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Running head: IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK PRACTICES ON MIDDLE LEVEL STUDENTS
(GRADES 5-8)
A Doctoral Capstone Project
Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies and Research
Department of Secondary Education and Administrative Leadership
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Education
Joshua Lee Kuehner
California University of Pennsylvania
August 2020
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Cynthia Mierzejewski and Dr.
Peter Aiken for their support through this process. Dr. Mierzejewski encouraged me
throughout, providing valuable resources and recommendations to see this project to
completion. Dr. Aiken regularly answered my many questions and was always a positive
voice.
I would like to thank all of the teachers and parents who responded to my survey.
Your comments and participation provided great insight and motivated me to truly dig
into this topic of homework at the middle school level.
I would also like to thank all of my colleagues who took the time to listen to my
thoughts and ideas over the past few years. Your support was encouraging and kept me
fixed on the goal of providing better educational opportunities for the students of
Schuylkill Valley Middle School.
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Abstract
Schuylkill Valley Middle School did not have a guideline for consistent
homework use among the teaching staff, which resulted in irregular homework practices.
This irregularity emphasized a need for consistent homework guidelines that all teachers
can follow.
The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of homework on students at
Schuylkill Valley Middle School from the perspectives of teachers and parents.
Additionally, I wanted to identify best practices for homework at the middle level so that
homework could be used as an effective educational tool to best meet the academic and
social/emotional needs of the students. In this mixed methods study, I examined and
analyzed answers provided on anonymous surveys (Appendix A & B) distributed
electronically to teachers and parents of students at Schuylkill Valley Middle School, as
well as reviewed archived gradebook data to check for consistency among perceptions
and practices. Three research questions guided the study, focusing on homework
perceptions, benefits and challenges, and trends and best practices.
The survey data indicated that parents and teachers agreed on the value, benefits,
and challenges associated with homework at the middle level. However, parents’ and
teachers’ perceptions of best practices were not aligned. With that, the gradebook data
indicated that teachers’ perceptions and practices did not match. This resulted in the
establishment of recommended homework guidelines to be consistently used by all
teachers moving forward. Additionally, recommendations were made for further research
regarding homework use and design.
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
iii
Abstract
iv
List of Tables
viii
List of Figures
ix
CHAPTER I. Introduction
1
CHAPTER II. Literature Review
5
Quality Homework Design
5
Purpose of Homework
8
Best Practices
10
Homework Trends
12
Benefits of Homework
16
Challenges of Homework
20
Perceptions of Teachers, Parents, and Students
26
Teachers
26
Parents
30
Students
33
Summary of the Literature
36
CHAPTER III. Methodology
39
Purpose
39
Setting and Participants
40
Research Plan
42
Research Design, Methods, and Data Collection
46
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Summary
CHAPTER IV. Data Analysis and Results
Results
vi
52
53
54
Research Question 1
57
Research Question 2
60
Research Question 3
61
Discussion
65
Summary
68
CHAPTER V. Conclusions and Recommendations
Conclusions
69
69
Research Question 1
69
Research Question 2
71
Research Question 3
74
Homework Guidelines
76
Limitations
78
Recommendations
79
Future Plans
79
Implications for Future Research
80
Summary
81
Action Research Project Summary
82
References
84
APPENDIX A. Parent Survey
98
APPENDIX B. Teacher Survey
101
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APPENDIX C. Superintendent Participation Approval
105
APPENDIX D. IRB Approval
106
APPENDIX E. CITI Program Certificates
107
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List of Tables
Table 1. Homework and Related Symptoms
22
Table 2. Homework Behaviors
25
Table 3. Reasons for Homework
27
Table 4. Assessing Homework
28
Table 5. Homework Percentage of Grade
28
Table 6. Teacher Survey Results
54
Table 7. Parent Survey Results
56
Table 8. Student Gradebook Results
64
Table 9. Student Homework and Final Grades
72
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List of Figures
Figure 1. Time Spent on Homework Nightly (Teacher Responses)
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Figure 2. Time Spent on Homework Nightly (Parent Responses)
58
Figure 3. Average Nights of Homework
59
Figure 4. How Often Homework is Reviewed
62
Figure 5. How Often Homework is Graded
62
Figure 6. Homework Percentage of Overall Grade
63
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A school in Ireland was recently in the news because they decided to do away
with homework for the entire month of December, replacing it with “acts of kindness”
(O’Connor, 2019). Children were asked to do anything as long as it brightened
someone’s day. A school district in Marion County, Florida, also banned homework,
replacing it simply with pleasure reading (Friedman, 2018). A policy in Ridgefield
Public Schools in Ridgefield, Connecticut banned all homework on weekends and school
vacations (Hobbs, 2018). The administration wanted students to spend more time
reading, sleeping, and being with family. These ideas, and others, have become more
prevalent as educators continue to question the value of homework in schools.
As the principal of a nationally recognized Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools to
Watch, I believe one of my primary responsibilities is to lead in an effort to provide
improved academic and developmental outcomes for all students at the middle level. The
staff promotes the importance of educating the whole child, putting equal emphasis on
academic and social/emotional learning. With an educational background in special
education, I routinely advocated for the individual needs of every student that I served.
Now I serve approximately 700 students and have seen the daily struggles of middle
school students, especially as it relates to homework practices.
Despite best intentions and because there was no existing homework guideline, as
students progressed through middle school, they received significant homework
assignments daily, leading to hours of homework each night. More and more, students
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who struggled academically and/or lacked support outside of school continued to be
unsuccessful in accurately completing these homework assignments, rendering the intent
of the assignments ineffective. This led to decreased grades, which in turn increased
anxiety and other social/emotional concerns for the students. The goal of this study was
to identify the impact of current homework practices on students. In addition, I wanted to
thoroughly review and pinpoint best practices for homework use, to establish guidelines
for effective homework practices that best meet the academic and social/emotional needs
of middle level students.
Through surveys and data review, I used a mixed methods approach. Using
random samples, I pulled students’ academic results via on-line gradebooks to determine
the academic impact of homework. Grades were analyzed to determine weight of
homework on overall percentage of students’ grades. This quantitative approach helped
to identify the academic impact of homework on the students. The qualitative focus
involved teachers in the core content areas (mathematics, ELA, science, and social
studies). Teachers were anonymously surveyed, through an on-line database, regarding
the quality and quantity of homework assignments. The surveys focused on how teachers
used homework as an educational tool and how those assignments were used in the
grading process, considering the fact that no blanket homework guideline was in place.
Parents were anonymously surveyed with a focus on their perceived impact of homework
on students at the middle level. Parent surveys were distributed electronically using the
school district’s on-line database containing parent emails.
After surveying, I analyzed all of the collected data, focusing on the quality and
quantity of homework assignments in terms of number of homework assignments and
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weighting on academic grades. Extensive review of literature, in conjunction with the
quantitative and qualitative data reviews, led to recommendations for homework best
practices at the middle school. The research looked to identify a comparison between
current homework assignment practices and students’ academic and social/emotional
successes and concerns. Using the results of the research, my goals included a potential
overhaul of the existing homework system. Objectives for assigning homework were
clearly identified and used as the guide for future homework practices. With new
guidelines, teachers will know and understand how to use homework as an effective
learning tool and parents will know and understand why homework is given to students,
leading to a better overall partnership in the development and growth of all students.
Time was identified as the primary cost associated with this action research
project. Building administration will need time to thoroughly explain the changes to
homework guidelines to the teaching staff, as well as time to further communicate
changes to students and parents. Teachers will need time to understand and implement
the changes in their existing programs, including time to ask questions related to the
changes. Administrators will need time to prepare and present homework guideline
recommendations to the board of school directors. Beyond that, there were no real costs
associated with this project.
I looked back at my educational career from the time I was a student, to my time
as a teacher and ultimately to my role as an administrator. I remembered homework
assignments that I had and gave that were ineffective. As a student, useless assignments
were frustrating and time-consuming. As a teacher, they were conceived without real
knowledge or understanding about best practices. In my role as an administrator, these
3
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types of assignments must be eliminated. The purpose of this action research study was
to identify practices that ensure that homework is used as an effective educational tool.
This was my focus because homework is a part of our educational programming that will
not be completely eliminated anytime soon. To help achieve the desired results, I used
the following research questions to guide the study:
What are teacher and parent perceptions of homework effectiveness at the middle
school?
What are the comparative benefits and challenges of homework for middle level
students?
What are the educational trends of homework in relation to best practices?
Chapter I introduced the topic of homework and its use at Schuylkill Valley
Middle School. Published research about homework is explored in Chapter II. Chapter
III will explain the methodology used in this study, including surveys used to evaluate the
perceptions of parents and teachers, as well as an anonymous review of archived student
gradebook data. A statistical analysis of the data and findings will be presented in
Chapter IV. Conclusions of the study are discussed and recommendations for practice
and further research are offered in Chapter V.
