Can extracurricular involvement boost academic achievement? - Research

[brendan]

http://www.econ.ucsb.edu/graduate/PhDResearch/Lipscomb-SecondarySchoolExtracurricularInvolvement1.pdf

Stephen Lipscomb, University of California Department of Economics
"Recent economic research has investigated the extent to which involvement in school-sponsored clubs and sports constitutes human capital investment. Through instrumental variables, the existing literature focuses on identifying long-term impacts in terms of educational attainment and wages. Instead, I use a fixed effects strategy to test whether activity participation provides an immediate return to student learning. Independent of individual ability, I find that athletic participation is associated with a two percent increase in math and science test scores. Club participation is associated with a one percent increase in math test scores. Finally, involvement in either type of activity is associated with a five percent increase in Bachelor’s degree attainment expectations."

Bottom line:
1. athletic participation is associated with a 2% increase in math and science test scores
2. Club participation is associated with a 1% increase in math test scores
3. Involvement in either athletics or clubs is associated with a 5% increase in Bachelor’s degree attainment expectations.

The usual caveat applies here: correlation does not necessitate causation

[Andy]

Wow interesting research Brendan, I better not stop playing outside school sport in year 12, if i wanna get a 2% increase for further maths haha:)

[Jeffree]

Probably not, think of those people at school who are high achievers in both extra co-curricular and academic activities, they're just good at everything/talented. Or the people who are committed to playing sport also possess the same mentality to commit to study without it being caused by the other.

[Fyrefly]

It is certainly true that correlation does not necessitate causation. However I do believe that, in this case, participation in recreational sport can - at length - lead to improved results in later high school years. I do not like labelling this improvement with statistics as specific as 2% or 5% though; his research would have needed to cover such a massive number of subjects for it to have a hope of being accurate. I don't think the score increase is any more direct than them being an off-hand result of the already scientifically explored benefits that an active lifestyle brings.

My basketball and the hour walk home I did from school every day kept me fit, healthy and happy. @ basketball I ran off my stress and got a huge endorphin boost. Even if it was merely an excuse to get myself out of the house, I enjoyed the human contact and the break from my studies. Any frustration I vented with a few extra fouls (which we shall not speak of XD) and running off all my extra energy made it easier to sleep @ night.

[Ahmad]

There is greater improvement by playing chess! Moral: play chess.