The aim of this study has been to examine what students within the sport of skydiving think about their education and the social spirit of the community. The purpose of the study is thereby to answer the study's aim through the following questions; how does group dynamics and social solidarity work within the skydiving community, how do the students feel about group dynamics and social solidarity within the skydiving community, and what factors makes the students feel included or respectively excluded from the spirit of the togetherness? The theoretical part of the study focuses on group dynamics and groups overall. Further on earlier research within adventure sports and skydiving regarding group dynamics and community spirit is presented. My survey is based on 35 interviews with skydiving students. The result shows that the community spirit within skydiving sports is described by the students as very special, unique, and strong among the members. Overall the students have a very positive picture of the social solidarity within the skydiving sports but according to some students it also appears difficult to be included as a beginner. Excluding factors can be divided into two parts, educational factors and contacts with instructors, and time when the skydiving is called off for the day when some students do not know where to go, or who to talk to. Including factors are when people offer to help, give the students support or when they are invited to social activities during the evenings. My main conclusion is that the instructors and experienced skydivers attitude towards the students are very important to create a safe environment giving the students the confidence they need to get through their education. This is the most critical factor to make them feel welcome into the sport, and that they are also included within the spirit of togetherness. This key factor decides if they will want to stay in the skydiving community.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:sh-2582 |
| Date | January 2009 |
| Creators | Frost, Merit |
| Publisher | Södertörns högskola, Lärarutbildningen |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/masterThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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