Homework
Homework
Homework
This study is important to the field of education for a number of reasons. First, at some
point, most teachers will give some types of homework assignment to their students. Teachers
need to be aware of the importance of designing meaningful homework and what to do with the
homework when the students complete it. Will it be collected, corrected, or counted as a grade?
Will students have the opportunity to make corrections or redo the assignment if it isn’t
satisfactory? These are all questions that should be considered and explained prior to giving an
assignment.
Secondly, as educators, the researchers want the students to be successful and as a nation,
they want the students to be comparable to others around the world. The researchers want to
continue to research and learn about practices that will make the students successful. “If we
didn’t learn about the best practices regarding homework, students would be wasting valuable
time at home when learning is critical to student achievement (Paschal et al., 2001)”.
A prevalent type of study in the field of homework research investigates how the design of
homework can affect student achievement. More specifically, whether homework is checked for
completion, collected, graded, or if students evaluate their own homework can affect student
achievement. De Jong, Westerhof, & Creemers (2000) found that simply checking homework
was negatively related to student achievement. When homework was graded or commented on, it
raised learning 50th to 79th percentile (Walberg et al., 1985). The literature supports the idea that
when homework is collected and students are given feedback, it can result in positive effects on
their achievement.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Rationale
It will be useful for Bien Unido Academy to examine current homework policies and
practice: making things better, rather than rendering summative judgments (Patton, 2008). The
staff itself must determine whether it is doing what is best to support students’ learning. All
stakeholders may benefit if a more uniform homework policy is created that is clear and
understandable to the stakeholders (students, teachers, and parents). The researchers believe that
such uniform practice will enhance students’ overall experience at Bien Unido Academy,
especially for the many learners who may not have the assistance or support for school to excel
Like many schools, Bien Unido Academy has a significant number of students who live in
poverty, as evidenced by the large number of students who qualify for free tuition by being a
scholar student. At Bien Unido Academy, the staff seeks ways to help these children overcome
the obstacles that prevent them from reaching their full potential. The failure to complete
homework often represents a barrier to academic success. Research has shown that practice is
needed to reinforce skills (Wolfe 2001; Ormrod 2003; Dean et al., 2012). However, many
students do not have a space at home that is conducive to doing homework. They might not have
an adult in the house who can assist them with the work. They may live in a household where
parents work late at night, making the student themselves the caregivers for younger siblings.
The missing homework assignments create bigger problems for students when they come
back to class the next day (Beegle & Ellis, 2007). Homework can create a false conception about
the knowledge a student is retaining. Homework can be completed with a friend, by a parent, or
through the students themselves copying answers directly from the textbook. None of these
instances would show what that individual student is learning. Students who always turn in their
homework may have a grade that is inflated because of homework that is weighted heavily in the
grading system.
At Bien Unido Academy, staff members often encounter situations in which grades are
poor due to missed homework assignments, yet the students know the material. Conversely,
grades are sometimes inflated solely because of homework completion. Many students are
allowed to make up incomplete assignments during the last week of the quarter in order to
receive an acceptable grade. There are numerous stories of students at Bien Unido Academy who
missed out on activities, athletics, and other social experiences because they did not do their
homework and therefore received a failing grade. This reduces opportunities for learning. This
The students may develop vital skills in school by providing them activities that will
enable them to work independently and discover truths by their own. A study suggests that a
pattern of mental activities will trigger the child’s consciousness to world-awareness through the
help of homework.
