Examining the relationship between participation in extracurricular activities and school connectedness

Abstract

A disconcerting number of alternative education students appear to be disconnected with school. The author of the present study hypothesized that students who spend more time in extracurricular activities have an increased sense of school connectedness. The sample consisted of 72 alternative education students in Grades 9 through 12 attending the Vast Education Centre in Port Alberni, British Columbia. Participants completed a questionnaire that produced two scores: reported degree of school connectedness and time spent in extracurricular activities per month. A correlational study was conducted to determine the strength of the relationship between the amount of time spent in extracurricular activities and the reported degree of school connectedness. The results of the study indicated a moderate positive relationship, indicating that as extracurricular participation increased so did school connectedness. The results bring to light a critical need for the inclusion of extracurricular activities in alternative education programming to promote school connectedness.