1.0 Terms of Reference
On 17th of September 2013,Muhamad Shahril Fitri bin Tokimoon, Luqman Hakim bin Suhaime and Muhammad Izzat bin Buang from Faculty of Mechanical Engineering ,MARA University of Technology Shah Alam campus (UiTM) were instructed by Sir Haji Zolkofly bin Suman ,lecturer for Report Writing course(BEL 422) to write a report based on the title that we had chosen which is Co-curricular activities among students in UiTM Shah Alam campus. The report which includes the background information, findings and conclusion has to be submitted on 26th October 2013.
2.0 Introduction
This section will discuss the background of the study, the statement of the problem, the objectives of the study ,methods used and the limitations of the study. 2.1 Background of the study Co-curricular activities ,previously known as extracurricular activities, are non-academic activities that education organisations in some parts of the world create for school students.
They serve to promote a variety of activities which all students mst attend alongside the standard study curriculum. These activities are a means to students initially to instill active social-interaction. However, there are being developed later to include important qualities, such as leadership, healthy recreation, self-discipline and self-confidence. In higher educations such as in degree level, co-curricular paritcipation is even accountable for previous academic points.
Moreover, there are many advantages involved in co-curricular activities like students being able to enhance their social and communication skills among members. They also may relieve their stress from daily activities such as attending classes, doing assignments ,etc. Through co-curricular activities, students in their early teens are often given actual public responsibilities. Red Cross and SJAB members, for example, are often required to render first aid at public events.
Most uniformed groups require precision, management and organizational skills, providing training to prepare students for the outside world. In polytechnics and universities (tertiary education institutes), co-curricular activities’ records are considered by potential employers. Most students with a good result in both curricular activities andco-curricular activities tend to being employed instead those who had better result in either one of the activities.
Therefore, students are encouraged to actively participate in co-curricular activities without compromising their academic achievement. The balance in both aspects are essential to ensure instances of students who not only have good skills but also a good academic results.
2.2 Statement of Problems
Even though co-curricular activities gives benefits to students, most students have misconceptions about the duty of students to attend co-curricular activities. They assume that this will burden them with additional tasks which not includes with the existing assignment from the curricular activities. Some of them will feel burden to attend those activities and willingly wasting their time with useless things such as playing video games, hanging out together with their friends, having illegal racing and etc.
However, majority of students acknowledges the importance of attending co-curricular activities, but lack of understanding and discipline in time management hinder them from actively participating in those activities. Thus, we want to identify either students in UiTM are conscious about the importance of co-curricular activities by doing these study.
2.3 Objectives of the Study
The following are the objectives of the report:
2.3.1 To determine the reason of students’ involvement in co-curricular activities
2.4 Method and Limitations of the Study
In carrying out this study, we have taken several approaches to gather some information about the reason of students’ involvement in co-curricular activities. One of the approaches that we use is by distributing 30 questionnaires papers to the respondents. We had distributed the questionnaires at our own faculty, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at level 3 and we get a good response from the respondents.
Besides that, we also find other information about co-curricular activities through the Internet. Even though the time given to submit the report is about 10 weeks,we had some difficulties due our tight learning schedule, thus it may affect the study which may not be as thorough as it should be. Moreover, the scope that we had chose are rather small which results in shallow in depth of the study.
3.0 FINDINGS
This finding is based on the method of collecting data, survey and feedback from respondents. The table and bar chart below show the results from the respondents.
No
Description
1
2
3
4
5
Total
(Strongly Disagree)
(Disagree)
(Somewhat Agree)
(Agree)
(Strongly Agree)
1
To discipline yourself
0
0
6
17
7
30
2
To socialize
0
0
8
15
7
30
3
For healthy body
0
1
12
11
6
30
4
To gain new skills
4
11
8
5
2
30
5
To improve leadership skill
1
5
12
8
4
30
6
To get facility
0
9
12
7
2
30
7
For enjoyment
0
2
6
17
5
30
8
To show personality
2
3
7
14
4
30
9
To increase confident level
6
9
8
7
0
30
10
Interested
4
3
12
8
3
30
Table 1: Result of Questionnaires
Bar Chart 1: Result of Questionnaires
Table 1 and bar chart 1 shows the description and numbers of score for each question asked in the questionnaire. For the first description; to discipline yourself there are 6 respondent had mark number 3 that is somewhat agree while 17 respondent marked number 4 that is agree and 7 respondent had mark number 5 that is strongly agree. For number 1 and 2 no respondent had mark that number and total respondents answered this question is 30 respondents. Next, for second question is to socialize.
