Graduate Research Papers

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Open Access Graduate Research Paper

Abstract

Adventure Education is an innovative way to build character by enhancing self- discovery, developing personal responsibility, and acquiring coping and communication skills, in a school setting. Adventure Education is established in some elementary, middle, and high school curricula, but it remains unclear of its outcomes on programmatic issues. Research literature in the Adventure Education field focusing on program components has been minimal.

This study investigated math and reading scores, and school attendance of middle after-school students, to see if an Adventure Education program called Seed Planters® influenced students' abilities to perform better in school and to increase their interest in attending school. The purpose of the research was to assess the unknown effectiveness of the after- school Adventure Education program, Seed Planters, related to math and reading scores. Quantitative results indicated significant differences between four middle schools in math scores in a School District located in the Midwest. Results confirmed that if students attended school more regularly, their math and reading scores proved academically better. Recommendations emerged from this research study suggesting a larger study, examining more in-depth research of the effectiveness of an Adventure Education program in an after-school setting, evaluating parental support for extracurricular activities for their children, and can after-school programs create cost benefits for school administrators due to increased attendance that effect academic scores.

Year of Submission

2010

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Division of Leisure, Youth and Human Services

First Advisor

Kathleen Scholl

Comments

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Date Original

12-2010

Object Description

1 PDF (viii, 83 pages)

Language

en

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