Number Of Extracurricular Activities Research Articles

What influences university graduates’ entrepreneurship within different time horizons after graduation?

ABSTRACT This study assesses factors related to higher education, differentiating a group of university graduates in terms of their professional activity in the context of self-employment. It concerns graduates’ business behaviour six months, three years, and five years after graduation. We aimed to evaluate the impact of study-related entrepreneurship determinants within different time horizons after graduation. The analyses revealed that as the period from graduation increases, the proportion of graduates who are in business increases. The strength of the influence of factors related to university education is also changing. The probability of running a business after studies increases with the number of extracurricular activities. The type of activity is also important. We also noted differences between hiring and non-hiring experiences; those previously employed have a lower chance of running a business. Slight differences in disciplines and faculties completed can be noted.

The Outcomes of the American Renaissance Student

ABSTRACT As standardized tests continue to wane in the influence of college admissions, higher education institutions use other sociocultural and academic signals to determine the “right” fit for their institution. Extracurricular activities (EAs) that students and parents cultivate throughout high school help provide these signals. Though researchers typically consider the intensity (total hours) and breadth (number of EAs) in their analyzes, few consider EAs as a portfolio. Qualitative studies highlight how parents develop a cultural omnivore steeped in the traditions of the Athenian ideal of arts, athletics, and academics, known as the Renaissance student. Using data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, this quantitative study examines how students are concurrently involved in art, athletic, and academic EAs during the 12th grade in high school. Compared to other college-going students, Renaissance students are more likely to attend highly selective institutions, participate in institutionally sponsored college athletics, and graduate with a bachelor’s degree.

Real time multi feature performance analysis model for efficient prediction of student performance using neural networks

The problem of student performance analysis and prediction has been well studied. There exist number of approaches to handle this issue which would use variety of features like the involvement in sports, education, academic and others. However, they suffer to achieve higher performance in predicting the performance of the student. To handle this issue, an efficient real time multi feature Performance Analysis Model (MFPAM) is presented in this article. The model consider number of features include the number of sessions the student attended, the number of seminars appeared, number of tests cleared, number of webinars accessed, number of assignments submitted, number of queries produced, number of subjects cleared in each time stamp, number of sports played, number of videos visited, number of extracurricular activities appeared and so on. By analyzing each features in different time stamp of the academic carrier, the method predict the performance of the student. The logs of student have been trained with neural network and at the test phase, the neurons perform analysis on each factor to produce support on different performance factors. At the output layer, the neurons generate set of weight measures towards various class of performance.

Gender-differentiated schools in the republic of croatia

The theoretical framework of this paper presents the characteristics and specifics of extracurricular activities with the previous terminological definition of the National Curriculum Framework, school curriculum, and an overview of the educational activities of gender-differentiated schools in Croatia. The aim of the research was to study the school curriculum documentation of Ružičnjak Primary School and Lotrščak Primary School for the school year 2020/2021 and to find out about the extracurricular activities in different educational areas of their curriculum. Extracurricular activities of gender-differentiated schools intended for 1st - 8th-grade students were analyzed in the paper. The results show that the most represented educational area in both schools regarding the number of extracurricular activities is the area of art. The results of Ružičnjak school curriculum analysis indicate that the area of art is followed by social and humanities, technical, language-communication, and physical and health education areas. On the other hand, Lotrščak school curriculum analysis shows that the artistic activities are followed by the extracurricular activities in physical and health, language-communication, natural sciences, technical and informatics areas. Among the offered extracurricular activities in Ružičnjak Primary Schools, there is no single extracurricular activity within the mathematical and natural sciences areas, while Lotrščak Primary School does not plan any extracurricular activities within the mathematical educational area.

The Digitalization of Self-Access and Advising Services in Times of a Global Pandemic

The global pandemic forced educational institutions worldwide to adapt to a new, fully online concept of education and a rapid digitalization to keep providing their services to learners. This paper reports on the digitalization process of the Independent Learning Center (ILC) and the Learning Advisory Program (LAP) unit at Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University (AYBU), Turkey. The interrelated digitalization stories of the two units include the provision of learning resources and activities to learners with digital tools and their responses to the new format. Despite the challenges involved, the ILC has offered a considerably higher number of extracurricular activities than in face-to-face education days and reached a higher number of learners in the 2020-2021 academic year. As for the LAP, the participants’ reflections showed how opportunities for offering engaging activities in the LAP created a cascading impact of affordances for both the individual learners and the members of the larger community.