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CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
Educational scholars have debated the merits of homework for many years. Most
came to the same conclusion: when designed well, homework results in positive
achievement for students (Christopher, 2008; Cooper, Robinson, & Patall, 2006; Marzano
& Pickering, 2007). However, there are groups that oppose any form of homework and
believe it has no educational value (Bennett & Kalish, 2006; Kohn, 2006; Kralovec &
Buell, 2000). Based on the research, there is no one correct answer about whether
homework is effective or ineffective. However, most people can agree that quality
homework matters. In fact, when homework is designed and implemented properly, it
serves as a valuable tool for reinforcing learning (Carr, 2013).
Quality Homework Design
According to Dettmers, Trautwein, Ludtke, Kunter, and Baumert (2010),
“homework works if homework quality is high” (p. 467). The question becomes, what
does quality homework look like? Cathy Vatterott (2010) identified five hallmarks of
good homework: purpose, efficiency, ownership, competence, and aesthetic appeal.
Teachers need to understand what makes homework effective and be sure to focus on
these areas during its design.
Purpose means that homework assignments are meaningful to the students (Carr,
2013). Meaningful homework assignments challenge students to think deeply, apply
knowledge and skills towards problem solving, and create authentic products
(Bembenutty, 2011). Meaningful assignments are ones where students understand their
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purpose and why they are important (Xu, 2011). These assignments should provide
feedback to teachers about students’ understanding, and enable teachers to adjust
instruction as necessary (Vatterott, 2011).
In the book, Homework Done Right: Powerful Learning in Real-Life Situations,
Alleman (2010) identified seven principles of meaningful homework. Principle 1
involves connecting homework assignments with the out-of-school environment.
Principle 2 includes challenging students to use critical thinking to apply learned material
to real-world situations. Principle 3 encourages parent involvement in the process.
Principle 4 relies on student differences in developing homework based on individual
experiences. Principle 5 suggests that homework should allow students to explore their
current social and family circumstances as part of the process. Principle 6 says
meaningful homework should allow students to explore and observe their community and
environment. Principle 7 says that in order for homework to be meaningful, the
curriculum must be up-to-date. Alleman (2010) claimed that following these principles
will lead to high rates of success and an increase in homework completion.
Efficiency is the second hallmark of quality homework. Homework at the middle
level should not take too much time to complete and should require thinking (Carr, 2013).
Cooper (1989) made recommendations regarding the amount of time spent on homework,
generally suggesting ten minutes per grade level. This means a fifth grade student should
have no more than 50 minutes of homework per night and an eighth grade student should
have no more than 80 minutes of homework per night. Students who spend too much
time on homework tend to perform worse than students who spend less time (Cooper et
al., 2006). This is a reason why schools establish policies for quantity of homework
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permitted. Efficient assignments are not too easy and not too hard. Moderately difficult
homework will most likely enhance student motivation and performance (Dettmers, et al.,
2010).
The third characteristic of quality homework is ownership. When students are
personally connected to the content of their homework, they will learn more and be more
motivated (Carr, 2013). Giving students choice in their homework is a way to create
ownership. Menus with a variety of options are a way to make this possible. Teachers
must know their students and think about how they learn best; that is what makes the
learning more relevant (Vatterott, 2010). Additionally, students take ownership of their
work when they are proud of their work (Carr, 2013). Teachers can do this by
recognizing the efforts of their students and displaying their work.
Competence is the fourth characteristic of quality homework. Students must feel
competent in completing their assignments. “Homework that students can’t do without
help is not good homework; students are discouraged when they are unable to complete it
on their own” (Vatterott, 2010, p. 13). Marzano and Pickering (2007) pointed out that
research provided strong evidence that students were more likely to complete homework
when it was at an appropriate level and difficulty. This means students should be able to
complete homework on their own with a relatively high level of success. In order to
ensure this, teachers should differentiate assignments to meet the various levels of all
students (Carr, 2013).
The appearance of homework matters. This is why aesthetic appeal is the fifth
hallmark of quality homework. Students decide whether or not to do their homework on
the basis of the first impressions (Vatterott, 2010). Worksheets filled with definitions or
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math facts appear boring and students are turned off from completing them. Simple
things like graphics and colors can make homework more exciting and interesting. In the
end, quality homework is developmentally appropriate and meaningful in a way that
promotes self-efficacy and self-regulation (Vatterott, 2011). This homework is authentic,
allowing students to engage in solving real-world problems. According to Bempechat
(2019), quality homework makes efficient use of students’ time and it has a clear purpose
connected to what students are learning. It allows choice, promoting a sense of
ownership for children. Quality homework enhances students’ perception of their own
competence by: (1) focusing them on tasks they can complete independently, (2)
differentiating based on need, (3) providing suggested time frames for completion instead
of fixed time to complete tasks, (4) delivering clear directions, and (5) modeling
strategies for competing lengthy tasks.
Purpose of Homework
Why do teachers assign homework? According to Van Voorhis (2004), teachers
assign homework for one of 10 purposes: practice, preparation, participation, personal
development, parent-teacher communication, parent-child relations, peer interactions,
policy, public relations, and punishment. These purposes serve either instructional or
non-instructional functions. Recent studies have shown that practicing the content
learned is the homework purpose most frequently used throughout schooling
(Kukliansky, Shosberger, & Eshach, 2016). A recent study by Rosario, Nunez, Vallejo,
Cunha, Nunes, Mourao, and Pinto (2015) looked at the relationship between homework
and sixth grade mathematics achievement. They reported that homework with the
purpose of extending what students already knew, positively impacted student
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achievement while simple practice and preparation did not. In order to understand if
homework is beneficial and enhances academic success, purposes of homework need to
be looked at more closely.
Frey and Fisher (2011) looked at instructional homework purposes and organized
them into four categories: fluency practice, application, spiral review, and extension.
Fluency practice is when students practice something they already know just so they can
get better. This technique is common in sports and music, but it can be used in all
content areas. Reading at your instructional level or practicing times tables are examples
of fluency practice. Application is relating what one knows to a new situation. Spiral
review involves practicing familiar concepts throughout the year while still practicing
newer material. Finally, extension homework has the purpose of simply extending what
students already know. This type of homework requires the use of a variety of skills and
knowledge (Frey & Fisher, 2011).
Non-instructional purposes focus on communication or political functions (Van
Voorhis, 2004). Teachers develop assignments that encourage parent-teacher
communications, parent-child relations, and peer interactions. Some teachers ask
students to review tests with parents to keep the parents aware of student progress. Some
assignments require students to interact with their parents to complete. Marzano and
Pickering (2007) noted that appropriate parent involvement should not require parents to
act as teachers or to police homework completion. Collaboration through shared
documents on-line have become commonplace in today’s classroom, serving to impact
peer interactions. Political functions involve those where teachers assign homework to
fulfill policy requirements or to satisfy public expectations (Van Voorhis, 2004). The last
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identified purpose of homework is punishment. Teachers who want to make homework a
positive experience for their students need to avoid using homework as a punishment.
Such practices have no educational value and adversely affect students, teachers, and the
relationship they share (Guskey, 2000).
Cooper (2007) argued that homework has benefits for academic achievement
among students, particularly for middle and high school students. It is generally agreed
upon that homework has the potential to extend learning beyond the classroom (Tam &
Chan, 2016). Whether the purpose is academic or non-academic, teachers need to assign
homework that targets areas of student weakness and pushes students to reach success
within their capacity (Cushman, 2010).
Best Practices
Teachers need to give homework that will have a profound effect on students’
academic, social, and personal development (Bembenutty, 2011). In order to meet these
positive benefits, teachers need to implement homework best practices. Time and
frequency homework best practices have long been researched. Students who are
assigned homework regularly showed greater gains than those who only received
homework sporadically (Rivero, 2017). Researchers hypothesized that this was due to
improved study skills and routines practiced through frequent homework. As noted
previously, the amount of homework should also be a focus. Cooper’s (2007) “10 minute
rule” continues to be the standard. The National PTA and the National Education
Association both supported this guideline (Reilly, 2016). Beyond this threshold, more
homework does not contribute to learning (Bempechat, 2019). So if research identifies
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frequency and time, what other best practices should be put in place to ensure homework
is being used as a valuable instructional tool?
Teachers should make sure students fully understand the concepts and possess the
skills necessary to successfully complete any homework assignment. For example,
expecting students to do math problems at home that they do not fully understand will
only discourage and frustrate them (Protheroe, 2009). For this reason, providing time in
class to start homework is essential (Saam & Jeong, 2013; Cushman 2010). Protheroe
(2009) recommended that teachers should routinely allow students to work together on
homework in class. Some students are motivated to complete homework if they are
allowed to work with a peer or in peer groups. Data collected by Burress and Snead
(2017) on middle school students’ motivation and homework suggested that creating
homework assignments involving a social context may be beneficial. Protheroe (2009)
also suggested assigning homework toward the beginning of class, explaining how to do
the homework, including going over the directions and providing examples, explicitly
relating the homework to classwork, and clearly communicating the expectations for
every assignment.
Feedback must be given to homework. Letterman (2013) identified that students
felt homework was important to them when teachers provided feedback on their
assignments. Walberg and Paik (2004) identified teacher feedback to homework as
having a powerful positive effect on student learning. Specifically, they noted that
students learned more when homework was commented upon and discussed. Feedback
also acknowledges a homework assignment’s importance (Protheroe, 2009). Discussing
homework in class allows students to deepen their understanding of the concepts they
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have learned and also identifies what they may not have understood (Vincent-Lancrin,
Urgel, Kars, & Jacotin, 2019).
