Co curricular Activities Examples, Meaning and Definitions

Co-curricular Activities Meaning

The meaning of co-curricular activities revolves around their different feature and characteristics. For the overall development of a child, the curriculum is not only the single criterion. For holistic growth and to develop children’s various facets of personality, classroom teaching should be supplemented with extracurricular activities. These activities help to affect students’ cognitive, emotional, social, moral, cultural, aesthetic, and job opportunities.

Read: Career  in Yoga

Co-curricular activities focus more on cognitive aspects, helping intellectual development: competitiveness, excellence, quality achievements, creativeness, and enthusiasm.

Also Read

1. Extracurricular Activity benefits & advantages
2. Co-curricular Activity Vs Extracurricular Activity

Non-academic activity in the form of co-curricular activity supports students to venture into professional areas such as fashion, music, art, acting, photography, and other related fields. That’s why students need co-curricular activities, which help in enhancing many skill developments. The importance of co-curricular activities has increased manifold in modern life. However, co-curricular meaning varies according to place, time, and space.

Many countries have widely acknowledged the importance of co-curricular activity in their respective Curriculum Frameworks in the school curriculum. The same case is also noticed with India’s National Curriculum Framework (NCF).

Co-curricular Activities Definition

The extracurricular activities of leading modern educational thinkers and others are:

1. “Co-curricular activities were mainly organised after school hours, and so were the extra-curricular activities, but they are not an integral part of the school’s activities as its curricular work”- according to Aggarwal (2000).
2. “Various social and other activities like literary, dramatic, social services, etc., which attracted the child’s attention, were considered extracurricular activities.  Extracurricular activities have been renamed by educationists as co-curricular, which implies that all these activities are a part of the school curriculum”.- according to Mittal (1999).

Co-curricular Activities History

Co-curricular activities are familiar to the modern curricular education syllabi. It can be traced to ancient Indian schools, gurukuls, and religious places. All the Indian scriptures like the Mahabharata, Ramayana, Ved, Upanishad, etc., mention extra-curricular activities. In ancient times, simple co-curricular activities in school were organised, such as wrestling, cooking, singing, playing, magic, etc. In the rest of the world, co-curricular programs were standard in ancient civilisations.

In Spartan Civilization (Greece), warfare, heroic activities, archery, creativity, and artistic talents were widespread. In Roman Civilization, concrete arts & crafts and religious ceremonies were given importance. In Europe’s dark history, extra-curricular activities were also part and parcel of life. During the reformation period, such activities got patronage.

Great educational thinkers such as Rousseau, Herbert Spencer, and Dewey gave much more importance to co-curricular activity in school education.  According to them, Co-curricular activities play a vital role in student life.

Co-curricular Activities Features

Co-curricular activities complement the entire teaching-learning process and effectively impact student earning outcomes. It strengthens classroom teaching and helps to clarify the concept of topics. Extra-curricular activities emphasise aesthetic and spiritual development, which are the essential components of education.  It helps in developing features like speech fluency and extempore. Such activities are an excellent platform to excel in acting, singing, speaking, and recitation. Thus, CCA becomes integral to the school’s curriculum and student life.

Role of Co-curricular Activity in Student

To realise the all-round development of students, curricula should be amalgamated with co-curricular or extra-curricular activities. Co-curricular activities help in the realisation of the aims and objectives of education. In practical life, the student’s ability to express their ideas freely due to active participation in debate and extempore. The discussion also helps in generating beliefs and inculcating values. Sometimes, classroom teaching becomes monotonous and routine. Here, co-curricular activities can bring pleasant and joyous experiences. Thus, co-curricular activity has many advantages in student’s life in school, college, and university.

Scope of Co-curricular Activities in School

Co-curricular activities not only make the students active and energetic but also enable them to harness the in-depth potential of students. It enhances knowledge in many domains, which benefits the student and the school. Co-curricular activities are good platforms to secure your professional and social future and promote leadership quality. It nurtures the student’s ability in co-operation, coordination, and organisation and leads them toward leadership. Extra-curricular activities provide exposure to personality and help in psychological and sociological transformation. Schools channel students’ energy through extra-curricular activities so that the proper realisation of students’ power and potential can ensue. Co-curricular activities are critical for ADHD and problematic children who are full of energy. Also Read: How to treat ADHD.