Piaget and Vygotsky proposed the “constructivist learning theory” that presented a body of
evidence relating to a child’s logical development. Piaget’s main contribution is about children’s
ability to actively construct their own knowledge of the world. While Vygotsky asserted that
thinking that are not limited to purely concrete manipulation but the development of ideas,
generalizations and theories. Research studies (Cooper 1989, Bonyun 1992, Sharp 2001) have
shown that during this stage of development, homework can have a positive impact on learning
and progress of a student, which may be as a result of the adolescent’s capacity to engage with
ideas more logically. Piaget believes that homework to be about ‘reinforcement’ of learning,
rather than challenge; new or novel evidence or experience is not the primary function of
completing the worksheet, but rehearsing knowledge. Vygotsky also believes that knowledge is
The theories of Piaget and Vygotsky have been both very significant in science and
education, and the men are considered to be the founding fathers of ‘constructivism’, the
predominant theory of learning. The theory of constructivism is now well established amongst
educators such as Black and Harrison (2010) who suggests; “new ideas cannot be simply taken
on board by a learner exactly as they are presented. Learners will always try to relate new ideas
provides some ways of conceptualizing what goes on inside the mind of a learner, and educators
THE IMPORTANCE OF
HOMEWORK ON
STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT
IN CLASS
This literature review explores recent research about homework from scholars and
practitioners in the field of education and examines literature that focuses on the value of
homework, the quantity of homework, the feedback given to students from teachers, and best-
practice grading policies. This literature will be used to help guide the program evaluation of
homework practices at Bien Unido Academy. To investigate the effects of homework on student
achievement at Bien Unido Academy, it is essential to first gain an understanding of how the
practice of giving homework fits with the curriculum, schedule, and overall belief about teaching
Dean et al. 2012; Cooper, 2007). There are other factors that must be considered, including
lesson design, grading, the amount and purpose of homework, and differentiation of homework
by ability, culture, and income level. All will be addressed in this evaluation. In this section,
research on the purpose of homework is identified and discussed in terms of authenticity and
design for the support of student learning. The discussion includes research into the amount of
homework, teacher-written feedback, grading, and penalties for not doing homework. Finally,
consideration is given to how homework factors into the success of students living in poverty
and whether it has been shown to support or hinder this population of learners.
Purpose of Homework
The effects of homework on student achievement are not entirely clear (Dean et al., 2012).
Studies differ in how questions have been worded and how the term “achievement” has been
defined. Although one would think that the main purpose in assigning homework is to increase
student learning, some studies show a positive effect on student achievement, while others show
definition of the term is the deciding factor in researching the effectiveness of homework and has
created a conflict among the leading researchers in the field. Cooper (2007) conducted a meta-
analysis in which he reported that 70 percent of various studies found that doing homework was
Teachers who send work home to be done outside school cite the benefits of instilling a good
“work ethic” into young learners (Dueck, 2014). Peltier (2011) found that homework has been
and to punish students for poor classroom behavior. Others have stated that homework can help
build time-management skills across a broad range of areas, especially those that contribute to
developing a sense of responsibility in the student (Epstein & Van Voorhis, 2001). Cooper has
stated that the nonacademic benefits of homework include greater self-direction, greater self-
discipline, better time management, and more independent problem solving (Carr, 2013). Other
research suggests that there are academic benefits to be gained from homework (Dean et al.,
2012). Those benefits generally take the form of improved academic scores, although Kohn
(2006) states that there is no way to show homework’s effect on actual student learning. Other
critics point out the challenge of assessing whether or not a student is learning responsibility or
gaining a better understanding of the value of hard work (Vatterott 2009; Kohn, 2006).
It has been shown that homework can have a negative impact on the academic achievement
of economically disadvantaged students (Vatterott 2009; Dueck, 2014). Many have noted the
barriers to completing homework for students of households living in poverty (Carr, 2013).
Effective Homework
The effective use of homework in the instructional program engages practice that supports
learning objectives for the lesson or unit. Few would argue that “busy work” that merely requires
students to search for answers from a textbook has a positive effect on student learning. Some
research posits that student completion of homework is usually predictable by the type of
assignment that is sent home (Epstein & Van Voorhis, 2001). According to this study, students’
engagement drops with lower-level thinking questions that involve searching and finding an
answer in a textbook. According to Vatterott (2009), assignments that allow students to think
critically and generate their own answers or ideas are more likely to be completed. Homework
completion increases when students are emotionally engaged, allowed to give their opinion,
solve a problem, compete with others, use their imagination, or be creative (Vatterott 2009, 104).
The author finds that assigning homework that is engaging is important; however, valuable
learning will not take place with engagement alone. Aligning homework to learning objectives is
critical.
Dean et al. (2012) state that homework should be given as needed to support essential
learning, and it should link directly to those skills needed to master learning objectives.