The actual situation of students’ soft skills at some member universities of Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City

This study identifies and assesses the actual situation of students' soft skills at some member universities of Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City. To gather data, we surveyed 120 students at the University of Science and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City. The research results show that (1) Students are interested in practicing soft skills; (2) Students learn soft skills mainly through social networks, core subjects, and a number of extracurricular activities; (3) There is a wide variety of proficiency levels of groups of soft skills (the group with the highest level of proficiency is teamwork skills, and the lowest one is the group of business skills); and (4) The factors which affect students' soft skill training are their attitude, awareness and relationships with friends around. To improve the effectiveness of soft skill training for students, training units should strengthen the integration of soft skill training content in their curricular and extra-curricular training programs. In addition, students constantly improve soft skills through classroom subjects in an active way; join extracurricular activities, clubs, etc. The research results are a channel of reference to help students to improve their soft skills in order to meet learning requirements and find jobs after graduation.

Temporal changes in emotional intelligence (EI) among medical undergraduates: a 5-year follow up study

BackgroundEmotional intelligence (EI) is thought to play a significant role in professional and academic success. EI is important for medical personnel to cope with highly stressful circumstances during clinical and academic settings. The present prospective follow-up study intends to evaluate the changes in EI and their correlates among medical undergraduates over a five-year period.MethodsData were collected in 2015 and 2020 at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. EI was assessed using the validated 33-item self-assessment tool, Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT). In addition, socio-demographic details, students’ involvement in extracurricular-activities during undergraduate life, students’ satisfaction regarding the choice of studying medicine and plans to do postgraduate studies were also evaluated. A multiple-regression analysis was conducted among all students using percentage change in EI score as the continuous dependent variable, together with other independent variables (plan to do postgraduate studies, satisfaction in choice of medicine and extracurricular-activities).ResultsSample size was 170 (response rates–96.6%), with 41.2% males (n = 70). Mean EI scores at baseline among all students was 122.7 ± 11.6, and it had significantly increased at follow-up to 128.9 ± 11.2 (p < 0.001). This significant increase was independently observed in both males (122.1 ± 12.2 vs. 130.0 ± 12.4, p < 0.001) and females (123.1 ± 11.1 vs. 128.2 ± 10.3, p = 0.001). During follow-up, an increase in EI score was observed in students of all religions and ethnicities. Mean EI score also increased in all categories of monthly income, irrespective of the employment status or attainment of higher education of either parent. An increase in mean EI score during follow-up was observed in students irrespective of their engagement in or number of extracurricular-activities, they were involved. In the multiple regression analysis, being satisfied regarding their choice of the medical undergraduate programme (OR:11.75, p = 0.001) was the only significant factor associated with the percentage change in EI score.ConclusionEI in this group significantly improved over 5-years of follow-up and was independent of gender, religion, ethnicity, socio-economic parameters and academic performance. Satisfaction in the chosen field was a significant predictor of the overall change in EI. Future studies are needed to identify and measure factors responsible for improvement in EI among medical undergraduates.

Actividades extraescolares y rendimiento académico: diferencias según el género y tipo de centro

How does students’ participation in extracurricular activities affect their academic performance? This question has become a topic of debate in the educational community, even extending into the social sphere. This study used a quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive, cross-sectional methodology to analyze any existing relationships between participation in extracurricular activities and academic performance, also taking into account gender and type of school (public vs. charter), to determine whether there were significant differences according to these variables. A total of 620 primary school students from ages 10 to 12 participated in the study (M = 10.35; SD = 0.63). The results showed significant, positive relationships between number of extracurricular activities and academic performance in Language Arts; and significant, negative relationships between time devoted to recreational activities and performance in English as a Foreign Language. Overall, the girls participated in more extracurricular activities than the boys. The boys participated in a greater number of sports activities, and participation in sports was also greater among students of the charter schools. It is possible that sociocultural context and family economic level are decisive in whether students participate in these activities, and consequently in the conclusions that may be drawn about their relationship to variables like academic performance.