For this question, there are 8 respondents answered somewhat agree, 15 respondents marked agree and for strongly agree is 7 respondents. Total respondents answered this question are 30 respondents. Then, for third question is for healthy body. For this question, there is only 1 respondent had marked disagree, while 12 respondents had marked somewhat agree. Numbers of respondents marked for agree and strongly agree are 11 and 6 respondents.
Total respondents answered this question is 30 respondents. Description 4 is to gain new skills. There are 4 respondents marked for strongly disagreeing and 11 respondents marked for disagree. Then, for numbers of respondent marked for somewhat agree, agree and strongly agree are 8, 5 and 2 respondents. Total respondents answered these question also 30 respondents.
Next, description 5 asked to improve leadership skill. For this question, it also 30 respondents had answered. There is 1 respondent marked for strongly disagreeing while 5 respondents marked disagree. For numbers of respondents answered somewhat agree, agree and strongly agree are 12, 8 and 4 respectively. For 6th description that asked to get facility, there are 9 respondents and 12 respondents marked for disagree and somewhat agree.
While the other had marked agree and strongly agree that is 7 and 2 respondents. The description7 said about for enjoyment. There are 5 who are chose strongly agree, 17 for agree, 6 for somewhat agree and 2 for disagree. The 8th description is asking to show personality. 4 respondents have chosen strongly agree, 14 have chosen agree, 7 have chosen for somewhat agree, 3 have chosen disagree and 2 have chosen strongly disagree.
For the 9th description which is to increase confident level, there are 7 marked agree, 8 marked somewhat agree, 9 marked disagree and lastly 6 marked strongly disagree. Lastly for the 10th description which is interested. For this description, 3, 8, 12, and 3 respondents have chosen strongly agree, agree, somewhat agree and disagree respectively. Strongly disagree for this description 4 respondent has chosen it.
4.0 CONCLUSION
The following conclusions can be drawn from the report.
4.1 It is concluded that people can discipline themselves when involve in Co-curricular activities. For example, they know how to follow instructions and the law but they did not dare to it. It is proven that many students that involve in co-curricular activities have a good discipline and attitude. 4.2 The report also indicates that people involve in co-curricular activities to gain new skills like time management, organization management, and many.
Besides that, they also improving their leadership skill when involve in co-curricular activities. It is easy them to go for interview for applying a job. 4.3 The findings also show that people that involve in co-curricular activities for enjoyment and for sure to relive tension by join in all activities likes playing game. 4.4 The result also suggests that people that involve in co-curricular besides of discipline themselves can give more benefits for them as long as they can grab the useful chances to their lives. 4.5
As a conclusion, co-curricular activities can help in expressing your personality. Co-curricular activities can make people socializing. For sure, people can meet new friends and good people, it can reduce their depression because some friends can give positive advices that can cheer up your day.
5.0 RECOMMENDATION
1. As recommendations, Co-curricular activities can be used to their maximum functions as beneficial ourselves.
2. Co-curricular activities needs to be promote and introduce to other people to attract people in every aspect of activities.
3. Co-curriculum activities needs to be improved in the some aspects by adding some templates.
4. As to be the best beneficial activities to people, Co-curriculum activities should improve the enjoyment and also get increase their facility.
5. The Co-curricular activities need improves the knowledge and information in their activities.
References
1. http://www.ehow.com/info_8366074_benefits-cocurricular-activities.html
2. http://intro4u2c.wordpress.com/2009/08/10/benefits-of-co-curricular-activities/
3. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cocurricular
4. http://www.ask.com/question/importance-of-co-curricular-activities
5. http://www.ndapa.org/page.cfm?p=566
6. platformjmc.org/importance-of-co-curricular-activities-in-the-students-life.html
7. http://m.targetstudy.com/articles/role-of-co-curricular-activities-in-a-students-life.html
8. http://edchat.blogspot.com/2011/01/importance-and-scope-of-co-curricular.html
