Homework: How to Make It All Worthwhile

Homework is the bane of many people’s lives.

• Teachers hate setting it, let alone marking it
• Students hate doing it
• Parents hate ensuring it done (and trying to work out what it is that the teacher really wants)

So why do we bother? Let’s have a look.

Homework or No Homework

Most schools require teachers to set HW. But is it a good idea?

The Case Against

Students have worked all day and often want to other things after school. Their families would also like to spend time with them. But instead, they are frequently called to play the role of enforcer – ensuring that their children’s homework is done.

The Case For

Practicing and reviewing past work is a powerful way to enhance learning. And, reviews of research show that it has a positive effect on students’ learning. However, the impact is moderate. And the impact is smaller for younger students.

Types of Homework: They Are Not All Equal

Homework includes any tasks that you give your students that they must do beyond normal school hours. Some common types of homework:

• Reading to their parent
• Finishing work not done in class
• Commercial homework sheets
• Reviewing content and practising skills covered earlier
• Doing some advance preparation for tomorrow’s lessons
• School projects and assignments

However, not all of these tasks are equal.

• The research offers no support for commercial HW sheets often used by primary school teachers.
• There was no added benefit from individualizing HW (e.g. for struggling or gifted students), but such efforts created extra work for teachers.

Rather:

• HW is more effective when it involves students revising content or practising skills they have previously learned in the classroom – including content and skills covered earlier than that day. Once familiar with them, students can use high-impact learning strategies to do this.
• Research also revealed that HW can be effective when it involves students in preparing themselves for a lesson the next day.
• Homework had the same positive impact on students with learning difficulties.

It is helpful to think about HW the same way you think about prescribed medication or a dietary supplement. Take too little of it and it won’t have any effect at all. Take too much and it can kill you.
Professor Harris Cooper (a leading researcher on HW)

The HW Infographic

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</p><br /><br /><br /> <p><strong>Please include attribution to Evidence Based Teaching with this graphic.</strong></p><br /><br /><br /> <p><a href='https://www.evidencebasedteaching.org.au/homework-how-to-make-it-all-worthwhile/'><img src='https://www.evidencebasedteaching.org.au/wp-content/uploads/homework_infographic-evidence-based-teaching.png' alt='Homework: How to Make It All Worthwhile' width='800' border='0' /></a></p><br /><br /><br /> <p>