Maternal Education and Chinese First Graders’ Performance in Language and Literacy and Math: Role of Home Environment

Research shows that maternal education influences children’s academic performance indirectly through the quality of the home environment. In this study, we tested the role of 12 variables within the home environment (e.g., eating meals together, reading for fun at home, number of children’s books, watching TV, and bedtime) to help identify those that were effected by maternal education and then in turn affected first graders’ performance in Language and Literacy and Math. We collected home environment data from 313 Chinese parents and academic performance data directly from the children’s school. From the 12 variables, path analyses identified three that were significant: the number of children’s books at home, the number of hours that the child watched TV daily, and the number of extracurricular activities. Specifically, a higher maternal education level was related to more children’s books at home and fewer hours of TV watching daily, which were related to better performance in Language and Literacy; a higher maternal education level was related to more children’s books at home and more extracurricular activities, which were then related to better performance in math. As the identified variables are all malleable, intervention strategies that make reading materials available to children at home, limit children’s exposure to excessive TV, and promote extracurricular activity involvement may benefit children’s academic performance. Interventions that focus on increasing less educated mother’s awareness of the importance of providing reading materials to children at home, regulating children’s TV time, and involving children in extracurricular activities could also be beneficial.

Upskilling student engineers: The role of design in meeting employers’ needs

Integrated learning makes use of group work to develop students’ professional competencies in tandem with their transferable skills. This paper looks at the skills required to undertake a fourth year chemical engineering “capstone design project” (Design) and the skills developed therein. Staff and students were surveyed about their perceived skills abilities, both before and after the project; the results of which showed agreement as to the skills necessary to undertake Design: these were grouped under personal effectiveness skills, communication skills or research skills. Students described a number of extra-curricular activities that contributed to skills development but sometimes failed to appreciate their transference to academic arenas. The surveyed students indicated that their confidence in all skills areas was increased by Design: but there were instances where some individual sub-set devaluing occurred. There is a link between experiential practice, predominantly as a result of producing assessed components, and high skills confidence; hence, it is recommended that students are encouraged to reflect on their project experience and that integrated learning be promoted to develop all skills effectively.

Extracurricular participation and young children's outcomes in Hong Kong: Maternal involvement as a moderator

In Hong Kong's competitive society, most children take part in extracurricular activities (ECAs) before or after school. Early childhood lays the foundation for development of intelligence, personality, social behaviour and learning capacity, and ECAs can, therefore, be expected to enrich a child's learning experience. But there has been relatively little research on the effects of extracurricular participation on young children. This study examines the relations between extracurricular participation and young children's school readiness and psychosocial outcomes in a Chinese cultural context. Sixty-four Hong Kong upper kindergarten class children (aged five years and two months to six years and ten months old), their mothers and class teachers participated in a quantitative study where parent, teacher and child reports were collected. The results showed that children's extracurricular participation was positively associated with better school readiness and social competence and negatively associated with a child's liking of ECAs. The level of extracurricular participation was defined as the number of ECAs a child has been participating in during the month that the study was conducted. This was a pioneering study that found maternal involvement moderated the association between the number of ECAs and a child's school readiness and cognitive competence. In general, children from family with low maternal involvement were more likely to benefit from their participation in a higher number of ECAs. The results from this study will inform educators, parents and policymakers and are intended to inspire further research exploring ECAs and early childhood.

Emotional intelligence, perceived stress and academic performance of Sri Lankan medical undergraduates

BackgroundPrevious research has shown that higher Emotional Intelligence (EI) is associated with better academic and work performance. The present study intended to explore the relationship between EI, perceived stress and academic performance and associated factors among medical undergraduates.MethodsThis descriptive cross-sectional research study was conducted among 471 medical undergraduates of 2nd, 4th and final years of University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Students were rated on self administered Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SEIT). Examination results were used as the dichotomous outcome variable in a logistic regression analysis.ResultsFemales had higher mean EI scores (p = 0.014). A positive correlation was found between the EI score and the number of extracurricular activities (r = 0.121, p = 0.008). Those who were satisfied regarding their choice to study medicine, and who were planning to do postgraduate studies had significantly higher EI scores and lower PSS scores (p <0.001). Among final year undergraduates, those who passed the Clinical Sciences examination in the first attempt had a higher EI score (p <0.001) and a lower PSS score (p <0.05). Results of the binary logistic-regression analysis in the entire study population indicated that female gender (OR:1.98) and being satisfied regarding their choice of the medical undergraduate programme (OR:3.69) were significantly associated with passing the examinations. However, PSS Score and engagement in extracurricular activities were not associated with ‘Examination Results’.ConclusionsHigher EI was associated with better academic performance amongst final year medical students. In addition a higher EI was observed in those who had a higher level of self satisfaction. Self-perceived stress was lower in those with a higher EI. Enhancing EI might help to improve academic performance among final year medical student and also help to reduce the stress levels and cultivate better coping during professional life in the future.

