How and in what ways can participation in extra-curricular activity enable learning?

Cutting, Anna (2014). How and in what ways can participation in extra-curricular activity enable learning? University of Birmingham. Ed.D.

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Abstract

Mark and Nathan were two of the laziest boys I had ever had to teach in my life. Avoiding work was an art form to them – the skills they had developed to look busy, whilst actually doing very little, were legendary. This all changed when they decided that they wished to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and, upon returning from the expedition element of the Award, they were like new students. The purpose of this research was therefore to find out whether it was the participation in outdoor education and, in particular, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, that enabled young people to become better learners once back in the traditional classroom environment. This thesis explores the concepts of learning, identity and motivation through sampling a small group of Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme participants at an 11-18 mixed ability comprehensive school in Dudley. Through observational and semi-structured interview data, combined with auto-ethnographical vignettes, the changing patterns of Award Scheme participants’ behaviours have been analysed. The research argues that such activities and experiences provide students with opportunities to acquire new skills and new ways of being that become transferrable to situations back in the traditional classroom environment.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ed.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ed.D.

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