Classroom teachers should be designing lessons around essential questions, and homework
should also be designed with these final objectives in mind. When teachers design homework to
meet these specific goals, more students complete their work and benefit from the results
Vatterott (2009) points out that routine assignment of daily homework may be done to please
adults who want to make sure that students are working hard or for teachers to ensure that they
collect enough grades to fill the grade book. Vatterott (2009) believes that homework should
never be used for new learning. She also asserts that “busy work” does little or nothing to
reinforce existing knowledge. Homework should be used to help teachers formatively assess how
students are progressing. Doing “busy work” (such as finding answers in a book) does nothing to
demonstrate what a student knows or has learned. Homework should be a guide for informing
teachers about what a student knows or understands (Carr, 2013). Homework should never be
used as a punishment, a technique that likely sends the message that homework is an undesirable
Amount of Homework
Homework that is repetitive and that does not require higher-level thinking results in little
additional learning beyond what could have been done with a lesser amount in class. Vatterott
(2009) notes that teachers have discovered that the rate of homework completed increases when
the teacher assigns less work. Smaller amounts may be good for learning, whereas too much
homework can have a negative impact. Cooper (2007) states that a strong relationship between
homework and achievement was demonstrated with seven to twelve hours of homework per
week.
Critics believe that students spend too much time doing school work outside school and that
they do not have enough time to enjoy leisure activities or family time (Kohn, 2006). Students,
and increasingly parents, have expressed frustration over the amount of time spent on homework
(Rauch, 2004). Some teachers assign homework as a way to demonstrate a high degree of
academic rigor. Thus, many teachers are afraid not to give homework, for fear of being perceived
as “easy” (Vatterott, 2009). More homework may give the appearance of being in a “tough” class
(Vatterott, 2009).
Feedback on Homework
motivation to complete work is increased when they know teachers are reading the work and
giving them feedback that is specific. Specific teacher feedback demonstrates to students the
importance of the homework assignment (Vatterott, 2009). A grade alone is not sufficient
feedback to inform a student how well he is doing and to motivate him to try harder. Written
feedback from the teacher is more likely to promote student learning (Dean et al., 2012). Written
feedback is motivational because it is authentic communication between the teacher and student;
number grades alone do not communicate as effectively (O’Connor, 2002). Written feedback
from the teacher conveys that the work assigned has purpose, value, and importance both for
enough to be graded and commented upon. Students should always receive corrective feedback
Feedback can take many different forms, such as grades, completion grades, general
comments, and specific comments. Certain kinds of feedback can produce negative results. For
example, a common method used to encourage students to complete homework is to assign low
grades early in the quarter when work is not turned in correctly. With this negative feedback the
teacher may hope that the student will be motivated to work harder (Dyrness & Dyrness, 2008).
However, a poor grade on homework may discourage the student or it may not be mentioned
until the end of the quarter when it is too late to fix the situation (Guskey 2000; O’Connor,
2002). Failing grades look bad for both the teacher and the student. Rather than an exercise in
understanding of course objectives. Students need to practice newly introduced skills. Used in
this way, teachers can reteach by giving feedback to homework that shows a lack of
Grading
Not everyone agrees about how homework should be graded, and it is not uncommon to
find a variety of homework expectations and practices in operation within a district—or even a
single school (O’Connor, 2002). When determining a final grade, teachers at Bien Unido
Academy credit homework’s impact in a range from 0 to 50 percent (it can be in the form of a
written assignment or a project required for a quarter compliance). Research has found that, on
average, schools and teachers count homework as one-third of an overall final grade (Knore,
1996). To provide some direction for teachers, schools must identify the function of homework:
does it show responsibility or obedience? Or is the purpose of a grade to show students’ progress
toward academic goals? Vatterott (2009) asserts that a grade should reflect learning over
The difficulty in crediting homework toward a final grade is that it is not possible for teachers
to know whether the work was done by the student, with another student, by a parent, or whether
it was copied from a peer or taken from a source on the Internet. More teachers in the United
States count homework toward a final grade than do those in Japan, Germany, or Canada
(Bennett & Kalish, 2006; Suskind, 2012). Counting homework as a large part of a final course
grade encourages cheating and the avoidance of even minimal standards of performance for the
Receiving poor grades on homework can have a negative effect on students’ internal
motivation. Grades are often subjective and can vary greatly among teachers. As discussed
earlier, homework completion can count for as much as 50 percent of the final grade in some
schools and as little as 10 percent in others. This means that a student who has perfect scores on
all course tests could fail in one school and get a B in another (Fisher, Frey, and Pumpian, 2011).
This variation suggests that failing a student as a result of poor homework grades or trying to
motivate her using lower grades may have a negative impact on her desire to achieve in school.
