Numerous skill deficits interfere with the social functioning of children with intellectual (ID) and learning disabilities (LD). Due to the limited effectiveness of social skill interventions for this population, it is necessary to explore additional opportunities for social skill acquisition. Research suggests that extracurricular activity participation positively influences adolescent development; however, little is known about the benefits of activity participation for children with ID and LD. This study investigated the impact of frequency and type of extracurricular activity on the social competence of 7-12 year old children with ID (n=42) and LD (n=53), in comparison to their typically developing peers (TD; n=24). More time involved in unstructured activities was related to higher ratings of social competence. Greater participation in unstructured extracurricular activities was particularly beneficial for children with ID. Future research on the quality of involvement is necessary to further understand what specific aspects of activities facilitate social development.

Η παρούσα εργασία αναφέρεται στη μελέτη των σχολικών σχέσεων και των εξωσχολικών δραστηριοτήτων των Ελλήνων και αλλοδαπών μαθητών. Αναλυτικότερα, μελετούνται οι σχέσεις που αναπτύσσουν οι μαθητές μεταξύ τους, πόσο επηρεάζονται αυτές από την καταγωγή των μαθητών καθώς και οι σχέσεις των μαθητών με το δάσκαλό τους. Τέλος, ερευνάται η επιλογή των εξωσχολικών δραστηριοτήτων από την πλευρά των μαθητών σε σχέση με την επίδραση της οικογένειας και του σχολείου. / The present study refers to school relations and extracurricular activities of Greek and foreign students. Particularly, subjects, such as relationships among students as well as the impact students’ origin has on it or relationships between students and their teacher have been studied. Finally, there has been investigated the influence which family and school have on students’ choice of extracurricular activities.

Estudos recentes apontam para a importância de investigações mais abrangentes sobre o universo da formação médica, ressaltando que essa não é constituída somente de habilidades e procedimentos, mas, principalmente, por um complexo quadro de atitudes. Percebe-se que a carga horária do curso é extenuante e, mesmo assim, muitos estudantes se envolvem com uma infinidade de atividades extras durante a sua formação, construindo vasto currículo paralelo. Este estudo objetivou investigar as concepções dos estudantes de uma Faculdade de Medicina sobre as vivências, peculiaridades e papéis das atividades extracurriculares durante a formação médica. A investigação foi orientada pela abordagem qualitativa e estruturada em três etapas: pré-inquérito por meio da aplicação de questionário aos estudantes do 1º ao 6º ano de Medicina (n=423); entrevistas individuais, segundo roteiro semi-estruturado (n=24) e entrevistas em dois grupos focais constituídos por três encontros (n=14). Na 1ª etapa do estudo, os resultados apontaram que 90% dos participantes do 2º ano até o 4º ano do curso participam de atividades extracurriculares que estão vinculadas ao contexto universitário e despendem, em média, mais de 8h semanais. A participação em ligas acadêmicas foi a atividade mais freqüentemente relatada pelos estudantes do 1º ao 4º ano, sendo que “aproximar da prática médica” foi o principal motivo apontado nesse quesito. Em relação ao 5º e ao 6º ano, as participações em atividades de iniciação científica e monitorias foram as mais relatadas e motivadas pela “contribuição para o currículo”. A Atlética, entidade estudantil que objetiva a participação em competições desportivas, obteve o envolvimento constante dos estudantes durante todos os anos do curso. Os dados advindos das entrevistas individuais revelaram que os estudantes de medicina identificam seu envolvimento com atividades extracurriculares como tentativa de preencher lacunas curriculares, suplementar o curso, integrar-se com os colegas de diferentes anos, atenderem indagações profissionais futuras e/ou proporcionar o distanciamento do cotidiano médico. A utilização da estratégia em grupo focal, alicerçada na abordagem do Sociodrama Educacional, possibilitou que conflitos e contradições, relativos ao cotidiano da formação médica, acabassem por emergir. Apesar dos benefícios apontados pelos estudantes, os dados levantados evidenciam sentimentos de insegurança e conflitos decorrentes da dificuldade deles em conciliar as atividades extracurriculares, o lazer e o curso. Além disso, as percepções dos estudantes sugerem a necessidade premente de ocupação do tempo livre, manifestando um antagonismo diante das insatisfações advindas do vulnerável período do curso médico. / Recent studies show the importance of more including inquiries on the universe of the medical formation, standing out that this is not only constituted of abilities and procedures, but, mainly, for a complex group of attitudes. The schedule of the course is exhausting, thus, many students involve themselves with an infinity of extra activities during their formation, constructing a vast parallel curriculum. This study aimed at inquiring the perceptions of students at a Medical School about their experiences and peculiarities, as well as the role of extracurricular activities during the medical formation. The inquiry was guided by the qualitative and structuralized boarding in three stages: pre-inquiry through the questionnaire application from 1st to 6th year of Medicine students (n=423); individual interviews, according to semi-structuralized script (n=24) and interviews in two focal groups consisting by three meetings (n=14). In the 1st stage of the study, the results had pointed that 90% of the participants of 2nd to 4th year of the course participate of extracurricular activities that are tied with the university context and expend, on average, 8h weekly. The participation in academic leagues was the activity more frequently told by the 1st to 4th year students, where “to approach to the medical practice” was the main reason pointed in this question. Regarding the 5th and 6th year, the participation in activities of scientific initiation and monitorized had been told and motivated by the “contribution for the curriculum”. The “Atlética”, an entity for students that objective the participation in sporting competitions, got the constant envolvement of the students during every year of the course. The resulting data of the individual interviews had disclosed that the medicine students identify their envolvement with extracurricular activities as an attempt to fill curricular gaps, to suplement the course, to combine themselves with the colleagues of different years, to take care of future professional investigations and/or to keep away from the medical routine. The use of the strategy in focal group, based on the approach of the Educational Sociodrama, made possible the appearance of conflicts and contradictions, related to the daily routine of the medical formation. Although the benefits students pointed, data evidence feelings of unreliability and decurrent conflicts because of their difficulty in conciliating the extracurricular activities, the leisure and the course. Moreover, the perceptions of the students suggest the necessity of free time occupation which serves as possible “counterpart” from the contradictions and dissatisfactions of the vulnerable period of the medical course.