Cooperative Learning as a Preference of Adolescent Students: The Case of Dance Activities

There are a number of extracurricular activities, carried out in today junior high schools, which give priority to the interaction between individuals and groups. Dance-as an extracurricular, physical activity with educational characteristics and cooperative elements - is believed to develop social and cultural values, since it creates emotional bonds between the individual and the group. The fact that a learning method is preferred by students can influence their performance. The aim of the study is to investigate students’ preferences concerning cooperative or individual learning methods and the difficulties of group work. The sample of the study was made up of 289 students, at the age of 13. Three groups were created. The first group was constituted of adolescents who took up extracurricular dance activities organized by the state. The second group was constituted of adolescents participating in extracurricular dance activities organized by non profit private societies. The third group was made up of adolescents who did not take up any physical activity in their free time. The Greek version (Goudas, Magotsiou, & Hatzigeorgiadis, 2009) of the «Feelings towards Group Work Scale» (Cantwell & Andrews, 2002) was used. The results showed differences among all groups. The adolescents involving in private dance activity programs presented a higher preference in group learning methods than adolescents involving in state dance activity programs. This is probably due to the higher efficiency of the teachers working in the private sector. The group that did not involve in any extracurricular activity preferred the individual work method. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n3s1p478

Athletics, clubs, or music? The influence of college extracurricular activities on job prestige and satisfaction

In this study, we investigate how college extracurricular activities influence students’ early occupational outcomes. In particular, we examine how the type and number of extracurricular activities, as well as level of participation, influence occupational prestige and job satisfaction. Employing the three national databases, we compare the relationship between extracurricular activities and occupational outcomes across three different cohorts and different levels of college selectivity in the context of the US. Our results suggest that the type of activities pursued in college is consistently important for occupational outcomes, and different types of activities have significant influence for different cohorts. Extracurricular activities tend to have more labour market benefits for graduates of selective institutions.

I Came, I Saw, I Put It on My Resume For Medical School

The author argues for the myriad benefits of extracurricular involvement to students' psychosocial development and calls upon administrators and professors to encourage students to participate in carefully selected activities with earnest commitment of their time and efforts.The author contends that colleges demonstrate that they encourage prospective students to take their involvement in activities seriously when college admissions emphasize the level of student involvement in each activity over merely the number of extracurricular activities in their profiles of first-year students.

Extracurricular Participation and Academic Outcomes: Testing the Over-Scheduling Hypothesis

There is a growing concern that some youth are overscheduled in extracurricular activities, and that this increasing involvement has negative consequences for youth functioning. This article used data from the Educational Longitudinal Study (ELS: 2002), a nationally representative and ethnically diverse longitudinal sample of American high school students, to evaluate this hypothesis (N = 13,130; 50.4% female). On average, 10th graders participated in between 2 and 3 extracurricular activities, for an average of 5 h per week. Only a small percentage of 10th graders reported participating in extracurricular activities at high levels. Moreover, a large percentage of the sample reported no involvement in school-based extracurricular contexts in the after-school hours. Controlling for some demographic factors, prior achievement, and school size, the breadth (i.e., number of extracurricular activities) and the intensity (i.e., time in extracurricular activities) of participation at 10th grade were positively associated with math achievement test scores, grades, and educational expectations at 12th grade. Breadth and intensity of participation at 10th grade also predicted educational status at 2 years post high school. In addition, the non-linear function was significant. At higher breadth and intensity, the academic adjustment of youth declined. Implications of the findings for the over-scheduling hypothesis are discussed.