Homework Trends
The debate over homework is one that elicits strong feelings. Although studies
have shown gains in achievement associated with homework (Marzano & Pickering,
2007), the relationship between academic achievement and homework is still somewhat
unclear (Cooper & Valentine, 2001). There is evidence to suggest that homework has
learning benefits for some students (Carr, 2013), but other research suggested that
homework negatively impacts students (Bennett & Kalish, 2006; Kralovac & Buell,
2001). Cooper (2001), a pioneer in homework research, recommended homework for all
students as long as policies were in place that take into account the unique needs and
circumstances of students. Believing that quality homework improves student
achievement, school districts have changed policies and have taken on the challenge of
homework reform. The “No Excuses Homework” reform is one such example (Watkins
& Stevens, 2013). In this program, students do not get to choose to not do homework.
Instead, interventions are put in place to encourage the completion and quality of
homework. Homework is clearly defined as assignments that require time outside of
class to complete. Students are required to revise or redo work that did not reach a score
of 70%. Zeroes are not allowed. If students do not complete homework, they are given
extra supports from the school. Homework centers and after school tutoring programs
are now a regular part of schools like in this example. Vatterott (2019a) stated that this
was primarily because most homework done outside of the classroom was still done in
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close proximity to schools. Schools recognize that homework success and completion
must be a requirement and not just a suggestion (Watkins & Stevens, 2013).
The way homework is or is not graded is another trend. Teachers provided
several reasons for grading homework, including motivation, reward for hard work, and
help for students who struggled with tests (Vatterott, 2018). There is a belief that the
grade students get will encourage them or cause them to complete homework (Vatterott,
2011). Protheroe (2009) claimed that students learned more when homework was graded
and teachers should reinforce what is done correctly and re-teach skills and concepts that
are not mastered. Vatterott (2011) noted that grades only influenced students who were
motivated by grades, and some students did not care about grades. Schinske and Tanner
(2014) stated the following:
At best, grading motivates high-achieving students to continue getting high grades
– regardless of whether that goal also happens to overlap with learning. At worst,
grading lowers interest in learning and enhances anxiety and extrinsic motivation,
especially among those students who are struggling. (p. 161)
Grading homework rewards effort and can reflect students’ learning. With this,
students understand that their efforts determine outcomes (Fisher, Frey, & Pumpian,
2011). Teachers believe that effort should be rewarded and grades are a way to do so
(Vatterott, 2011). The concern over this is that rewarding students for doing homework
inflates overall grades, which does not truly reflect learning. This grade inflation was a
third reason why teachers graded homework, according to Vatterott (2011).
There is an argument that homework is practice and should not be graded.
According to Vatterott (2018), the current consensus is that homework should be used as
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formative assessment and should not count as a grade. Counting homework as a grade
can be unfair because students differ in the amount of support and resources they receive
and educators do not always know who is actually doing the work (Vatterott, 2019b).
Dueck (2014) agreed that many students simply are not empowered to do homework
because they do not have the resources to do so. Violence in the home, utility
disconnection, and negative school views were additional hurdles to homework
completion noted by Dueck (2014).
Grading homework for completion is really a measure of compliance and
opportunity rather than learning (Dueck, 2014). The most effective grading practices
provide accurate, specific, timely feedback designed to improve student performance
(Marzano & Pickering, 2007). Punishing students with zeroes for missing work is an
ineffective practice (Reeves, 2008). Despite evidence that grading as punishment does
not work (Guskey, 2000), many teachers maintain this policy, believing it will lead to
improved student performance (Reeves, 2008). The problem is that penalties do not
reduce homework avoidance and have little effect on future homework behavior (Dueck,
2014).
Vatterott (2019b) specifically recommended that homework should not count in a
grade, but can be reported separately as a work habit. In schools where homework was
not graded, it was still marked for correctness and students received specific feedback
(Vatterott, 2011). The purpose of homework should always be a focus, and teachers
should incorporate three specific practices as it relates to the grading of homework
(Vatterott, 2011). Practice 1 involved evaluating each assignment to determine whether
to grade it. Formative assessments should not be graded, while summative assessments
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may be. The Rockward School District in Eureka, Missouri instituted such a guideline.
Their policy specifically said that homework will not be part of a course grade if it is
assigned for pre-assessment or early learning. Homework that is assigned as summative
assessment may be graded. Practice 2 involved tying homework to assessments.
Vatterott (2011) recommended allowing students to use homework assignments when
taking a test. This practice encouraged students to practice via homework, while still
creating a grading system that required understanding (Fisher, Frey, & Pumpian, 2011).
Practice 3 is focused on demonstration of learning, not task completion. By doing this,
students understood that they can improve their grades through the demonstration of
mastery (Vatterott, 2011).
Another new trend in education is the flipped classroom concept. Rather than
students doing their assigned practice at home, they access their instruction portion at
home and complete specific learning activities in class with the teacher present
(Greenwald & Holdener, 2019). Flipped learning is about how to best use in-class time
with students (Inan, Balakrishnan, & Refeque, 2019). Flipped classroom environments
can reduce student workloads by placing certain classroom tasks that require attention,
such as taking notes in lectures, into contexts where students have more control over how
and where to complete them (Talbert, 2017). Flipped learning can also promote
technology-enhanced learning, which again provides flexibility for students (Al Rowais,
2016). Interestingly, a study by Dodson (2014) looked at the impact of online homework
on class productivity. One group used only on-line homework, while the other did only
paper assignments. The findings indicated that the difference was insignificant, with both
groups having nearly equal rates of completion and grades in their homework. In the
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end, flipped classrooms offered flexibility and choice, and when students were allowed to
select homework activities, it raised their intrinsic motivation (Bembenutty, 2011).
Benefits of Homework
Based on John Hattie’s research, Corwin Visible Learning identified 250+
influences on student achievement. The Visible Learning research synthesized findings
from 1600+ meta-analyses of 95,000+ studies involving 300 million students, into what
works best in education. They identified homework as having an effect size of 0.29,
meaning that homework was likely to have a positive impact on student achievement. By
comparison, mindfulness had a 0.28 effect size, boredom had a -0.47 effect size, and
teacher credibility had a 1.09 effect size (Visible Learning, n.d.). Cooper (2006) agreed,
stating that “doing homework caused improved academic achievement” (p. 48).
In Cooper’s (1989) early work, Homework, he identified potential positive effects
of homework. These effects are identified as follows:
Immediate achievement and learning
o Better retention of factual knowledge
o Increased understanding
o Better critical thinking, concept formation, information processing
o Curriculum enrichment
Long-term academic benefits
o More learning during leisure time
o Improved attitude toward school
o Better study habits and skills
Non-academic benefits
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o Greater self-direction
o Greater self-discipline
o Better time organization
o More inquisitiveness
o More independent problem-solving
Parental and family benefits
o Greater parental appreciation of and involvement in schooling
o Parental demonstrations of interest in child’s academic progress
o Student awareness of connection between home and school
Many assumptions can be made about the benefits of homework, including an
increase in academic achievement (Bennett, 2017). Using research from the nonprofit
group, Instruction Partners, Rivero (2017) added to the assumption, noting that consistent
homework completion had been shown to increase achievement rates. Their research
indicated that average gains on unit tests for students who completed homework were six
percentile points in grades four through six and 12 percentile points in grades seven
through nine. A study by Bas, Senturk, and Cigerci (2017) looked at students in grades
one through eight, and higher levels. Their results indicated that “as the grade levels rise,
the given homework appears to increase students’ academic success” (p. 45). They did
note that a possible reason for this may also be that as grade levels rise, students become
older, more responsible, acquire higher levels of awareness, improve in other
developmental domains, increase knowledge, and improve concentration.
Cheema and Sheridan (2015) looked at how time spent on homework affected
mathematics achievement. They obtained data from the Program for International
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Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 student survey. PISA in an international assessment of
15-year-old students that was administered in more than 60 countries. They found that an
increase in time spent on homework was associated with an increase in mathematics
achievement of more than a fifth of a standard deviation. They noted this was a
considerable effect size and should not be ignored. Rosario et al. (2015) analyzed the
relationship between homework assignments and sixth grade mathematics achievement.
They reported that extension homework impacted positively on students’ academic
achievement. Trautwein, Schnyder, Niggli, Neumann, and Ludtke (2009) concluded that
demanding homework exercises improved seventh grade students’ mathematics
achievement. Rosario et al. (2018) found that homework quality predicted positively
sixth grade students’ mathematics achievement. It should be noted that a recent metaanalysis focusing on mathematics and science homework showed that the relationship
between homework and academic achievement in middle school is weaker than in
elementary school (Bempechat, 2019; Fan, Xu, Cai, He, & Fan, 2017). On the other
hand, Chang, Wall, Tare, Golonka, and Vatz (2014) referenced a study showing that the
homework attitudes of lower grade students (grade 4 and below) were not significantly
associated with achievement, but the homework attitudes of upper grade students (grade
6 and above) were positively associated with achievement.
