The extracurricular experiences of island high school students
Date
2011-05-19
Authors
Lynn, Matthew R.
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Abstract
The purpose of my study was to explore the experiences of senior island high school students and their participation in extracurricular activities. I investigated a rural island high school, located on the west coast of Canada, by conducting interviews of senior high school students to reveal their experiences with extracurricular activities available at the school. Using a qualitative case-study design, I provide recommendations for improving access to extracurricular activities. My results support literature finding that voluntary participation in extracurricular activities positively affects student academic standing, and that recognized school excellence improves student culture. I also found that organizational efforts and transparency in programming are needed to entice nonparticipants to become involved. Through comparative reflective analysis, I determined that word-of-mouth was a primary source of extracurricular promotion; however, this was found to create tiers of social groups, which in turn prevented access to the extracurriculum. Participants also indicated that a longer timetabled school day was a barrier to participation, and that active community volunteering efforts in the operation and offering of extracurricular activities were limited. My research is aimed at enabling educational practitioners to improve access to extracurricular activities in an island high school environment.
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Keywords
extracurricular activity, extracurriculum, island community, isolated community, student experience, case study, social development, academic improvement