Teens Honored for Commitment to Mental Health Careers

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Association NewsFull AccessTeens Honored for Commitment to Mental Health CareersEve BenderEve BenderSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:20 Jul 2007https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.42.14.0023District branch past president Randy Pardell, M.D., introduces scholarship winner Ally Taveniere as someone with a “big heart,” due not only to her concern for people with mental illness, but also because of her leadership in a cardiac screening program in her community.Photos by Eve BenderOne of A PA's district branches is pointing young people toward a career in mental health, with an innovative scholarship program that rewards high-school students for their academic excellence and desire to help those with mental health problems.At the Mid-Hudson Psychiatric Society's annual meeting and awards dinner in June in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., the young award recipients stepped up to receive checks of $750 and the praise and encouragement of district branch officers and members.The Herman B. Snow Memorial Scholarship Fund was established 15 years ago to honor one of the region's most distinguished psychiatrists. Snow, who died in 1987, was a forensic psychiatrist, senior director of the Hudson River Psychiatric Center in Poughkeepsie, and past president of the Mid-Hudson Psychiatric Society and the Dutchess County Medical Society. Snow's wife, Reta, created the scholarship.For a time, only employees of the Hudson River Psychiatric Center and their relatives were eligible for the fund, but four years ago the district branch assumed responsibility for administering the scholarship and began offering it to high-school students living in four counties in the mid-Hudson area.High school students who apply for the scholarship must write an essay about their interest in the mental health field and submit several letters of recommendation.Mid-Hudson Psychiatric Society President Sadaf Ahsan, M.D., speaks with scholarship winner Erica Halwick about the mental health field.According to Randy Pardell, M.D., who was president of the district branch when it took over the fund and introduced one of the scholarship recipients,“ we wanted to champion the concept of how great it is to be a psychiatrist.”Leon Krakower, M.D., who chairs the scholarship selection committee, told Psychiatric News that “sponsoring the scholarship fund has given our district branch a sense of accomplishment and pride and a very positive image in our community.”Snow scholarship recipient Ally Taveniere, 17, a recent graduate of Rhinebeck High School in Rhinebeck, N.Y., told Psychiatric News that she has always been interested in the factors that motivate others to think and behave in a certain way. She plans to major in psychology when she enters SUNY Binghamton in the fall.Aside from being a straight-A student and being involved in a number of extra-curricular activities with her school, Taveniere has also spent a great deal of time participating in community service.For instance, when a close friend died of cardiac problems last year, she co-founded a group called the Heart Safe Gang at Rhinebeck High School, which promotes education about and screening for cardiac disease.High school graduates Erica Halwick (left) and Ally Taveniere, winners of the 2007 Herman B. Snow Memorial Scholarship Award, both expressed interest in helping people with mental illness.“I've always been involved in art and drawing,” Taveniere said, adding that as a result of this interest she had been considering art therapy as a career option. “But after attending this dinner and talking with the psychiatrists here, I'm very much interested in pursuing psychiatry.”Fellow Snow scholarship winner Erica Halwick, 18, would like to work on behalf of people with mental illness in the legal system. “I plan to undertake pre-law studies and advocate for people with mental illness. The Constitution guarantees all people certain rights, and sometimes these rights are overlooked when it comes to the mentally ill,” she told Psychiatric News.Halwick, who graduated from Kingston High School in Kingston, N.Y., and is president of the Ulster County Youth Court, plans to begin a pre-law program at the University of Albany in the fall.Although she was unable to make it to the awards dinner, Jennifer Cottenec, 18, was “thrilled” to win the scholarship, she remarked. Cottenec has been active in a mentorship program associated with her school in which she and her classmates help younger students with their homework and spend time with them after school.Cottenec plans to study psychology at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa., in the fall. “I love helping children,” she noted. “I enjoy mentoring them and would ultimately like to help them with their problems in a professional role.”Pfizer Inc. sponsored the award dinner. ▪ ISSUES NewArchived

Pay-to-Play: Fair or Foul?

