While online activity is increasing among young Swedish students, motivation to learn English in school is decreasing (Skolverket, 2011). While many studies confirm the positive effect that leisure gaming can have on language acquisition (Atma, Azmi & Hassan, 2020; Ferdig & Pytash, 2014; Li, 2020; Rudis & Poštić, 2017), how students’ motivation is affected is far less researched. In this paper, we aimed to investigate the effects on language learning motivation that extracurricular video games might have and what external factors surrounding gaming that modulate students’ motivation to learn English in school. We examined nine studies related to these topics and used multiple theories about motivation to analyze our findings. The results of our research review indicate that playing video games at home can be generally seen to increase students’ motivation to learn English in school. Studies also demonstrate that factors such as age, culture and student-beliefs could modulate the motivation affected by extra-curricular video gaming. Finally, research suggests that the greater the distance is between a student's current language proficiency and the desired proficiency, the greater the motivation appeared to be.

Title: Physics puzzles in extracurricular education Author: Bc. Matouš Pechman Department: Department of Physics Education Supervisor: RNDr. Marie Snětinová, Ph.D., Department of Physics Education Abstract: Non-formal education is practically ongoing today. There is a growing demand for leisure activities that will not only offer entertainment as such, but also broaden the horizons of participants in various areas. In their free time, people look not only for rest, but also for new challenges and stimuli, on which they test their skills and ability to respond to new situations. These activities include, for example, escape games. Escape games usually require skill, knowledge and logical thinking to succeed. The game created in this work is composed of physical puzzles. Except one, all puzzles are based on problems that primary school students already face in physics classes. Puzzles combine concepts that were voiced at school with practical examples. Participants can try out for themselves how things work and solve puzzles with the help of physics. The work contains detailed instructions so that potential candidates know how to prepare the game. It also contains a brief physical explanation of the individual physical principles used in the individual puzzles. The game was tested on six groups. Based on...

TITLE: Leeches (Hirudinea) and Their Usage in Teaching AUTHOR: Bc. Anna Koldová DEPARTMENT: Biology and Environmental Studies, Faculty od Education Charles University SUPERVISOR: Mgr. Dagmar Říhová, Ph.D. ANNOTATION This diploma thesis is focused on leeches (Annelida: Hirudinea) in the Czech Republic. It provides a description of all species occurring in the Czech Republic, as well as the key to their classification into families. A detailed guideline about the organization of field trip and implementation of extracurricular teaching is part of this thesis. The field trip is focused on sampling, observation and determination of leeches in an excursion to a site with a traditional occurrence of the European medical leech Hirudo medicinalis - national nature reservation Hrabanovská černava. In addition, the work defines the advantages, disadvantages and other possibilities of application of the proposed program, and the inclusion of extracurricular education. KEYWORDS the European medicinal leech, Annelida, field trip, extracurricular lessons, Hrabanovská černava

This project investigates the benefits and practicality of applying Zimmerman's (1994) dimensions of self-regulated learning to co-curricular activities so as to increase students' willingness and opportunities to communicate in English in the hallways of intensive English programs. Three of these dimensions (social environment, motivation, and physical environment) work together to create a semi-structured liaison between in and out of class communicative environments and give students an occasion, location, and motivation to speak English with one another. To evaluate the effectiveness of such activities and conceptualize a means in which to assist intensive English programs effectively incorporate co-curricular activities in their curricula, the principal researcher designed and conducted a co-curricular activity based self-regulated learning. She obtained student feedback using surveys and interviews and found that the majority of students spoke mostly English, made new friends, practiced listening and speaking skills, and enjoyed themselves at this activity. As a result of this data, the principal researcher created a booklet to assist in the planning of future co-curricular activities. While only a preliminary study, this data and resulting booklet have great potential to fill the hallways of intensive English programs with English and thus create a holistic learning environment.

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The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between extracurricular activity participation and concurrent and longitudinal youth academic and psychosocial development in academically gifted youth. Extracurricular activity participation as a potential protective factor against the negative effects of life events, and the theoretical role of personality/activity fit as a determinant of positive developmental benefits in youth were also explored in this study. Secondary data analysis was conducted using data provided by two cohorts of middle school youth from a public magnet school in Philadelphia. After controlling for sociodemographic selection factors, Study 1 revealed that music was the only type of activity that was related to academic achievement. Time spent in music significantly contributed to predicting performance on reading, language, math and science standardized exams. Sport made significant negative contributions to predicting reading and language exam scores. These findings were limited by a ceiling effect caused by high mean scores on grade point average and standardized exams. Sport/dance was the only activity associated with well-being, significantly contributing to the prediction of positive affect. The results also revealed nonlinear associations between time spent in activities and standardized math scores, life satisfaction, self-esteem, and grit. The results of Study 2 revealed support for the protective role of activity participation on the negative academic and psychosocial impact of life events stress, which was a significant predictor of poorer adolescent outcomes across all of the domains. Accounting for the impact of life events, music positively predicted academic outcomes, and sport/dance positively predicted higher life satisfaction, positive affect, and self-esteem, and lower levels of negative affect. Finally, exploratory analyses revealed that youth participated in activities that appeared to be compatible with personality characteristics. For example, sport was associated with higher extraversion and music with higher openness to experience. / Kinesiology

Across the country, budget cuts to education have resulted in decreased funds available for extracurricular activities. This trend in policy may have a significant impact on future outcomes, as reflected in student success measures. Using two datasets that were collected over the last two decades, in the present study, the researcher assessed the relationship between participation in extracurricular activities and the future socioeconomic outcomes in respondents' lives, including post-secondary education, full-time employment status, and income. Two existing large-scale longitudinal studies of the U.S. secondary students, i.e., the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS: 88) and the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS: 2002), served as data sources. As these surveys were conducted about a decade apart, the information they yielded was suitable for meeting the study aims. Generalized linear models, such as multiple regression and logistic regression analyses, by applying sample weights, were performed to examine the impacts of extracurricular activity participation on the aforementioned outcome measures. The implications of the study findings, including the comparison of the results from two different datasets collected at different time points, were interpreted with respect to school budget policy. Results from the NELS: 88 and ELS: 2002 were also compared to evaluate the trends in the characteristics and performance of U.S. high school students during the 1988-2012 period. / Ph. D.

This study of the extra-curricular activities of the Woodrow Wilson High School of Dallas, Texas, was made to determine who and why each of the activities developed, the life span of each, the percentage of the student body enrolled in the various groups, and the value of each extra-curricular activity from the viewpoint of the teachers, of the students, and of authorities in the field.