more time and energy students expend in educationally purpose activities, the more they benefit. (Howard, 1986) There are give proposition contained within the "Involvement Principle" which are:

1. Involvement is the expenditure of psychological and physical energy in some kind of activity whether specific or highly general. (example of specific would be a bake sale to benefit the children's home; and highly general would be attendance at a concert or an evening in the local library)

2. Different students invest varying amounts of energy in different activities. That is, an elected student's government officer may devote many hours to related tasks over several semesters.

3. Involvement has quantitative and qualitative features with measures of involving inclusive of simple things such as the number of library uses, etc.

Finding of the study in the Senior- classmen outcomes reported in relation to extracurricular activities and interaction with their peers on this basis includes:

Self-awareness, autonomy, self-directedness, self-worth, reflective thought (including critical thinking ability to synthesize information and experiences) social competence, practical competence, knowledge acquisition, academic skills (including learning how to study, write, etc.) Aesthetic appreciation, vocational competence, sense of purpose in clarifying life goals, and an overall contribution to formation of principles, attitudes and beliefs. Kuh (1995)

4. School Culture Developed Through Extra-curriculum

In another study written by McNeal (1998) stated is that there is much existing research documenting the benefits that are gained by students from participation in extracurricular activities. (Camp, 1990; Eidsmore, 1064; Haensly, et al., 1986 as cited by McNeal, 1998) Further written is the fact that participation in high school extracurricular activities is viewed by some to be noncentral and nonessential elements of the education of an adolescent with these being the first targeted items when it is time for cuts in the budget. It is known however, the students who participate in extracurricular activities show positive outcomes that are inclusive of "increased academic achievement." Stated by McNeal (1998) is the fact that:

The extracurriculum also plays a key role in developing the school's culture. Schools generate an internal culture that revolves around the groups that students form. There is also extensive work linking the importance of activities to the value children learn through their active participation extracurricular activities are associated with a wealth of positive and negative outcomes. There is a clear distinction between the focus in athletics on competitiveness, aggression and the internalization of a hierarchical role structure and the focus in fine arts on behaviors such as poise and the application of classroom-based knowledge. McNeal (1998)

5. School Satisfaction and the Extracurricular Activities:

study performed and written by Gilman (2001) entitled "The Relationship Between Life Satisfaction, Social Interest, and Frequency of Extracurricular Activities Among Adolescent Students" and reported in the Journal of Educational Research was conducted with the objective of establishing the fact that satisfaction in school is associated with extracurricular activities and that social interest, which involves a "sense of belongingness was also associated with out-of-school activities. This study cites Rosen field (1992) who held that extracurricular activities promote 'self-mastery' and Huebner et al. (1995) who held that dissatisfaction with life is linked to positive outcomes in self-esteem. Findings in this study were that life satisfaction increased in the groups that participated in extracurricular activities resulting in an increased satisfaction in school.

6. Life Satisfaction, Social Interest and Frequency of Extracurricular Activities among Adolescents

The study entitled "The Relationship Between Life Satisfaction, Social Interest, and Frequency of Extracurricular Activities Among Adolescent Students" written by Rich Gilman and published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence (2001) was conducted with the objective of determining the connection between life satisfaction, social interest and the frequency of extracurricular activities in adolescent students. The study was conducted involving 321 high school (Grade 9-12) adolescents in the administration of a multidimensional measure of life satisfaction by use of a scale that also addressed social interest. The students listed the number of activities which they were or had participated in during high school. Findings in the study were that:

Higher social interested was significantly related to higher levels of overall social satisfaction. Gilman (2001)

Significant race differences were noted.

Adolescents who participated in greater numbers of structure extracurricular activities reported higher school satisfaction.

The relationship between social interest and actual participation in extracurricular activities was negligible.

7. Specific Benefits in Learning in Extracurricular Activities:

According to the article "Music Enhances Learning" studies conducted on the effects on learning of classical music reported "increased I.Qs, accelerated learning, greater retention of material learned, lowered blood pressure and heart beat." According to the article there is a "band of white fibers" within the depth of the brain that is the connector between the right and left sides of the human brain or the corpus callosum. According to the article scientists have stated that upon hearing "quiet classical music" this part of the brain "increases in size" and "increases the communication between the two spheres of the brain, which in turn increases learning efficiency."

The writer of this article Marie Rackham, a teacher of music states in the article that it has been proven that classical music has an effect on plants therefore to believe it has an effect on humans is a logical....and now a scientific conclusion. In her review of research that has focused upon music in relation to the brain of a child and specifically in the pursuit of learning the author informs the reader of innovation and applied technologies in the research of the subject by citing Nelson & Bloom (1997) who both stated that present day technical and technological measurements surpass those used for such research at any time previous to this time in research history. Further the reviewer relates the fact that a favored testing ground is in the area of music's relationship to the brain in terms of the enhancement that music lends to the brain in learning. Further it is acknowledged that one might question the possibilities in benefits that are cross-curricular in nature.

