ARE EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IMPORTANT FOR GENERAL FOUNDATION PROGRAMME STUDENTS?

Abstract

Extracurricular activities (ECAs) play a vital role in shaping students’ lives. These activities have been embedded in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to complement the curriculum, and augment students’ educational experience. In addition, they are organized to stimulate students’ interpersonal skills, such as leadership, time-management, and communication skills. This paper aims to explore the perceptions of General Foundation Programme (GFP) students regarding the extracurricular activities (ECA) organized by the Centre for Foundation Studies (CFS) of an Omani HEI. It also aims to investigate the role of these activities in enhancing students’ English language proficiency and transferable skills. A survey questionnaire was used to collect students’ perceptions of extracurricular activities. The results indicate that more than 70% of students participating in this study are satisfied with the ECA. Moreover, the participants in this study claimed that participation in ECAs has supported their academic performance and helped them develop their transferable skills. 30% of the participants showed disinterest in participating in extracurricular activities due to the absence of motivation, being in mixed classes, and the fact that no grades are awarded for these activities. This study was conducted on a small population of GFP students; however, it has important implications for education providers in terms of designing extracurricular activities in line with the learning outcomes and student interests. Future studies conducted on larger populations will yield more concrete results.