Low grades typically distance students from their desire to learn, while making
teachers work harder to bring the students’ confidence back to its level when school started
(Guskey & Bailey 2001; Wormeli, 2006). Grading practices must be fair. Teachers should not
2006). Homework can be effective if it is used to assess student progress as well as to enhance
Students do not always complete homework on time. Some frustrated teachers will not
accept late work, hoping that students will know that they “mean business.” Vatterott (2009)
asserts that this approach often results in the same amount of missing work, more zeroes, and
even more frustration for the teacher as the number of failing students mounts. Many teachers at
Bien Unido Academy assign zeroes for missing homework. A few zeroes can lower students’
grades for the quarter significantly. Low grades as punishment for not completing homework can
distort an overall grade to the point where it does not give the teacher or parent a true picture of
the student’s understanding of the material (O’Connor, 2002). Many schools and teachers justify
giving zeroes by saying that they cannot just give student credit for doing no work. Dyrness &
Dyrness (2008) argue that teachers should accept late work and avoid giving zeroes since such a
practice creates an incorrect measure of the student’s knowledge. They believe that grades
should reflect knowledge of the material, rather than a measure of forced behavioral compliance.
One way to avoid the trap of damaging a student’s grade beyond repair is to use a minimum-
grade system (setting a minimum number to be assigned instead of a zero when a homework
Many teachers set 50 percent as the minimum grade for homework, meaning that a
student cannot get anything lower if an assignment is not turned in. Conversely, if a
teacher regularly assigns zeroes, some students’ grades drop so much early in the quarter
that they have no hope of earning a passing grade for the semester. Part of the reason
behind minimum grading is to prevent students from getting such a low grade that it
would be impossible to recover (Reeves 2000; Carifio & Carey, 2009). Minimum grading
helps to keep students motivated as a quarter or semester goes by (Guskey 2004; Carifio
& Carey, 2009). Student engagement leads to increased curiosity and learning; it is also a
key factor in homework completion. Making sure students are engaged and motivated
Teachers who will not accept late work end up having some students who do no
work at all. Not only are these students losing a desire for learning, they are falling
further behind by not gaining new knowledge or skills. There is no motivation for a
student to complete homework for which he has already received an F (Dyrness &
Dyrness, 2008). Many students have poor home environments for studying, or their
parents cannot help them with their homework (Vatterott, 2009). Typically, these are the
same students who struggle to get their work turned in on time. Not only do such students
have a home environment that is not conducive to study, they may feel undervalued when
their teacher gives them a zero and then does not require them to complete assigned
homework.
Statement of the Problem
achievement in class at the junior high school grades in Bien Unido Academy.
A.) Sex;
B.) Age;
C.) Grade;
The Students
This study will benefit the students of Bien Unido Academy for this will serve as a tool for
them to know how homework affects both their achievement and retention in class.
Teachers
tool for the students. With this study, the researchers hope that with the recommendations
provided, it will help them develop policies and strategies in helping our students be the best as
Future Researchers
This study will serve as a guide and reference for future studies of the same topic. The
researchers aimed to provide necessary data regarding the importance of homework on student's
achievement.
This study was conducted in Bien Unido Academy, on the grades from 7 to 10. It was
confined to the randomly selected students and teachers. The study focused on the importance of
homework on student achievement as observed by the selected students and teachers. Based on
the response given by the teachers and students, the researchers identified the level of importance
of homework on students' achievement in class. This achievement may refer to their progress,
Research Design
This study used the quantitative type of research. Under the quantitative research, the
descriptive-survey method, which is a helpful tool to gather information and other relevant facts
necessary for accessing the needed information on how homework plays a role in students'
achievement. To facilitate the gathering of data, a survey was carried out through the use of self-
made questionnaire with items formulated in the light of the problem. Teachers were asked how
administer and grade homework. Students were asked for their perceptions and opinions about
Assumptions on the number of students who qualified for the scholarship and other
observations regarding with the importance of homework were used as secondary sources of this
study.
Research Environment
The researchers chose to conduct this study at Bien Unido Academy, from grades seven
to ten. This study focused on the randomly selected students and teachers in Bien Unido
Research Participants
The respondents of this study were selected through stratified random sampling wherein
the researchers selected 40 students and 10 teachers to be part of the primary data outlet. To have
For the purpose of clarity, the following operational definitions of important terms of the
1.) Homework – Any task assigned to students by school teachers that is meant to be
2.) Student Achievement – measures the amount of academic content a student learns in
achievement-definition-factors-research.html).
(https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-student-retention-definition-effects.html).