As Cooper (1989) identified, homework has benefits beyond academic
achievement. Homework can prepare students to confront complex tasks, develop
resilience, and learn to embrace challenges (Bempechat, 2019). Specifically, homework
plays an important role in the development of self-regulation skills (Ramdass &
Zimmerman, 2011). Self-regulation involves setting goals, selecting appropriate learning
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
19
strategies, maintaining motivation, and monitoring and evaluating academic progress. A
longitudinal study with fifth grade students showed that doing homework fostered selfregulation skills and reading achievement (Xu, 2010). Another study by Xu (2008)
involving 633 eighth graders looked at five self-regulation processes: structuring the
environment, managing time, motivating oneself, managing emotions, and inhibiting
distractions. Xu found that high-achieving students performed significantly better on
these measures compared to low-achieving students. A study by Schmitz and Perels
(2011) found that eighth grade students receiving daily self-regulation support during
mathematics homework performed better on post-tests than their peers who did not
receive self-regulation support. “Teaching these skills to students should be a priority for
teachers and a focal point when designing homework assignments” (Carr, 2013, p. 172).
Self- regulation operates through three components: motivation, cognition, and
metacognition (Ramdass & Zimmerman, 2011). The motivational domain implies that
students believe in their capabilities and value homework as a task that enhances
learning. Valuing homework and having high self-efficacy for the assignment can
enhance a student’s determination when faced with challenges (Ramdass & Zimmerman,
2011). The cognitive domain relates to strategies students use to complete homework
and process information more effectively. An example would be using brainstorming
ideas and making an outline before writing an essay (Ramdass & Zimmerman, 2011).
The metacognitive domain involves students setting goals and monitoring their own
progress as they finish homework. An example of when students do this is when they
reflect on why they do not understand a text during homework completion and use a
strategy such as rereading the text (Ramdass & Zimmerman, 2011).
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
20
Many teachers also talk about the importance of students assuming responsibility
for their learning and claim that homework builds that habit (Fisher & Frey, 2008).
“Homework could also serve as a model for self-discipline, time management, and
personal responsibility” (Saam & Jeong, 2013, p. 122). Managing time is necessary for
this purpose. It involves setting priorities and planning ahead, scheduling regular time to
do homework, and pacing oneself to complete multiple assignments with different due
dates. It also involves keeping track of what remains to be done and reminding oneself of
available time to do it (Xu, 2013).
Ramdass and Zimmerman (2011) found a positive relationship between
homework and self-efficacy, self-reflection, responsibility for learning, maintaining
focus, managing the environment, inhibiting distractions, delaying gratification, and
managing time. Their study also showed a positive relationship at the middle school
level between homework and a range of self-regulation skills, “implying that homework
facilitates the development of self-regulation skills and enhances learning” (p. 215).
Challenges of Homework
Although there is a long list of positive effects associated with homework, there
are also significant negative effects that challenge the suggested positive effects. Cooper
(1989) identified potential negative effects of homework. These effects included:
Satiation
o Loss of interest in academic material
o Physical and emotional fatigue
Denial of access to leisure time and community activities
Parental interference
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
21
o Pressure to complete homework and perform well
o Confusion of instructional techniques
Cheating
o Copying from other students
o Help beyond tutoring
Increased differences between high and low achievers
More recent findings supported many of Cooper’s claims. In fact, students in
high-achieving middle schools identified homework as the number one school stressor
(Vatterott, 2019a). An empirical study by Galloway and Pope (2007) explained the link
between homework and well-being. 496 students participated in this study. Their results
found that 68% of students identified school work, homework, and tests as the number
one cause of stress in their lives. Sixty-five percent of students stated that they were
often or always stressed by homework and school work. Kids Health Surveyed 875
students ages 9-13, with 36% indicating that grades and homework caused them stress
(Kids & Stress, 2005). Although small levels of stress can foster motivation and healthy
competition, ongoing exposure to school-related stressors can lead to physical, emotional,
and behavioral struggles, including fatigue, depression, and decreased academic
performance (Conner, Pope, & Galloway, 2009). Conner et al. (2009) identified the most
frequent consequences of ongoing stress for students, including: physical illness,
insufficient sleep, anxiety and depression, irritability, decrease in academic performance,
withdrawal, drug or alcohol experimentation, and cheating.
Studies exploring the relationship between homework and well-being indicated
that number of hours of homework was negatively associated with psychological well-
22
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
being, physical health symptoms, and sleep (Galloway, Conner, & Pope, 2013).
Specifically, Bempechat (2019) claimed that students carrying three or more hours of
homework per night will face negative effects, including impaired learning, lack of
motivation, anxiety, physical complaints, and sleep deprivation. Galloway and Pope’s
(2007) study also looked at the percentage of students who have dropped an activity,
experienced exhaustion, and experienced weight gain by hours of nightly homework.
Their results are represented in Table 1.
Table 1
Homework and Related Symptoms
Dropped activity
Less than 2 hours
of homework per
night
41.2%
2.1 – 3.5 hours of
homework per
night
52.2%
More than 3.5
hours of homework
per night
77.9%
Exhaustion
49.5%
53.5%
70.2%
Weight gain
14.3%
10.9%
28.9%
Symptom
Homework also deprived students of free time hours and often put a strain on
family time (Bennett, 2017; Suskind, 2012). Galloway and Pope (2007) reported that a
majority of students in their study dropped an activity or hobby they enjoyed because
homework took too much of their time. Research also suggested that homework can
reduce the time students had for social life and cultural and religious activities (Galloway,
Conner, & Pope, 2013).
Katz, Buzukashvili, and Feingold (2012) reported that students’ interactions with
their parents around homework often involved conflicts and negatively impacted their
relationships. Lange and Meaney (2011) discussed how students reach frustration levels
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
23
when working with parents on homework. They noted that, when frustration occurs, it
can:
Result in homework not being completed, which could raise the ire both of
teachers and parents. Therefore, homework has the potential to be emotionally
traumatic for children because they are both the medium for and the mediator in
school/home interactions. (p. 36)
This conflict is only compounded because very often students are either not
motivated to do homework or are motivated by extrinsic reasons, making interactions
around homework at home mostly negative (Katz, Kaplan, & Gueta, 2010). Although
parents are often encouraged to help their students with homework, it should be noted
that parental help with homework is not a necessary component for school success
(Bempechat, 2019).
Social class and ability level are two other areas that impact homework
effectiveness. Kralovec and Buell (2000) claimed that homework punishes the poor
because low income parents may not be educated enough to help with homework. In a
recent study, researchers looked at mathematics achievement in low-income eighth grade
Asian and Latino students (Bempechat, 2019). The results indicated that help with
homework was something their parents could not provide. Vatterott (2019b) asked if
homework was fair for different socioeconomic groups. She stated that teachers need to
avoid making assumptions when assigning homework, including:
Do not assume the child has a quiet place to do homework
Do not assume the child has a parent who is home in the evening
Do not assume the child’s parents speak and read English
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
24
Do not assume the family has money for school supplies
Do not assume the child has access to materials such as paper, scissors, glue or a
calculator
Do not assume the child has access to a computer or the internet
The United States has the second-highest disparity between time spent on
homework by students of high and low social classes, based on the Program for
International Student Assessment (PISA) (Bempechat, 2019). The difference between
advantaged and disadvantaged students was more than three hours per week. A study by
Fernandez-Alonso, Alvarez-Diaz, Suarez-Alvarez, and Muniz (2017) supported this
claim. They selected students in eighth grade in Spain and reviewed the time needed to
complete homework. Their data showed that in a school with 60 minutes of assigned
homework daily, students needed anywhere from four to ten hours a week to complete
the assignments. In a school that assigned 120 minutes of homework daily, students
needed 7.5 hours to 20 hours per week to complete based on ability.
In addition to the negative homework effects noted previously, Bembenutty
(2011) identified specific maladaptive homework behaviors. These behaviors, identified
as homework failures, refer to “any action, behavior, effect, or belief that is an attempt to
regulate homework actions in ways that will result in detracting from reaching long-term
academic achievement” (p. 460). These homework behaviors are listed in the following
table (Benbenutty, 2011):
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Table 2
Homework Behaviors
Behavior/situation
Description
Example
Self-handicapping
Tendencies to engage in
activities that can detract
from accomplishing
important academic goals
Making social
commitments or attending
a party the night before an
important homework is
due
Procrastination
Putting off academic tasks
that will result in
debilitating academic
performance
Setting unrealistically low
expectations
Waiting until the last
minute to complete
homework
Defensive pessimism
Defective academic delay
of gratification
Misregulation
Underregulation
Postponing immediate
gratification in favor of
academic goals that are
temporally remote
Attempting to control
actions, beliefs, and
behaviors in ways that will
fail to bring the desired
outcomes
Setting or maintaining low
standards, having
difficulties, monitoring
behavior, and failing to
exercise self-control
Lowering expectations in
such a way that if the
outcome is undesirable,
they would have
justification for the
unsatisfactory performance
Going to a favorite concert
the day before a test rather
than staying home to study
for a good grade on a test
Trying to complete a very
important homework in
bed with the television,
radio, or music on,
believing that these
resources will help them
concentrate
Setting standards that are
too minimal or negligent,
which could result in
meeting only the basic
homework requirements or
failure to achieve even the
lowest expected
performance levels
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
iConnected parents
Allowing parents to be
deeply involved in
learners’ homework tasks
by using technology such
as instant communication
Surveying their children’s
academic work and
homework in such a way
that children depend on
them for decisions such as
when to do homework;
over assisting children
Maladaptive Echo
Generation
Engaging in instant
communication through
technology and social
networking sites
Uncontrolled use of
texting during class time or
interrupting homework to
text members of their
social networks
Perceptions of Teachers, Parents, and Students
Teachers. Literature looks heavily at the purpose of homework and best
practices for success. However, looking at perceptions of those most directly involved in
the homework process, teachers, parents, and students, is also important to review.
