Class of 2010 Abstract / OBJECTIVES: To determine what competencies students feel they learn the most from work, school and extracurricular experiences. METHODS: Questionnaires were administered during a regularly scheduled, required class for third year pharmacy students. Students rated 30 different competencies they felt they learned the most, intermediate, and least amount from work, school and extracurricular experiences. Data on years of work experience, type of work experience, average weekly hours, age, gender, and level of involvement in professional organizations was also collected. RESULTS: There were 63 students included in this study. Students who had a higher level of participation in extra-curricular activities were found to be significantly younger than those who had lower levels of participation (p = 0.05). Students worked on average 11.5 hours a week and had an average of 3.5 years pharmacy related work experience. More than half (>50%) of the competencies were perceived by the third year students to be learned the most in the classroom setting. The competencies students felt they learned the most in the classroom and work setting were from Domain 1: Patient care and Domain 2: Professionalism and management in health systems. Students characterized 80% of the competencies in Domain 3: Health improvement, wellness, and disease prevention to be most learned through extracurricular activities. CONCLUSIONS: It appears students feel they learn primarily in the classroom setting with similar amounts of competencies gained at work and through extracurricular activities.

There has been a growing discussion in the fields of education and psychology about the relationship between social skill proficiency and academic excellence. However, the presence of extracurricular involvement as promoting both academic and social development has not been thoroughly explored. The most recent literature syntheses and meta-analyses on extracurricular activity participation were conducted in the 1980??s. An updated review and quantitative look at the participation literature is due. The purpose of this study is to integrate participation studies from the 1990s and give summative information as to the impact of extracurricular activity participation on various educational and psycho-social characteristics. Of the 164 identified studies, 41 were included in these meta-analyses. The current analyses produced 6 different activity categories: general extracurricular activity, sports, work and vocational activities, performing arts, pro-social activities, and community-based activities. The current meta-analyses suggest student outcomes were significantly related to general extracurricular activity and pro-social activity participation. General activities and pro-social activities had the most impact on academic achievement, while performing arts and pro-social activities?? participants reported the largest effect on identity and self esteem related outcomes. Sports and related activities (i.e. Cheerleading) were not as strongly linked to academic achievement indicators as anticipated and student workers had more negative outcomes than any other activity participants. In conclusion, the best outcomes for children and adolescents are brought about through well-built, developmentally appropriate structured activities. Moreover, the academic and social profits of extracurricular activities that have been examined in this study can be used to inform program planning and implementation.

There has been a growing discussion in the fields of education and psychology about the relationship between social skill proficiency and academic excellence. However, the presence of extracurricular involvement as promoting both academic and social development has not been thoroughly explored. The most recent literature syntheses and meta-analyses on extracurricular activity participation were conducted in the 1980??s. An updated review and quantitative look at the participation literature is due. The purpose of this study is to integrate participation studies from the 1990s and give summative information as to the impact of extracurricular activity participation on various educational and psycho-social characteristics. Of the 164 identified studies, 41 were included in these meta-analyses. The current analyses produced 6 different activity categories: general extracurricular activity, sports, work and vocational activities, performing arts, pro-social activities, and community-based activities. The current meta-analyses suggest student outcomes were significantly related to general extracurricular activity and pro-social activity participation. General activities and pro-social activities had the most impact on academic achievement, while performing arts and pro-social activities?? participants reported the largest effect on identity and self esteem related outcomes. Sports and related activities (i.e. Cheerleading) were not as strongly linked to academic achievement indicators as anticipated and student workers had more negative outcomes than any other activity participants. In conclusion, the best outcomes for children and adolescents are brought about through well-built, developmentally appropriate structured activities. Moreover, the academic and social profits of extracurricular activities that have been examined in this study can be used to inform program planning and implementation.

School-based extracurricular activity participation has been linked to positive behavioral and academic outcomes; however, little is known about the participation and outcomes of participation of Hispanic students, a group that is historically at high risk for school failure. As such, extracurricular activity participation characteristics and outcomes of a diverse group of middle school students were examined in this two journal article dissertation. First, participation differences between students based on student racial group membership and student sex were examined. Logistic regression was used to examine participation status differences (yes or no). Analysis of variance was used to examine participation intensity between student groups. Additionally, the effects of participation on outcomes related to adolescent peer groups, belongingness, and school membership were examined. Multiple regression models were utilized for this analysis, and consideration was given to interaction effects that would indicate whether groups of students (i.e. sex and race) benefited differentially from participation. Results indicated that, during the 7th grade, Hispanic students were significantly less likely to participate in sports-related extracurricular activities as compared to their Caucasian peers. However, no group differences in sex or race were found for participation intensity. Furthermore, participation in sports-related extracurricular activities was related to higher feelings of school membership for Hispanic and Black, but not White, students. In addition, participation in sports was related to Black students identifying a higher percentage of their friends as displaying prosocial behavior. Overall, the results suggested that while Hispanic students may have benefited more so than their White peers from participation, they participated at lower levels as a group. This highlights a currently under-tapped potential for intervention.

Organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scouts of America, church groups, community recreation sports, high school sports, and other youth organizations provide educational, recreational, and social interaction opportunities for many adolescents in the United States. As sociologists we can ask, what kind of impact do they have on participants? The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of participation in one or more of these youth organizations on completing high school. Previous research is lacking in this specific area, though there is research that addresses other positive aspects, and some negative, of these organizations. The hypothesis of this study is that youth who participate in extracurricular activities or youth organizations have a greater likelihood of graduating from high school than those who do not participate in extracurricular activities. The data were taken from the National Longitudinal Survey. A logistical regression was conducted to see if there is an association between participation in these youth organizations and high school graduation. / Master of Science

No description available.

The purpose of this study is to analyze high school teachers' and coaches' perceptions of participation in extracurricular activities and their relationship to academic achievement. This study investigated teachers' and coaches' perceptions of the benefits of a student participating in extracurricular activities, and how participation in school-based extracurricular sports and activities affect the students' academic achievement. Survey data are presented and reviewed, and the significance of extracurricular activities in overall achievement of students was discussed. Standardized testing has put tremendous pressure on school districts to raise academic achievement scores, while continuing to face necessary budget cuts. In the process of prioritizing funding, monies allotted for extracurricular activities are impacted. Some districts have seriously considered making students "pay to play" various sports in order to relieve budgetary constraints. This study addressed this problem by conducting a quantitative study. Teachers and coaches from fourteen Capital Area Intermediate Unit high schools took part in a survey to identify the benefits of participation in extracurricular activities. / Educational Administration

The purpose of this study was to examine how extracurricular activities and parental monitoring relate to rural youth violence. Gender differences were examined across all of the study variables. Self-report data were collected from 235 teenagers from a rural, ethnically diverse, Virginia community. Correlations revealed a significant inverse relationship between church activity as well as parental monitoring and weapon carrying. Significant mean level differences existed between males and females on the following variables: time spent in aerobic exercise activities, time spent in toning exercise activities, weapon carrying frequency, and level of parental monitoring. In addition, time in non-school clubs was the best predictor of sample youth classification in either the "violent" category or "nonviolent" category. Findings emphasize the importance of parental monitoring for youth as well as the need for more programs and after-school activities to meet the needs of all youth. / Master of Science

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between school connectedness and participation in extracurricular activities. A current gap in the research prevents a complete understanding of the relationship between extracurricular participation and school connectedness; therefore, this study aimed to bridge this gap. It is reasonable to suggest that by simply improving the amount, type, and availability of activities, schools have the potential to help students become more motivated in their role as both a student and a community member. The objective was to provide further support to research implying that increased participation in school-based extracurricular activities improves and encourages school connectedness among students. Overall, the study was aimed at examining what factors predict school connectedness.<p> Data for this study were collected in a survey format from 252 grade 11 and grade 12 students from several rural Saskatchewan schools. A sequential multiple regression was performed to predict school connectedness. After adjusting for various sociodemographic characteristics, two independent variables predicted school connectedness: health-risk behaviours and extracurricular participation. This research was able to show that beyond factors such as age, gender, grade, and participation in health-risk factors, students who reported being involved in extracurricular activity reported higher scores of school connectedness. Extracurricular participation was associated positively with school connectedness, indicating that participating in extracurricular activities increases school connectedness. Health-risk factors were negative predictors of school connectedness. That is, students who reported participating in health-risk behaviours reported lower school connectedness scores. First Nations students report lower school connectedness scores than Caucasian students. The limitations, directions for future research and implications for practice of these findings are discussed.

The relationships between participation in structured leisure (SL) activities (e.g., sports, prosocial activities) and adolescent adjustment were investigated. SL activities have been associated with various developmental benefits but there has been a limited number of studies that have investigated the potential negative aspects of participation. Questionnaire data were collected from 210 boys and girls (between grades 10 and 12). Fourteen students participated in focus groups to obtain a phenomenological perspective on SL participation. Adjustment variables included a well-being composite (comprised of depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and life satisfaction), a school orientation composite (comprised of students levels of school involvement and their values regarding school), academic achievement, and self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism. Three hypotheses were examined. First, it was predicted that there would be a curvilinear relationship between the extent of SL participation and the various adjustment variables. Second, aspects of play and leisure were expected to have moderating effects on the relationships between SL participation and outcomes. Third, aspects of perfectionism were hypothesized to play a moderating role on the relationship between SL and adolescent adjustment. <p>Although the present investigation yielded some insightful observations about participation in SL activities, the results provided no direct support for the hypotheses. Regression analyses indicated positive relationships between SL participation and self-oriented perfectionism, and SL participation and academic achievement. Negative relationships were found between the degree of playfulness in SL activities and socially prescribed perfectionism, and between academic achievement and global intrinsic leisure motivation. Notable focus group themes included a distinction between the fun experienced in SL activities and the fun experienced in nonstructured contexts, significant positive and negative experiences related to SL participation, and differences and similarities between the SL context and other contexts such as school. It is argued that leisure theory can contribute to a better understanding of the developmental implications of SL participation and that the relationship between SL participation and perfectionism merits further investigation.