The Holistic Approach to Academia: Traditional Classroom Instruction and Experiential Learning of Student-Athletes

Lisa Coffey,Armani Davis

doi:10.3390/educsci9020125

Abstract

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) student-athletes represent a unique subculture on college campuses, and the athlete must balance the rigors of coursework, athletics, and the non-traditional dynamics associated with being an athlete, which include “dumb jock” stereotypes, isolation, negative criticism, and the fear associated with athletic retirement. Unlike non-athletes, these students face increasing pressure from outside sources, including family, coaches, and fans, to be the best. However, participation in athletics gives student-athletes an opportunity to learn valuable skills and characteristics that are transferrable to the workplace. This mixed-method research extracted descriptive data to identify the characteristics learned through athletics, the skill-sets potential employers value the most, and how those skills are transferable to the workplace. Those characteristics include refined leadership, communication skills, and an ability to multi-task with a laser-sharp focus. Student-athletes are assertive, driven, understand the concept of teamwork, and handle constructive criticism without adverse reactions. The results show that when student-athletes engage in the classroom and absorb the learning opportunities provided through athletics, student-athletes can have a competitive advantage in the job marketplace.

Highlights

Collegiate athletics is a big business, generating almost a billion dollars in revenue annually [1,2].Today, graduation rates of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes are on the rise [3].The graduation rate has increased in the last fourteen years from 74% in 2002 to 86% in 2016 [3].Student-athletes represent a dynamic sub-culture on college campuses due to varying needs and the challenges within their community
Graduation rates of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes are on the rise [3]
Teamwork [5,10,33], leadership [4,11,22,33], and time management [11,22] are all skills highlighted in the literature review as transferable skills through experiential learning

Summary

Introduction

Collegiate athletics is a big business, generating almost a billion dollars in revenue annually [1,2].Today, graduation rates of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes are on the rise [3].The graduation rate has increased in the last fourteen years from 74% in 2002 to 86% in 2016 [3].Student-athletes represent a dynamic sub-culture on college campuses due to varying needs and the challenges within their community. Graduation rates of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes are on the rise [3]. The graduation rate has increased in the last fourteen years from 74% in 2002 to 86% in 2016 [3]. Student-athletes represent a dynamic sub-culture on college campuses due to varying needs and the challenges within their community. Student-athletes, both male and female, are faced with the challenges of balancing academics, athletics, eligibility issues [4], and associated negative stereotypes, such as being “dumb jocks”, entitled, academically lazy, or only interested in sports [5,6,7,8]. Athletes face the pressures of being in the spotlight, which includes media attention and negative criticism [8]

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Conclusion