Need for Co-curricular Activities

Co-curricular activities are of utmost need to fulfil the aims and objectives of life. In co-curricular activities, students participate in various cultural programs, which help them socialise, self-identify, and self-assess. Participation in drama play enables the development of a balanced personality. People get acquainted with other cultures, customs, and activities through co-curricular activities such as field trips, tours, and excursions. It teaches the feelings of harmony, thus developing unity and togetherness in society. In community work, students must meet with many people and create adjustment capability. Since, in many co-curricular activities, children have to perform in groups, and serving as a team develops a sense of belonging.

Difference between Curricular and Co-curricular Activities

• Curricular is formal, while co-curricular activities are informal.
• Curricula involves classroom teaching, instructional education, examination, and evaluation, while co-curricular activities encompass singing, dancing, gardening, mass drill, community work, games, etc.
• Curricula comprise reading books, going through newspapers and journals, and extra-curricular activities known for telling stories, acting, doing theatrical work, singing, etc.
• In curricular education, students spend their time in the laboratory, workshop, or doing essential assignments for class work. But in the case of extra-curricular activities, students perform work such as cleaning roads & school, gardening, painting, creative art and so on.
• In the curricular mode of education, students formally read about different festivals, ceremonies and celebrations, while in co-curricular activities, the children actively participate physically in these functions.
• However, the vital difference between curricular and co-curricular activities is that the latter helps to supplement and complement the curricular teaching.

Co-curricular Activities Help Students

Questions are generally raised by students, parents, teachers, and schools about how co-curricular activities help in education. There is a synergy between school education and extra-curricular activities. The concept of co-curricular activities genuinely strengthens the curriculum base. These activities enable children to share their emotions and enhance the bond of friendship. In extra-curricular activities, creative works are given more importance, facilitating children’s skills and ideas. Adolescence is a period of turmoil and restlessness, where children’s energy must be tapped before it is used in unproductive work. These activities motivate students to learn and make their lessons enjoyable.

Co-curricular Activities Importance

Education, along with co-curricular activities, helps overall personality development.  Co-curricular Activities furnish many values among students. It depends upon students and teachers how they imbibe these values for students’ better education and health. Students participate in physical activities, contributing to physical health, vitality, and endurance. Co-curricular activities meet psychological needs. Psychological conditions such as emotions, self-assertion, sex, and curiosity are trained and groomed by these activities.  Many theoretical works in disciplines like geography and science can get value-added from excursions, tours and nature study. Extra-curricular activities help to teach civic and democratic values by participating in self-government and organising different festivals and ceremonies. Co-curricular activity is also an effective platform to absorb social, aesthetic, cultural, recreational, and disciplinary values among students.

Co-curricular Activity Principles

For the better benefits of co-curricular activities, specific principles and rules must be followed to have more and more advantages of extra-curricular activities. Initially, more minor forms of such activities must be performed and gradually move towards the larger ones. Those activities should be promoted, which are curricular-related and educationally relevant. These activities should be executed democratically, and all the students should be allowed to lead their respective teams. Regularity, program schedule, and necessary tools should be arranged and maintained to give it a proper direction.

Role of a Teacher in Co-curricular Activities

The teacher should have to perform multi-dimensional functions in organising and executing extra-curricular activities. The school also plays a pivotal role in conducting co-curricular activities. It is the teacher or the school who finally should take responsibility for how activities should proceed further. The teacher can be a planner, leader, innovator, director, organiser, manager, recorder, advisor, motivator, communicator, or coordinator. While executing such activities, the teacher faced lots of difficulties. However, after consultation with seniors and the school administrator, he should be encouraged to complete the assignment.