“There is a lack of qualitative data in the existing literature describing perceptual
differences among various stakeholders’ views on when homework is or is not beneficial
for students” (Snead & Burriss, 2016, p. 62). Recently, however, several studies have
looked at homework perceptions among these groups.
Snead and Burriss (2016) used a mixed-method study to understand middle
school teachers’ perspectives on the role of homework. 118 sixth through eighth grade
teachers identified academic and non-academic reasons for having to complete
homework, including: practice, reinforcement, review, and responsibility. They
answered an instrument composed of seven open-ended questions. The questions were
designed to explore teachers’ perceptions associated with different aspects of homework.
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
In the study by Snead and Burriss (2016), teachers were asked why they assigned
homework. Reasons focused on practice, reinforcement, or review. Their responses
were as follows:
Table 3
Reasons for Homework
Sixth Grade
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
Practice
23%
28%
15%
Reinforcement
26%
28%
15%
Review
3%
8%
4%
Combination
3%
0%
9%
Other
13%
12%
13%
Not indicated
32%
24%
43%
Teachers were then asked if homework was mandatory. More than 80% of the teachers
indicated that it was not. Next, teachers were asked how much time they thought
students spent on homework per week. Responses ranged from zero hours to seven hours
per week to complete homework, with the average amount for all grade levels ranging
from 0.77 hours per week to 1.78 hours per week to complete homework. In this study,
grade level was not a significant factor in the amount of time required to complete
homework. This would not be supported by the “10 minute rule” recommended by
Cooper (2007). Teachers were also asked if technology was required to complete
homework, with most responses indicating that no technology was typically needed
(Snead & Burriss, 2016). Teachers were next asked how they assessed homework. Their
28
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
responses fell into several categories of who graded homework, including teachers,
students, teacher-student combination, not graded, and not indicated. Specifically, their
responses were:
Table 4
Assessing Homework
Sixth Grade
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
Teacher
3%
8%
7%
Student
0%
20%
9%
Combination
55%
4%
15%
Not graded
10%
32%
37%
Not indicated
32%
36%
33%
Teachers were also asked what percentage homework counted in overall grades.
Answers ranged from zero to upwards of 25%. Their responses included:
Table 5
Homework Percentage of Grade
Sixth Grade
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
0 > 10%
3%
12%
26%
11 > 15%
0%
4%
2%
16 > 20%
7%
4%
4%
21 > 25%
13%
0%
9%
Other
13%
20%
9%
Not counted
39%
4%
17%
29
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Not indicated
26%
56%
33%
Finally, teachers were asked if they wanted to share anything else about homework.
Other than sharing thoughts about inconsistencies with grading, the middle school
teachers did not support any specific reason for assigning homework. The arbitrary
responses suggested that teachers assigned homework “because this is just what teachers
are expected to do” (p. 74).
Rosario et al. (2019) completed a similar study regarding teachers’ perspectives of
homework. Their focus group consisted of teachers in grades five through nine, looking
at characteristics of quality homework and characteristics of homework assigned.
Research has found a disconnect, specifically between middle school science teachers’
perspectives of homework practices and actual homework practices observed in class
(Kukliansky, Shosberger, & Eshhach, 2014). Because of this, Rosario et al. (2019) hoped
to look at how teachers could best contribute to maximum homework benefits.
In this study, fifth and sixth grade teachers identified three themes of quality
homework: instructional purpose, degree of individualization/adaptability, and length.
Seventh through ninth grade teachers identified instructional purpose and degree of
individualization/adaptability as themes. Both groups identified instructional purpose as
the main characteristic of quality homework. These groups also believed that homework
may be a valuable tool for students to diagnose their own learning levels. Both groups
also believed homework should be a connection between school and home. These groups
believed that quality homework should be developed to meet students’ individual needs
and it should be brief. However, the majority of teachers at both levels reported that they
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
30
primarily assigned whole-class homework, showing a disconnect between teachers’
perspectives about quality homework and their actual practices (Rosario et. al., 2019).
Another study by Davidovitch and Yavich (2017) looked at the homework
perspectives of fifth and sixth grade secular and non-secular teachers in Israel. They
identified two specific views from teachers:
Some teachers perceived homework as a way of reviewing, studying, and revising
the material and in their opinion, this is an essential part of the learning process.
In contrast, other teachers thought that today there are more innovative ways of
learning and reviewing the material and homework does not have to be the major
and only way of learning. (p. 105)
Saam and Jeong (2013) collected information from a well performing midwestern middle school in the United States. Their study identified five beliefs shared by
teachers regarding homework, including: homework is necessary, providing class time to
begin homework is essential, coordinating with other teachers about homework is
essential, awareness of length of homework is essential, and homework should provide
feedback for both students and teachers. Specifically, the teachers noted that
“coordinating the amount of homework given by each teacher in a team and the length of
estimated time needed to complete the homework assignments increased the amount of
success middle school students have with completion of homework” (p. 122). The data
from this study supported this perception in that more than 70% of students in this school
finished all assigned homework five nights a week (Saam & Jeong, 2013).
Tam and Chan (2016) looked at teachers’ perceptions of homework in Hong
Kong. Teachers in primary grades through grade six were involved in this study. “On
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
31
the whole, respondents support the use of homework assignments to serve various
academic and non-academic functions” (p. 25). These teachers believed that homework
was beneficial for monitoring learning and developing positive qualities in students.
They also viewed homework as a tool to improve teaching and enhance home-school
communication.
Parents. Bempechat (2019) referenced the National Household Education
Surveys Program, stating that 70 to 83 percent of parents believed that the amount of
homework their children had was about right. Parents also believed that “doing
homework fosters responsibility and organizational skills, and that doing well on
homework tasks contributes to learning, even if children experience frustration from time
to time” (p. 39). Additionally, parents’ attitudes during homework time helped support
the development of positive attitudes in their children, which is predictive of higher
achievement (Bempechat, 2019).
In order to identify parent perceptions of homework, several studies have been
completed in recent years. Davidovitch and Yavich (2017) surveyed parents of fifth and
sixth grade students, in both secular and non-secular schools, with questions focusing on
helping children with homework, motivating children to prepare homework, and
involvement with homework. Based on survey results, there were no consistent answers
among parents regarding their thoughts on helping with homework. Some provided little
to no help, while others wanted to provide high levels of support. Regarding motivating
students, again, there were no trends with parents’ answers. Overall, parents of students
at religious schools perceived homework as an essential part of the learning process. In
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
32
contrast, parents in secular schools felt that homework should be done in school and is
not essential (Davidovitch & Yavich, 2017).
Moroni, Dumont, Trautwein, Niggli, and Baeriswyl (2015) conducted a
longitudinal study involving 1,498 parents of fifth and sixth grade students in
Switzerland, with a focus on the quantity and quality of parental homework involvement.
They found that “when homework involvement was perceived as supportive, it was
positively associated with students’ achievement, but when parents were perceived as
intrusive and controlling in the homework process, their help was negatively associated
with students’ achievement” (p. 427).
O’Sullivan, Chen, and Fish (2014) completed a study exploring the impact of
homework support with middle school families. Parents from an urban junior high
school (seventh and eighth grade) participated in the study. Parental self-efficacy was a
crucial part of this study. “Parents were asked to rate their beliefs in the capability to act
in ways that would produce positive influences in their children’s school performance in
mathematics” (p. 172). With this, the majority (more than 75%) of parents surveyed
indicated that they provided a structured home environment for homework at least once
per week. Approximately 50% of parents also reported that they provided autonomy
support with homework at least once per week. This study also found a positive
correlation between parental self-efficacy and all methods of homework assistance,
specifically noting that:
Parents who felt more efficacious about helping with mathematics and believed
that their involvement was beneficial to their children’s learning were more likely
to construct a structured environment, provide direct assistance/instruction, and to
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
33
engage in activities that supported their children’s autonomy to complete math
homework when compared to parents who did not feel their assistance would
make a significant difference in their children’s math performance. (p. 181)
These findings supported the idea of creating homework that was not too difficult for
children, requiring unnecessary parental support. Parents believed that when homework
is so difficult that they need to be excessively involved, it was simply too difficult
(Cameron & Bartel, 2009). As one mom noted about homework, it is an “ever-present
albatross around our family’s neck!” (p. 50).