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.

Orientador: Ana Maria Fonseca de Almeida / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-22T10:41:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Polaz_KarenTerezaMarcolino_M.pdf: 2767664 bytes, checksum: 4df0c6763ecd05be5e43f24e752c987c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: Esta pesquisa investiga os processos de construção de fronteiras sociais pelas famílias de alta renda em relação a outros grupos e como essas fronteiras se mantêm ao longo do tempo. Para tanto, analisou-se as práticas de educação de famílias associadas ao clube mais seletivo, em termos econômicos, de uma grande cidade do interior de São Paulo. Foram focalizados, particularmente, os filhos envolvidos no curso de equitação e nas atividades competitivas realizadas pelo departamento de hipismo. O trabalho de campo consistiu na realização de observações tanto das aulas, quanto das provas realizadas no clube e entrevistas aprofundadas e semi-estruturadas com mães, pais e filhos e, também, alguns funcionários. O clube é visto, neste trabalho, como um dos lugares onde os associados parecem estar "entre si" e onde suas crianças podem ser expostas à aprendizagem dos valores, modos de vida, sensibilidades, habilidades, percepções próprias ao grupo social a que são destinadas a pertencer. Os resultados mostram como as experiências educativas, incluindo a passagem por esse "esporte de elite", contribuem para a constituição de uma maneira de perceber a si e aos outros que pode estar diretamente ou não relacionada às formas concretas de agir sobre o espaço social à sua volta. / Abstract: This research investigates the processes involved in the formation of social boundaries in high income families in relation to other groups and how these boundaries are maintained over the course of time. The educational practices of families associated with the most selective club, in economic terms, of a large city in the interior of the state of Sao Paulo were analysed. In particular, the research focused on the children involved in the horsemanship/equitation course and on the competitive activities carried out by the horsemanship/equitation department. The field work consisted of observations of the classes, as well as of the tests applied in the club and of extensive and semi-structured interviews with mothers, fathers, children and also with some of the staff. The club is seen in this study as one of the places where the associates seem to be among their peers, and where their children can be exposed to the learning of the values, life styles, sensibilities, skills, perceptions appropriate to the social group they are destined to be affiliated with. The results show how the educational experiences, including the passage through this "elite sport", contribute to the constitution of a way to perceive oneself and others, that may be or may not be directly related to the concrete forms of acting on the social environment. / Mestrado / Educação, Conhecimento, Linguagem e Arte / Mestre em Educação