Top 10 Advantages of Co-curricular Activity

1.  Co-curricular activities (CCA) make a horizon for systematic and meaningful learning opportunities and prepare students for the future.
2. CCA makes you active and energetic, helping you learn and develop multiple skills for students.
3. Co-curricular activities help in the holistic development of the personality.
4. Co-curricular activity, along with formal education, helps channel the students’ hidden potential and make them good citizens.
5. Domains like social, academic, intellectual, cultural, democratic, civic, and aesthetic get enriched after participation in co-curricular activities.
6. Students who are good at sports also have good academic records.
7. Co-curricular activities help realise the importance of education and develop the spirit of healthy competition.
8. Co-curricular activities support students practically and professionally for a better future.
9. CCA enhances students’ experience and understanding and brings benefits beyond students’ and parents’ expectations.
10. It is a good source of remaining fit and healthy and provides you with mental rest.

Examples of Co-curricular Activities in Primary School

It is the primary level where the importance of co-curricular activities must be addressed. All the education thinkers had given prominent space to CCA in this stage. The different co-curricular activities examples are as follows:

• Recitation
• Simple story writing
• Play
• Parade
• Music
• Dancing
• Drawing
• Painting
• Fancy dress
• Folk Dance
• Assembly
• Reading

Co-curricular Activities in Secondary School

Several parents are worried about the participation of their candidates in co-curricular activities. They raised the question of the importance of co-curricular activities in school. Here, the role of the event motivator has become pivotal, pursuing the parents regarding the benefits of co-curricular activities. In high school, a large number of co-curricular activities are organised. Examples of co-curricular activity conducted in senior secondary school are:

• Debate and discussion
• School magazine
• Dramatics
• Study circle
• Clubs
• Societies
• Art groups
• Seminar
• Kavi Summelan
• Library work
•  Sports and Games
• Indoor and outdoor athletics
• Mass drill
• Parade
• Scouting
• Music
• Dancing
• Drawing
• Painting
• Sculpture
• Dramatics
• Exhibition
• Fancy dress
• Folk Dance
• Folk Songs
• Cooperative Bank
• Cooperative Store
• Assembly
• Students’ Council
• Celebration of Religious
• National and Social Festivals
• Organizing of School Panchayat Mock Parliament.
• Social Study Circle
• Fair
• Professions
• Cultural Programmes
• Guiding
• First Aid
• Red Cross
• Social Survey
• Stamp Collection
• Coin Collection
• Collection of Copies
• Photography
• Reading
• Needlework
• Knitting
• Picnic
• Visit to Museum, Zoo etc.

Examples of Co-curricular Activities in Colleges

Co-curricular activity is an integral part of college and university students. CCA develops social interaction and healthy recreation in the atmosphere of formal education. In many colleges and universities, thrust is given to leadership development through designing some specific co-curricular activities.  The importance of CCA in colleges has increased in recent times. Some of the examples of CCA in college are:

•  Debate and discussion
• Workshops
• Seminar
• Conference
• Social-interaction
• Dramatics
• Study circle
• Clubs
• Societies
• Art groups
• Library work
•  Sports and Games
• Indoor and outdoor athletics
• Mass drill
• Parade
• Scouting
• National Cadet Corps (NCC)
• National Sports Organisation (NSO)
• National Service Scheme (NSS)
• ACC
• Music
• Dancing
• Dramatics
• Exhibition
• Cultural Programmes
• Guiding
• Red Cross
• Social Survey
• Stamp Collection

Co-curricular Activities Difficulties

The organiser has to face many problems while organising co-curricular activities. One of the most essential lacuna in conducting these activities is the unavailability of equipment and tools due to financial indecisiveness. Several students generally don’t show enthusiasm towards such work. It all depends upon the motivator to persuade these students to extra-curricular activities. The school timetable is also not included in these activities. Generally, they get a place before or after school hours. Appropriate playground or space is also a constraint in some schools. Teachers are also not well-versed in organising different activities. In the modern education system, students are loaded with homework, so they get less time to enjoy. In many research, it has been shown that co-curricular activities are neglected in formal education. There is no specialised teacher for field work or extra-curricular activities in school. Some parents also show their disinterest in these activities. Extra-curricular activity has no such disadvantage; if these activities are not implemented suitably, the students cannot fully harness their benefits.