An interesting, yet older, program focusing on parental involvement in homework
is the Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork (TIPS) intervention (Van Voorhis, 2011).
Van Voorhis (2011) explored this program that emphasized that students do better in
school when parents, educators, and others in the community work together to support
student learning. This program included assignments that required parental involvement
through discussion, interview, experiment, or other interaction. Families rated their
feelings while working on homework together and TIPS families rated their interactions
significantly happier than non-participating families. Families also responded to
questions about homework attitudes, with TIPS families reporting much more favorably
to these questions than non-participating families. There are clear benefits to effective
programs, such as TIPS, which can produce results through positive parental interaction,
because the quality of parental help matters (Bempechat, 2019).
Students. According to Burriss and Snead (2017):
When considering homework, in spite of the most sincere efforts of parents to
help children at home and the thoughtful planning of teachers to meet academic
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
34
objectives, it is ultimately students’ attitudes regarding their commitment toward
homework that may make the critical difference toward ensuring positive learning
outcomes. (p. 194)
Homework assignments are likely to be most effective if students give the necessary
effort and identify with the positive benefits for their learning (Madjar, Shklar, & Moshe,
2016). For this reason, it is important to know and understand the homework
perspectives of students.
Deveci and Onder (2015) studied the views of middle school students relating to
homework assignments in science classes. One thousand five hundred eighty-four
seventh and eighth grade students were surveyed. They concluded that students with a
more positive attitude towards homework assignments took more time to complete their
homework with better results. They also found that students who spent less time
watching television or playing video games had a more positive attitude towards
homework. Additionally, they concluded that students who spent more time on reading
activities had more positive views about homework than students who spent less time
reading.
Burriss and Snead (2017) surveyed sixth through eighth grade students from four
middle schools in the Southeastern United States. They wanted to better understand
students’ thinking and feeling regarding homework. Students were asked why they
thought teachers gave homework. Responses included:
Help learn – 33%
Practice/review – 21%
Busy work/have to/grades – 12%
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Assessment – 12%
Punishment – 10%
Improve/get better/get smarter – 4%
Other – 8%
35
Nunez, Suarez, Rosario, Vallejo, Valle, and Epstein (2015) wanted to understand
how students’ perceptions of their parents’ involvement with homework impacted their
homework beliefs. Students in grades five through ten were included in this study. One
of their key findings was that “students’ homework behaviors (i.e., time spent on
homework, homework time management, and amount of homework completed) are
significantly related to perceived parental homework involvement” (p. 394). These
results indicated that students were more motivated to do homework when they believed
their support was positive (Nunez et. al., 2015).
Katz, Kaplan, and Gueta (2010) completed a cross-sectional study that included
71 fourth grade and 108 eighth grade students from elementary and junior high schools in
Israel, where they focused on motivation for doing homework. The students identified
controlled and autonomous reasons for why they do homework. Controlled reasons
included to get better grades or a feeling of shame if their teacher found out that they did
not do it. Autonomous reasons included doing homework to improve understanding or
because it was fun. The findings of their study indicated that junior high students
reported lower autonomous motivation for doing homework than do elementary students.
Another important result from their study was that the eighth grade students “perceived
their teachers as less supportive of their psychological needs than did elementary school
students” (p. 262).
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
36
According to Letterman (2013), student motivation to complete homework
assignments is “influenced by a collection of beliefs, attitudes, and emotions. These
include students’ experiences that lead to success or failure, their personal expectations
and standards for performance, and confidence in their ability to do well” (p. 114).
Through interviews, students discussed current homework practices that do not work
(Cushman, 2010). With this, they gave five recommendations for how they perceived
homework to be effective. These recommendations were:
Teachers should talk with other teachers to make the homework load reasonable.
Teachers should give time to start homework in class so that students can get help
if needed.
Teachers should match homework to time available and should not penalize if
students cannot finish it.
Teachers should not give homework every day.
Teachers should provide times and places for academic support.
These ideas supported the findings that suggested that how students perceived the support
they received to complete homework was very important to their success (Katz et. al.,
2010).
Summary of the Literature
In 1996, Lyn Corno wrote an article entitled, Homework is a Complicated Thing.
That concept holds true to this day. People have wondered, “is homework just a
headache – another distraction from family time and down time, already diminished by
the likes of music and dance lessons, sports practices, and part-time jobs” (Bempechat,
2019, p. 37)? Or, is homework essential for student academic success because it leads to
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
37
improved study skills and routines that allow students to perform better academically
(Rivero, 2017)?
Pamela Bator, an assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction at
Weston Public Schools in Massachusetts, wrote a blog in 2018 about homework.
Regarding homework, she said, “for every opinion, there can be an opposing opinion.
For every child, there can be a different response.” Educational scholars continue to be
on both sides of the homework argument. However, most people agree that quality
homework is a valuable educational tool that works to reinforce learning (Carr, 2013;
Dettmers et. al., 2010).
The pressure to succeed in school is growing daily, and a major contribution to
students’ exhaustion is heavy homework loads. Students can spend upwards of two to
three hours per night on homework, but homework is not truly necessary for a rigorous
curriculum or for developing a solid work ethic (Pope, Brown, & Miles, 2015). Because
of the stress that homework can cause, Pope et al. (2015) argued that homework should
only be used to review skills or prepare for in-class activities. Furthermore, they noted
that quality homework allowed for student choice, was aligned to each student’s skill
level, and connected to the main concepts being taught in class.
Quality and quantity of homework, as well as perceptions of homework, served as
the primary focus of this literature review. Cooper (1989) recommended an increase of
ten minutes of homework per grade level, which many experts still support (Reilly,
2016). Concerning quality, scholars such as Vatterott (2011) and Bempechat (2019) have
identified best practices for homework design. Regardless of circumstance, quality
homework works well (Dettmers et. al., 2010), a perception shared by parents, teachers,
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
and students alike (Bempechat, 2019; Cushman, 2010; Rosario et al., 2019; & Snead &
Burriss, 2016). Chapter III focuses on the methodology of this action research project.
38
39
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
The action research study was intended to investigate the impact of homework on
middle level (Grades 5–8) students. With no set guidelines in our school, homework was
administered in varied lengths, using multiple approaches. Furthermore, no real
homework purpose was ever effectively established or communicated as a guide for
teachers to follow. Because of this, students had diverse homework experiences, often
leading to mixed responses, both good and bad, at home and at school.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of homework on students at
Schuylkill Valley Middle School from the perspective of teachers and parents. In
addition, I wanted to identify best practices for homework at the middle level so that
homework is used as an effective educational tool to best meet the academic and
social/emotional needs of the students. Because of the purpose of this study, the
literature review focused on specific areas: quality homework design, the purpose of
homework, homework best practices, homework trends, homework benefits and
challenges, and perceptions of homework. Knowing the purpose, I identified research
questions that guided this project:
What are teacher and parent perceptions of homework effectiveness at the middle
school?
What are the comparative benefits and challenges of homework for middle level
students?
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
40
What are the educational trends of homework in relation to best practices?
The goal in answering these questions was to identify homework best practices at
the middle school in an effort to provide recommendations for effective homework
practices that served as a resource for teachers in our school. Thus, this was the first step
in the development of homework guidelines.
Setting and Participants
Schuylkill Valley Middle School is located in southeastern Pennsylvania. The
school district encompasses approximately 53 square miles of rural and suburban
communities. The middle school population includes 676 students in Grades five
through eight. Approximately 84% of the students are Caucasian, and 11% are Hispanic.
Approximately 36% of the students are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Seventeen
percent of the student population qualifies for special education, and 3% of the students
are gifted.
The middle school operates with a block schedule, with 80 minutes of
mathematics and ELA instruction daily. In addition, students receive 80 minutes of
combined science and social studies and 80 minutes of elective classes each day.
Electives include art, STEAM, fitness, music, guidance, library, foundations of world
languages, and technology education. Extra and co-curricular programs, including sports
and chorus/band, are readily available for all students as well. In addition, remediation,
tutoring, and after-school homework centers are accessible for all students. The middle
school has 43 full-time teachers and 16 full- and part-time support staff who meet the
needs of the students.
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
41
It is important to note that Schuylkill Valley Middle School has been recognized
as a Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools to Watch. The National Forum to Accelerate
Middle-Grades Reform was established in 1999 with the purpose of developing criteria
for identifying high-performing middle schools (Pennsylvania Association for Middle
Level Education, 2015). These criteria focus on four areas: academic excellence,
developmental responsiveness, social equity, and organizational structures. The middle
school was originally recognized with this honor in 2014 and was twice re-designated as
a School to Watch. I point this out because it is evidence that Schuylkill Valley Middle
School is a high-performing school, yet there was a need to improve existing homework
practices.
As described earlier, I am a middle school principal and former special education
teacher. I spent nine years in the classroom and have completed 12 years in
administration. I have been in my current principal position for four years, and I had
previously served as an assistant principal and principal at the high school level. In
addition, I served as the director of secondary educational services concurrent to the high
school principal position.