IMAGINE the exhilaration as high school students throughout the country suit up for their first practice, polish their instruments, and prepare for their upcoming games and events with high-fives all around. This excitement, however, is quickly replaced with anxiety, even dismay, as many of these same students learn that they must first pay a participation fee, which may mean they will not be able to take part after all. Pay-to-play is catching on across the country--sometimes with harsh consequences for students and schools. No one doubts that the cost of running a school district is staggering. Fuel for heat and buses, salaries and benefits for employees, and ever-changing curricular demands combine to put enormous pressure on superintendents and school boards to cut spending and raise revenues. In many districts, state and local funding is shrinking, and extracurricular activities are often the first items to be put on the chopping block. (1) Extracurricular activities, particularly sports, have a longstanding tradition in schools. School teams were originally seen as a means of giving boys a way to channel their energy in a positive direction while giving the entire student body a rallying point for school pride. Over the years, both the scope and inclusiveness of such programs have expanded, and the benefits of sports and other activities have been well-documented by practitioners and scholars alike. (2) Meanwhile, the cost of running extracurricular programs has risen steeply. The cost for transporting students to competitions or conferences has increased for all competitive clubs and activities, as have the stipends for club sponsors. Expenditures for sports, however, have increased the most dramatically. As competition and the potential for college scholarships have increased, so have the costs of maintaining competitive programs, which demand expert coaching, high-tech training equipment, and better facilities. In addition, the litigious nature of our society pressures schools into buying the best protective equipment for athletes, adding coaches for increased supervision, and paying for additional liability insurance. It is no wonder that many schools are looking for ways to offset the heavy costs of these extracurricular programs. Enter the concept of pay-to-play, which shifts some of the financial burden of extracurricular activities to students and their families. At the low end of the price spectrum, some school districts in Maine recently enacted policies to charge fees ranging from $15 to $50 a year for any student who wishes to participate in any number of extracurricular activities. At the high end, a high school on the West Coast charges students for each sport or activity, with fees of $1,500 for cheerleading, $1,000 for football, and $800 for marching band. (3) And in the states in between, fees range widely but are clearly becoming more and more common. A poll taken in 2004 showed that 34 states had at least some schools charging fees for extracurricular participation. (4) Whether the is large or small, however, is beside the point. Once established, fees tend to increase as the costs of programs escalate and as parents become desensitized to the policy. More crucial are what these fees represent for our public school system and the potentially negative consequences for students--particularly those from underprivileged families, for whom fees can represent significant barriers to participation. Some schools make the argument that they have fee waivers for those who cannot afford to pay. While such concessions are well meant, we believe that pay-to-play remains a bad idea. Whether priced high or low, with or without waivers, the policy is indefensible from a legal perspective, from a student's perspective, and from a societal perspective. The negative consequences are not offset by the limited revenues generated. LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS State constitutions across the nation include guarantees of free education. …

Social Innovators with a Business Case: Facing 21st Century Challenges One Market at a Time

today can agree, it is the ever-growing importance of innovation. The search for innovative solutions to the world’s myriad local, national and global challenges has become a clarion call rallying people across multiple borders defined by nation, industry, and academic discipline. Yet policy making reflects deep ambivalence about innovation. The cheerleading over innovation exists in contrast to the myriad institutional, legal, regulatory, and educational impediments to the work of innovators. While not innovation experts, we have been privileged to interact over a span of decades with the some of the world’s most recognized innovators—from those working at the grassroots to those at the helm of new industries. This has provided us with some perspective on the nature of innovation and the hurdles innovators face daily as they search for ways to disseminate their approaches and products. Education is a good place to start. A society’s capability to innovate arguably begins, or possibly ends, in school. For the vast majority of primary schools, among the qualities of a “star” pupil are tidiness, adherence to rules and directions, and good behavior. In the later grades, outstanding achievement is measured in grades, standardized test scores and sometimes, the number of extracurricular activities undertaken. These constitute the ticket to acceptance to top schools producing the world’s elite. But it is not clear that this is how to develop the talents of tomorrow’s innovators. The educational system is reinforced by employment policies in most government institutions and corporations. When reviewing candidates, recruiters invariably look for evidence of academic achievement and a steadiness that produces good exam pass rates and grades rather than for experiences that might suggest a candidate is innovative and inspired, perhaps even rebellious. This is because most organizations have a low tolerance for mistakes. Risk-averse societies and organiKlaus Schwab and Pamela Hartigan

Extracurricular Involvement and Adolescent Adjustment: Impact of Duration, Number of Activities, and Breadth of Participation

The purpose of the current investigation was to examine the associations between a variety of measures of extracurricular participation and indicators of youth development. We use data from the Childhood and Beyond Study, a larger longitudinal study of adolescent development. The sample is primarily White middle-class adolescents in Grades 7 through 12. First, we examined the relation between the duration of involvement in school clubs and in organized sports over a 3-year span and youth development. Second, the linear and nonlinear relations between the number of extracurricular activities and youth development 1 year later were examined. Finally, we tested the link between the breadth of participation and youth development 1 year later. In general, across all 3 sets of analyses, our findings indicate that greater involvement in extracurricular activities is associated with academic adjustment, psychological competencies, and a positive peer context. The results were strongest for the oldest group of youth.