A Correlational Study of Extracurricular Involvement and Homework Performance of Third Grade Students
Author: Johnson, Rachel
Date: 2011-05-00
Type: Dissertations/Theses - Masters Theses
Subjects: Homework,Extracurricular Activities,Language Arts,Time Management,Correlation,Grade 3,Educational Opportunities,Elementary School Students,Student Participation,Surveys,Mathematics Instruction,Scores

There are many opportunities for students to  participate in nonacademic activities. These activities can include: sports, clubs, private lessons, and religious activities. Participation in these activities enriches students' lives by encouraging social skills. Yet, if students are involved in activities requiring many hours of participation, does it affect their academic performance? Knowing the answer to this question, parents and teachers can help their students develop better time management skills. Research has produced conflicting results on this issue. Many studies emphasize the benefits of extracurricular activities and homework, while others focus on the negative consequences of each. There is research suggesting a positive relationship exists between the two. Yet, according to the critics, too much involvement in extracurricular activities takes away from time that could be spent studying or completing homework. Overscheduled children may not have as much time to complete homework assignments, leading to a decline in academic achievement. The researchers acknowledged the positive benefits of extracurricular involvement and were interested in the relationship between students' extracurricular activities and homework performance. To determine the relationship between extracurricular involvement and homework performance, the researchers conducted a four-week study in two elementary schools. Data was collected in two third grade classes. At the beginning of the study, the researchers sent home a survey with students for a parent or guardian to complete. The data received from the survey provided the researchers with each student's weekly time commitment to extracurricular activities.  Additionally, the researchers examined students' homework performance over a four-week period. Each week, two to three homework assignments assessed students' knowledge of content being taught in the classroom. For the first two weeks, math homework scores were recorded, and the second two weeks, language arts homework scores were recorded. The researchers analyzed their data using a Pearson correlation test.  No significant correlation was found between the number of hours spent in extracurricular activities and math homework performance. Yet, results revealed a significant negative relationship between the number of hours spent in extracurricular activities and language arts homework performance. However, this correlation went a different direction than the researchers hypothesized. A positive correlation between extracurricular involvement and homework performance was not found. These findings led to the rejection of the researchers' proposed hypothesis. Appended to this document are the following: (1) Appendix A: Knox County Approval Letter; (2) Appendix B: Parent Permission Letter Form 1; (3) Appendix C: Parent Permission Letter Form 2; (4) Appendix D: Extracurricular Involvement Survey; and (5) Appendix E: Student Homework Performance Record. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.