An interesting question has been posed by many as to whether there exists any type of cross-curricular benefits. In the work entitled "Nature vs. Nurture," a section of the work "Music and the Brain in Childhood Development" states that according to experts, Greenough and Black (1992) there are "two processes of synaptic growth" the first being 'experience-expectant' and the second 'experience dependent'. In the first the "overproduction of synapses" Huttenlocher (1994) triggers the brain into hypermode environmental experiential learning, but very importantly stated is the fact that a "lack of experience" or indeed a non-stimulated part of the brain will for that lack through "elimination" rids itself of those unused synapses so one must lose it when not using the brain as has been stated so humorously for so long the source is assumed forgotten. Stated within the work are other results from negative brain stimulation occurring from abuse or neglect or other negative stimulants. However, that is another study. The fact is that music and the brain's special relationship has been the focus of many credible studies showing repeatedly that music does indeed increase the learning capacity of the brain and instead of losing those synapses the brain structures itself differently in a way that is of higher functioning and cognitive abilities. Within music is said to be the finest and highest of all forms of sacred geometry which is believed to be the scientific creator of all aspects the human life matrix field.

The author in this works cites Dawson et al. (1992) who is said to have studied the frontal lobe activity in a study of infants with findings that happy and sad stimulants showed differing effects in the right and left side of the infant's brain. The author cites as well in relation to cognitive effect and learning that Altenmuller (outlined by Weinberger [1997] as cited by Strickland: "Found passive and active music instruction to be equally effective in teaching the concept of musical periods to 13- and 14-year-old adolescents. However, the active instruction group appeared to retain the information better one year after the completion of the study. The authors suggest that a connection exists between this differential retention and the finding that the active instruction group showed electrical activation in more parts of the cerebral cortex than did the passive instruction group. During a post-test listening exercise, both music instruction groups showed greater electrical activity in the left hemisphere than did the controls. This seems to indicate that a person with musical training may use greater left hemispheric reasoning when analyzing music than someone with no musical training."

V. Purpose of Study

The purpose of this study is to establish whether or not participation in extracurricular activities influence the student's outcome in terms of the semester grade point average and if so to what extent. Furthermore, this study seeks to discover any possible relationship between music and its' effect upon learning.

VI. Method of Data Collection:

Data collection was conducted through the method of triangulation first in surveys to discover the student's extra-curricular information. This was performed in order to document the resulting data as the researcher was also the teacher of the students of this study. Data was also collected from the report cards of the students by the teacher/researcher in this study. Evidence within the data was established through groupings and calculating averages among students in groups of males that were honor roll students and were involved in activities, another group of the same but differentiated by not being honor roll students, next by males that had no activities and finally by males that were not honor roll students and had no activities. The same groupings were used in analysis of the female data in the study. Finally the male and female studies were compared and any contrasting data noted.

VI. Data Analysis

Analysis of data in this study will be conducted through examining the individual student information as to their grade point average, honor roll status, activities of participation (extracurricular) and the number of those activity as well as what those activities specifically are. Next the study of implications given through the data revealed in the number of days absent, tardy or spent in detention in relation to the grade point average will be carefully considered. The socioeconomic factors of each individual student will also be given careful consideration and allowed for in the calculation of results in this study. Data Resource Materials: Charts, Tables and other Data in the Study

Listed in the Chart below labeled Chart 1.0 are the individual student's information as to their grade point average, gender, whether they were honor roll students, the number of and description of extra-curricular activities they participate in and the number of times absent or tardy during the preceding semester.

Chart 1.0

Other data that will be utilized in analysis of the information in this study is information as to the socioeconomic background of the individual student as to the relationship between it and the other information that has been provided and is shown the table labeled Table 1.0

Table 1.0

A. Female Students

The data below demonstrates the resulting data from the study of 11 female students. The data shows that among the female students with no extra curricular activities and none of these students being honor roll students that the grade point averages below resulted. Through first adding these GPA figures together and then dividing by 4 the resulting grade point average among female students with no extra activities and being non-honor roll students that the average of 84.44425 is calculated.

No extra activities-Did not make honor roll)

F1 79.33

F4 86.00

F6 84.33

F7 88.11

Average of all Grade Point Averages in this Group: 84.44425

There being only one female student who did have extra curricular activities but is not an honor roll student this score will be counted as a variable in that 89.0 is very near the mark for honor roll and since the student has two extra activities it is assumed for the purpose of this study that the extra activities propelled the student to near reaching the mark expected to result from extracurricular pursuits.

Extracurricular Activities - Did not make honor roll)

F3 89.00

Next listed are the female students who are honor roll students but do not participate in extracurricular activities. The average grade point average in this division of students is 93.11.

Honor Roll Students - No extracurricular Activities)

F9 92.44

F11 93.78

Average of all Grade Point Averages in this Group: 93.11

In this group of female students who are honor roll students and who participate in extra curricular activities are listed below. The average grade point average among this group of students is 94.0675 which representative of the highest average group grade point average when averaged than among other groups of female students.

Honor Roll Students - Extracurricular Activity Participation)

Average of all Grade Point Averages in this Group: 94.067

F2 94.89

F5 98.38

F8 93.00

F10 90.00

Average of all Grade Point Averages in this Group: 94.0675

B. Male Students

Male students who were not on the honor roll and had no activities showed grade point averages as illustrated below. The overall group average of grade point averages to equal 83.5975 as noted below:

No extra activities-Did not make honor roll)

M1 93.50

M6 76.00

M7 84.14

M16 80.75

Average of Grade Point Averages in this Group: 83.5975

Male students who were not on the honor roll and who had one or more activities resulted in an overall group average of the student's grade point average equaling the sum of 88.076666.