Students who are engaged in their high school environment have higher graduation rates, fewer discipline problems, and lower delinquency rates. In addition, students who are connected to teachers and involved in extracurricular activities consistently experience positive outcomes. However, although the benefits of school resources such as extra-curricular activities and connections to supportive individuals during high school have been well documented, the factors influencing utilization of these resources have not yet been established. Given the known benefits of activity participation and connection to supportive individuals in school settings, and the voluntary nature of their utilization, it is important to investigate factors influencing students' decision to use these resources. The current study investigated potential barriers and facilitating factors for high school students' activity involvement and support seeking from school personnel. Survey data were collected from 1522, 9-12th grade students in four Pinellas County high schools. Questions regarding students' school, family, and social relationships were assessed via psychometrically valid scales, district records, and items created collaboratively with school district administrators for this specific project. Results were analyzed using bivariate correlations and hierarchical multiple regression. Race, free/reduced lunch status, parent involvement and psychological distress were among the strongest correlates with the support seeking outcomes whereas gender, race, free/reduced lunch status, global self worth, self esteem, antisocial peer group, and perceived school support were among the variables most strongly correlated with the activity involvement outcomes. All significant relationships found were in the predicted direction with barrier variables leading to lower levels of school engagement and facilitating factors leading to higher levels of school engagement. Contrary to the hypotheses, the selected barriers and facilitating factors did not contribute to a significant amount of variance above that accounted for by gender, race, and free/reduced lunch status. In general, males, students receiving free/reduced lunch, and black students had the lowest rates of school engagement. The current results add to existing literature by showing that students who would benefit most from positive assets such as support seeking from adults at school and activity involvement are least likely to engage in the behaviors.

The purpose of the current study was to determine if there are potential mediating factors to a student being victimized by school violence. Results from 5,409 middle school and high school student participants who completed the 2007 School Crime Supplement of the National Crime Victimization Survey, a nationally collected survey on victimization, were used to determine if there was a relationship between student victimization and extracurricular activity involvement. Specifically, the questions about victimization (bullying), extracurricular activity involvement, a relationship with an adult at school, and a relationship with a friend were used. Seven specific types of extracurricular activities (athletic teams, spirit groups, performing arts groups, academic clubs, student government, community service/volunteer clubs, and other) were examined to determine if a specific type of extracurricular activity might be related to lower victimization scores. Relationships with an adult and a peer were examined in association with a student's involvement in extracurricular activities. Reported victimization status was also explored in connection with the student's relationships with an adult and peer. The results of this study indicate statistically significant relations among many of the variables above. However, the large sample size was the reason for the significant findings. The results indicate that protecting a student from victimization may not be a benefit of extracurricular involvement; however, extracurricular activities may be a useful tool to connect students to friends and caring adults at school.

In the United States, educators, parents, policy makers, politicians, the media, researchers, and practitioners in many academic fields have taken an interest in outcomes for children aged 6 to 14 who participate in extracurricular activities outside of school time. Very little research examines parents' beliefs about and behaviors surrounding their children's participation in extracurricular activities. Yet, it may be parents' beliefs that guide choices about and persistence in extracurricular activities. This study used a phenomenonlogical and qualitative approach toward understanding parents' ideas and beliefs about their child's participation in extracurricular activities. These ideas and beliefs or parental ethnotheories are what parents believe are the correct or proper way to raise a child. Interviews with 11 parents of fourth and fifth graders at a university-based laboratory school indicated that parents thought strategically about their child's future. According to the parents, involvement in extracurricular activities produced socially adept children, who have "something in common" with other people, and are able to interact successfully with people of any age in as many different situations as possible. From this participation they sought to improve their child's social standing among peers, with adults, and in life in general. Parents structured and guided their child toward opportunities for growth and achievement through involvement in extracurricular activities. They believed that this involvement resulted in a "well rounded" child with a broad base of knowledge about the world. Parents believed these experiences would benefit their child in any future endeavors (college, careers, and family life).

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.

This thesis examined the relationship between high school sport participation and academic achievement. It was hypothesized that a positive relationship would exist; the more a student participated the higher their grade point average (GPA) would have been. It was also predicted that female and White students would display the largest benefit in their GPAs from participating. Multiple regression and analysis of variance were conducted utilizing data from Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of American Youth (12th Grade Survey), 2008, a nationally representative sample of American high school seniors. Results indicated that a significant positive correlation exists between sport participation and GPA. This relationship remained significant even after accounting for other relevant factors, such as socioeconomic status and/or self-esteem. Female and White students did record the highest GP As, but participation was not a contributing factor. Overall, there appears to be some academic benefit for participating in school athletics; students may be learning a set of skills or attitudes through sport that transfer into other areas of their lives.