User:TstreetG/sandbox

I Love Ice Cream.

How it Began

When I was young.

I began to eat ice cream.

Student-athlete engagement

(This is likely to appear under the "Measuring student engagement" section of the student engagement article page)

Measuring student engagement among student-athletes

Student athletes create one of the dominant groups in most learning environments in the United States of America. Most high schools and universities in the U.S. maintain a large student athlete population. Measuring how and why student athletes at colleges/universities engage with their surrounding academic and professional communities helps educational institutions better understand how they can help student athletes "make the most of the rich academic environment."

Measurement Through Comparison

The body of literature concerning college student athletes and how they spend their time has increased in recent years. Many educators and scholars have inquired whether participating in college athletics enhances or detracts from a student athlete’s college experience and whether participation in a sport negatively or positively affects other areas of a student-athlete’s college life. When analyzing the career of any college student or student athlete researchers often measure personal development to determine whether the student is happy and having a fulfilling college experience. For a student-athlete, personal development, a necessary ingredient to leading a successful life, includes participation in activities outside the sphere of one’s sport and interaction with non-athletes.

Student-Athletes and Non-Student-Athletes

Many scholars approach research concerning student athletes by comparing student athletes to non-athletes. In studies, such as those presented in the article, A Comparison of Athletes and Nonathletes at Highly Selective Colleges: Academic Performance and Personal Development, which look at the behavior of students and student athletes, results have shown that student athletes perceive themselves as less intelligent, but more sociable than non-athletes. Surveys asking student athletes about their engagement with other groups on campus have found that the majority of student athletes engages in extracurricular activities and spends more than half of its time interacting with non-athletes. A trend in results developed as well; freshman student athletes proved to be more socially outgoing than senior student-athletes who admitted to spending more time with teammates.

Some literature that attempts to explain student athlete involvement in extracurricular activities looks at factors such as the profile of the sport, the educational, social, economic and cultural background of athletes and characteristics of the institution, which may or may not support and foster student-athletes’ involvement in groups and clubs outside of their team. In determining levels of student engagement among college student athletes, methods of comparison between student athletes and non-athletes, females and males, NCAA divisions and revenue generating and non-revenue generating sports have proven helpful. Some researchers believe that differences in how non-athletes and student athletes perceive themselves may determine their level of involvement on college/university campuses. Research has shown that “high-commitment athletes were distinguished from non-athletes by their lower perception of themselves throughout college as smart, intellectual, and artistic/creative, and a higher perception of themselves as socially skilled, outgoing, confident and good leaders.” Despite the contrasts in where non-athletes and student athletes believe their strengths lie, “high-commitment athletes were as likely as non-athletes to report every year that they had grown as a person, pursued new activities and interests, gotten to know people from different backgrounds, and found a place at the college/university.”

Comparisons By Gender

Many studies have shown that “on average, student athletes are as engaged in most educationally purposeful activities as their peers.” However, other comparisons have been made among student athletes in order to better understand which kind of student athlete pursues greater educational engagement. For example, when “compared with male non-athletes, male student athletes are as challenged academically, interact with faculty as frequently, and participate as often in active and collaborative learning activities,” however, “female student athletes" when compared to female non-athletes "are more likely to interact with faculty and participate in active and collaborative learning activities.” The size of the institution has also been studied as a possible factor in determining a student athlete’s engagement. Some researchers argue that “more selective, smaller schools with low student-faculty ratios have higher levels of engagement, as well as schools classified as baccalaureate institutions.”

Comparisons By Division

Within the NCAA colleges/universities are placed in one of three classifications; Division I, Division II and Division III. Research suggests that student athletes from each division differ in their behavior and levels of engagement. For instance, “for both men and women, students at Division III schools report higher levels of academic challenge...” and “interact with faculty more than students at Division I and Division II schools.” Such findings have caused some to conclude that student athletes at "small residential liberal arts colleges (most of which are Division III schools)" are more engaged than student athletes in Division I and Division II institutions. Variations in the levels of student athlete engagement among institutions from different divisions may be explained by stated philosophies of each division. Institutions that compete at the Division III level “offer athletics because of its inherent educational value” and view athletics as an extension of the school’s “educational mission.” Member institutions of Division II broaden the focus of Division III members and place an equal amount of emphasis on academic, athletic and social success. According to the NCAA Division II Philosophy Statement, “the Division II approach provides growth opportunities through academic achievement, learning in high-level athletics competition and development of positive societal attitudes in service to community.” The stated philosophy of Division I institutions places less emphasis on the personal, social and intellectual growth of its student athletes and states that it’s “ultimate goal is for student-athletes to graduate” because “a college degree gives student-athletes more options in life.”

Why I still Love it

I eat it everyday.