The participants in this study included core content (mathematics, ELA, science,
and social studies) teachers as well as parents of students in the middle school. Core
content teachers were the focus because they were primarily responsible for assigning
homework in the school. This represented 24 of the 43 members of the teaching team.
All parents of middle school students who previously supplied an email address in the
student information system were also included in this study. Six hundred forty-six emails
were on file, representing approximately 96% of middle school parents in the district.
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
42
Each participant received a survey asking questions about homework perceptions and
purposes.
Regarding participation, Informed Participant Consent was obtained for all
participants through a letter sent with the survey. The letter provided an understanding of
the research as well as its risks. Parents and teachers agreed to participate by clicking a
button at the beginning of the survey, which indicated their cooperation. Additionally,
the district superintendent, Dr. Cindy Mierzejewski, granted written permission for me to
complete this research study, allowing access to middle school teachers and parents.
This study also included a review of the actual impact of homework on students’
academic performance. In order to identify this impact, a neutral mediator generated a
random sample of student data using the electronic gradebook system. The data were
stripped of all identifying information other than grade level. Dr. Mierzejewski also
granted permission to access the gradebooks of middle level teachers as part of this
research. The letter and survey to parents (Appendix A), letter and survey to teachers
(Appendix B), and written permission from the district superintendent (Appendix C) were
provided in the Appendix.
Research Plan
Action research is a systematic approach to solve a problem (Hendricks, 2017).
In this case, Schuylkill Valley Middle School had a problem in that it did not have a
guide to help teachers use homework as an effective educational tool. In order to attempt
to solve this problem, I took a systematic approach through participatory action research.
Participatory action research is considered to be “emancipatory (the action researcher is
able to explore practices within the limits of social structures), critical (the action
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
43
researcher’s goal is to challenge alienation, unproductive ways of working, and power
struggles), and transformational (changing both theory and practice)” (p. 7).
I wanted to challenge the conventional notion that homework was a practice that
must continue just like it did for previous generations. To a greater degree, nationwide
practices have become such that students are averaging about twice as much time spent
on homework each day as their counterparts did in previous decades (Pinsker, 2019).
School districts continue to recognize this trend and, like a school district in
Hillsborough, California, have updated their homework policies to emphasize the need
for more meaningful homework (Pinsker, 2019). Their policy went so far as to ban
homework due dates that fell on the day after a weekend or a break. According to its
superintendent, Louann Carlomagno, the students seemed to be less stressed based on the
changes, and their state testing performance remained the same (Pinsker, 2019).
Literature provided two primary areas of focus as it related to the value of
homework. One side promoted the benefits of homework. Harris Cooper and others
believed that the amount of homework students did correlated positively with their
academic performance (Pinsker, 2019). The other area, which had proponents including
Alfie Kohn, claimed that homework did not provide any real academic benefits. In fact,
homework opponents pointed to countries where students routinely outperformed
American students on standardized tests, such as Japan and Denmark, because they
traditionally assigned less homework (Pinsker, 2019; Wilde, 2012).
After completing a review of literature, it was clear that homework, when
designed and implemented properly, can serve as an effective educational tool (Carr,
2013). The literature focused on homework quality and quantity when determining value
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
44
and effectiveness. Quality homework has purpose, is efficient, creates ownership, is at an
appropriate level of difficulty, and is aesthetically appealing (Vatterott, 2010). The
effective quantity of homework focuses on amount of time needed to successfully
complete it. Cooper (2007) identified the “10-minute rule” as the standard for homework
time. These areas of homework quality and quantity served as guides for the next part of
this study.
I began this study by first meeting with the core content teachers in grades five
through eight. The team met during academic team meetings, which were designed to
discuss the academic needs of the students. During this time, I explained that I was
researching homework with the hope of creating guidelines that could be used to increase
the effectiveness of the collective homework practices. I shared with the teachers the
three research questions that were guiding this study and explained that the
superintendent gave permission to survey middle school parents and teachers.
During the discussions, I asked the teachers to think about participating in the
study. I explained that their perceptions of homework were very valuable. I also stressed
that taking part in the study was completely voluntary and they may decide to not
participate and there would be no problems if they declined. I also explained that taking
part meant they would fill out a survey that asked questions about their homework
beliefs, how effective they thought homework was, and what their purpose in assigning
homework was. I provided time for the teachers to ask any questions. The only question
was whether or not the survey was anonymous. I explained that it was anonymous and
the only demographic question involved identifying grade level(s) taught.
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
45
All teachers indicated that they were willing to participate in the study. I told
them that they would receive a link to the survey in their school email. A consent form
was attached to the survey and the participating teachers had to click a button at the
beginning of the survey that indicated that they agreed to participate. This survey was
distributed electronically, with a two-week timeframe to complete it. At the end of two
weeks, 23 of the 24 core content teachers provided data for the study.
Regarding parent participation, I worked with the Director of Technology to
provide a mass email list of middle school parents. He generated a list of 646 emails.
Using that list, I distributed emails that explained the purpose of the survey, including the
desire to identify parents’ perceptions of homework. Parents were also informed that
participation was completely voluntary and they could decline participation without any
penalty. Much like the teacher survey, parents needed to click a button at the beginning
of the survey indicating that they agreed to participate. Parents were also given a twoweek timeframe to complete the survey. At the end of two weeks, 199 parent surveys
were completed.
The third piece of the research plan involved gathering data on the academic
impact of homework on the middle school students. This required a neutral mediator to
generate a random sample of students to use for the research. After generating the
sample, the neutral mediator was given access to the district’s electronic gradebook and
produced gradebook information, looking at the academic impact of homework in terms
of its weight on overall percentage of grades. This information was cross-referenced
against recommendations in the literature. The overall plan involved a comprehensive
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
46
analysis of the survey results, combined with recommendations from the literature, to
identify current practices in the middle school.
Regarding fiscal implications, this plan had no cost to the district. Regarding
future plans, communication and professional development will play a role but at no
anticipated cost. Professional development will be necessary to review and explain
changes associated with new homework guidelines, but this professional development
will be accomplished in-house during contracted time. Changes from this project need to
be clearly communicated to stakeholders. This will be explained to all students and staff
through the mass notification system and distributed with the summer mailers to all
families. I will also communicate homework guideline changes through social media
avenues, including the middle school Facebook page and website. As noted previously,
time was the primary indirect cost associated with this project.
Research Design, Methods, and Data Collection
This study used a mixed-methods research design, in that it included a qualitative
piece and a quantitative piece. Creswell and Clark (2011) provided examples of
problems that best matched mixed-methods research. One example that they pointed to
was that one data source might not be enough to fully answer the research questions.
Specific to this study, I wanted to identify if the results of the qualitative data and
quantitative data were complementary or contradictory.
This mixed-methods design followed convergent parallel design (Mertler, 2019).
Using this design method, I collected quantitative and qualitative data at the same time,
giving equal priority to each part. The quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
47
independently, but the results were compared to identify supporting or contradictory
findings regarding homework practices at the middle school.
The qualitative component of this research project included the use of teacher and
parent surveys to identify perceptions of homework practices. The quantitative piece
involved the actual data pulled from teacher gradebooks, identifying the mathematic
impact of students’ homework on academic performance.
In order to gain a detailed understanding of the homework practices, I distributed
surveys to all core content teachers as well as distributed surveys to parents of the middle
school students. The surveys were sent via email using a link to Google Forms. Results
of the surveys were compiled through the Advanced Summary option by Awesome
Table, which is a web-based application that displays data from Google Spreadsheets,
using a variety of advanced filters.
To answer the question, “What are teacher and parent perceptions of homework
effectiveness at the middle school?” I asked teachers and parents to respond to the
previously mentioned survey questions. Because I wanted teachers and parents to say
what they really believed, I used an on-line survey system where all responses were
confidential and anonymous. Although similar, the surveys had separate concentrations
requiring some variations in questions.
Both surveys included multiple choice response questions using a Likert scale
ranging from (1) strongly disagree to (5) strongly agree, and a free response for teachers
to identify their specific purpose for assigning homework and a free response for parents
to identify any additional comments that they had about homework assigned at the
middle school.
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
48
The timeline for collecting this data involved a two-week range. All surveys were
distributed on February 14, 2020. The window to complete the surveys was closed on
February 28, 2020. As noted previously, 23 of 24 teacher surveys were submitted, as
well as 199 parent surveys. Once the window for completing the surveys was closed, all
collected survey data was entered into Awesome Table, utilizing Advanced Survey
options to graph the data points, primarily focusing on mean scores.
To answer the questions about homework benefits and challenges, as well as
trends and best practices, I relied on the survey results and literature review. From there,
I used the random samples obtained from teacher gradebooks in Sapphire Suite to attempt
to compare current practices with best practices to see how the teachers performed. A
neutral mediator was used to generate a random sample of students to use for the
research. After generating the sample, the neutral mediator was given access to the
electronic gradebook system to produce gradebook information.
