Abstract
Most educationist and experts have attempt constantly to advocate for allocation of time for exercise, sports and other recreational activities in schools. This study attempts to evaluate the validity of this argument and make a conclusive analysis based on the research findings and also recommend further studies to authenticate the findings. It is hypothesized that when a student is not in a healthy physical condition, he or she is not able to complete the course requirements, and grades suffer.
Introduction
Exercise is a fundamental part of both healthy living and learning process of a high school student. Through exercise, a student is bale to have a relaxed and healthy mind and body which serve as a great indicator of the cognitive ability of the mind (Hammer, 2008).
According to research findings, the cognitive abilities of the mind are directly related to the body’s physical abilities and vice versa, and given that academic work involves rigorous cognitive ability as well as the physical stamina that is needed to work long hours, exercise is a part of learning (Hammer, 2008).
Review of Literature,
Research by IHSAA shows that students who engage in athletics do better in the classroom, are more involved in school activity programs, and stay involved in the community after graduation (IHSAA, 1999). Therefore, according to IHSAA, High school athletic participation has a positive educational and social impact on many students. Hammer, (2008) found a positive relationship between physical activity, exercise, and memory function. The study revealed that Exercise is a stronger predictor of memory function than other types of physical activity (HAMMER, 2008).
The above studies support the belief that the health of the body is directly related to the cognitive abilities of the mind.
Methods (General)
The study will be carried out in two high schools where a survey will be used to determine the relationship between GPA and exercise among the participants. The survey used in the study will attempt to relate to the previous studies like : The Relationship Between Health And College Students` Grade Point Average(Hammer, 2008), . Sports participation has a positive correlation with GPA in public and private high school students (Clare, 2008) and The Relationship between Taking a Writing Course and Academic Success in the Freshman Year (Sailor, 2008).
Methods (Subjects/Participants),
In this study, student’s participants will be selected from grades 9-12 at a public high school and high school student’s grades 9-12 at a private high school. The subjects participated in will be either zero, one, two or three high school sports association sanctioned sports per academic year. Only students who have both GPA and athletic involvement information will be included in the study.
Methods (Instrumentation)
In the study, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft power point and Power School Pro instruments will be used.
Methods (Procedure)
First, the researcher will seek permission from the schools’ administration to conduct the study, request for the records of sports activities and the students’ academic records. The data will then be tabulated, analyzed using the Power School Pro and the GPA corresponding to each student identified.
Microsoft Excel would then be used to carry out statistical analysis to calculate the cumulative averages under different categories (Hammer, 2008). The resultant average GPAs for no, one, two and three sport groups will then be compared to under corresponding headings to find out the relationship between GPA and exercise through sports involvement.
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