An investigation into whether there exists a positive relationship between a child’s level of extracurricular activity participation and their academic performance

Abstract

This study was completed in order to determine whether a positive correlation exists between a child’s extracurricular activity participation level and their academic performance.  The sample population for this particular investigation incorporated 165 subjects, 83 females and 82 males. The subjects consisted of Primary 7 pupils aged 130.6 + 3.0 months. These individuals attend six primary schools across Northern Ireland, in both rural and urban environments.   In order to record extracurricular activity participation levels the children completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire provided information concerning the extent of weekly engagement in extracurricular activities as well as the types of activities participated in. Academic performance was recorded through the use of standardised scores. The host teachers provided the Progress in Mathematics (PIM) and the Progress in English (PIE) scores from the last time of testing (end of Primary 6). An average score of 100 was employed with a deviation of 10% to illustrate overachievement and underachievement. Once the data was correlated, the results were presented in a variety of graphical forms for ease of interpretation and analysis.   The benefits of extracurricular activity participation are vast. While many researchers highlight the positive effect which engagement has on academic performance, the study did not suggest a strong correlation between the variables examined. After completing a Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient Test on the data presented, the conclusion can be made that there was a strong negative correlation between physical activity participation and academic achievement. Further research is required within this field in order to determine a final outcome.