The random sample had a parameter of five students from each grade level,
meaning there was a total of 20 students in the sample. Archived data was used from the
2018–2019 school year. Specifically, quarter two gradebook information was used for
consistency. Again, the neutral mediator picked this timeframe during the random
selection process. The generated report included the complete list of gradebook
information for core content subjects: mathematics, ELA, science, and social studies.
All assignments were categorized in one of the following areas: default category,
projects, quizzes, tests, classwork, homework, and extra credit.
Upon receiving the information, I identified all assignments given the homework
designation in the gradebooks. Using this data, I determined how many homework points
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
49
were included during the second marking period, as well as the total points possible for
each student. Although there was differentiation based on ability within the grade levels,
all students had common assessments and common homework grades, allowing for a
clean comparison. This meant that all five students at each grade level had the same
number of homework points possible and total points possible for each of their respective
courses. For example, all fifth grade students had 20 homework points possible for the
183 total points possible in math. Likewise, all seventh grade students had 16 homework
points possible for the 277 total points possible in science. This process allowed me to
identify the value homework weighed on the overall percentage of second quarter grades
during the 2018–2019 school year and compared that to the actual grades that each
student earned in each content area during that grading period.
Upon completion of data gathering, I began a comprehensive analysis of the
survey results compared to recommendations in the literature and actual academic
artifacts to identify current practices in the middle school, triangulating all data sources.
A password-protected laptop was used for the electronic storage of all information. Any
artifacts or documents were stored in a locked cabinet in the middle school office, as well
as backups of all artifact data on the same password protected laptop. Additionally, as an
added precaution, all data was housed in a cloud-based security encrypted location.
A research concern was producing valid and reliable information in an ethical
way, which was deemed trustworthy to professionals (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Regarding the research process, ethical issues can occur “prior to conducting the study, at
the beginning of the study, during data collection, in conducting data analysis, in
reporting the data, and in publishing a study” (Creswell & Poth, 2018, p. 54). I
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
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documented the process of collecting and analyzing data, following strict ethical
guidelines to protect participants’ identities, developing security measures to store and
protect data, and avoiding conflict with participants (Creswell & Poth, 2018; Brinkman &
Kvale, 2015).
Researchers have an obligation to protect the privacy of all participants (Creswell
& Poth, 2018). The guarantee of confidentiality and the participant’s rights were outlined
in the informed consent documents (Appendix A and B). Additionally, I gained
confirmation that all human subject protection guidelines were followed by submitting
documentation to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at California University of
Pennsylvania. The purpose of this documentation was to protect participants and outline
potential researcher bias, conflict of interest, and any risks or benefits to which a
participant may be exposed. The IRB review request was submitted August, 7, 2019. An
email from IRB was received August 15, 2019, granting approval for this research project
(Proposal #18-084). The approval email was provided (Appendix D). In addition, I
successfully completed all web-based courses through the Collaborative Institutional
Training Initiative (CITI) required for this study in September of 2018 (Appendix E).
Regarding fiscal implications, there were no new costs associated with any part of
this data collection process.
Validity and reliability are of high priority in research study (Suter, 2012).
Reliability refers to “the process of the study being consistent, reasonably stable over
time, and across researchers and methods” (Miles, Huberman, & Saldana, 2020, p. 305).
Reliability is really having consistent outcomes if a research study is replicated (Suter,
2012). Validity is the determination of the data collection process and occurs if the
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
51
process accurately measured what it was intended to measure (Suter, 2012). Research is
considered trustworthy if the researcher follows a rigorous methodology (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016).
I conducted an action research project that focused on the triangulation of
multiple data sets to achieve validity. According to Merriam and Tisdell (2016),
triangulation using multiple sources of data means comparing and cross-checking data
collected through various methods, including people with different perspectives. The
triangulation of data came from survey data of homework perspective from parents and
teachers in the middle school, in combination with the collected artifacts from teacher
gradebooks. This process allowed me to verify the data’s accuracy (Mills, 2014) and
clarify meanings or misconceptions held by participants (Stringer, 2007). Cresswell and
Poth (2018) indicated that when “researchers locate evidence to document a code or
theme in different sources of data, they are triangulating information and providing
validity to their findings” (p. 260).
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) believed that reliability is challenging because
“human behavior is never static” (p. 250). Replication of the research is difficult because
reliability is based on the assumption that there is one single reality and that studying it
over and over will yield the same results (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Improving
reliability is possible, however, by developing trustworthiness and documenting the data
collection procedures (Cresswell & Poth, 2018). This is what I attempted to do
throughout this action research project.
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Summary
Fraenkel, Wallen, and Hyun (2012) identified five strengths of action research:
It can be conducted by almost any professional in any type of educational
setting.
It is focused on the improvement of educational practice.
Educators who practice action research develop more effective ways to
perform as professional educators.
Action research can help educators identify problems and issues and then
study them in a systematic manner.
Action research can help in the establishment of a community of
professional learners within an educational setting.
Because the purpose of action research is “to solve local-level problems, not to
generalize solutions to larger population” (Mertler, 2019, p. 146), there were no real
limitations. This participatory action research project intended to explore and challenge
current homework practices, with the intent of transforming the way of thinking to ensure
that homework is used as an effective educational tool to best meet the needs of all
students moving forward.
The methodology for this project was explained throughout this chapter,
concentrating on data collection through surveys focused on parents’ and teachers’
homework perspectives, as well as the retrieval of gradebook artifacts to verify the
accuracy, or clarify the misconceptions, of participants. Chapter IV will focus on the
analysis of the collected data and provide results and interpretations of findings.
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CHAPTER IV
DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
The purpose of this action research study was to identify the impact of homework
on students at Schuylkill Valley Middle School from the perspectives of teachers and
parents. In addition, I wanted to identify best practices for homework at the middle level
so that homework could be used as an effective educational tool to best meet the
academic and social/emotional needs of the students.
I analyzed survey responses on the perceptions of homework effectiveness and
homework purpose among parents and teachers at Schuylkill Valley Middle School.
Participants in this study included 23 core content middle school teachers and 199 parents
of middle school students. Furthermore, I analyzed archived gradebook data for 20
randomly selected middle school students from the 2018–19 school year. This included
an analysis of the academic impact of homework in terms of its weight on overall grades.
In this chapter, data were presented and analyzed to answer three research
questions:
What are teacher and parent perceptions of homework effectiveness at the middle
school?
What are the comparative benefits and challenges of homework for middle level
students?
What are the educational trends of homework in relation to best practices?
Data were collected through anonymous on-line surveys that were distributed to
participants and through the gathering of archived data using a neutral mediator.
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Results
I created surveys for parents and teachers used specifically for this study.
Although not identical, both surveys included like questions that were used to answer the
research questions. Additional questions were included to help steer my understanding of
parent and teacher perceptions of homework needs as well as input for establishing
potential future homework guidelines. Parents were given the option to provide
additional comments about homework at the end of their survey. Teachers were also
asked to comment on the purpose of the homework that they assigned. Comments were
not statistically analyzed but were discussed in chapters IV and V.
The following results addressed the survey questions given to parents and
teachers that used a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 =
strongly agree.
Table 6
Teacher Survey Results
Question
Mean
Standard
Deviation
Homework is an effective tool to teach responsibility
4.00
1.07
Homework is an effective tool to teach time management
4.09
1.00
Homework is an effective tool to reinforce skills taught at
school
4.35
0.61
Students are expected to complete homework assignments
with help from parents
2.13
0.91
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Students are expected to complete homework assignments
independently
3.61
0.67
Parents want students to have homework
2.96
0.61
The middle school administration expects teachers to assign
homework
2.65
0.73
3.00
1.03
I regularly provide feedback to students regarding homework
assignments
4.09
0.98
Students who complete homework have a more positive selfimage
3.70
0.78
I regularly communicate with my colleagues about the
amount of homework assigned
3.00
0.86
Students who complete homework create fewer discipline
problems in my classroom
3.65
0.61
Giving zeros for late or incomplete homework motivates
students to complete future homework assignments
Based on the results, teachers presented supporting or neutral results for all but two
statements, indicating shared beliefs in the value of homework. Parental support with
homework received the lowest score (2.13), indicating that teachers believed homework
was developed to be completed independently.
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Table 7
Parent Survey Results
Question
Mean
Standard
Deviation
Homework is an effective tool to teach responsibility
3.70
1.03
Homework is an effective tool to teach time management
3.44
1.15
Homework is an effective tool to reinforce skills taught at
school
3.77
1.01
Students are expected to complete homework assignments
with help from parents
2.72
0.99
Students are expected to complete homework assignments
independently
3.58
0.86
Teachers should assign homework at the middle school level
3.59
1.08
Homework is often difficult for my child to complete
3.02
1.03
My child’s grade is significantly impacted by homework
3.32
1.08
I understand and value the purpose of my child’s homework
assignments
3.52
0.94
The middle school expects teachers to assign homework
3.69
0.79
Teachers provide written feedback on homework assignments
2.18
1.01
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
The middle school should adopt a homework policy that
controls the amount of homework assigned
3.87
1.01
Homework causes tension at home
3.45
1.10
Homework causes anxiety for my child
3.48
1.02
Parents agreed that homework taught responsibility and time management, as well as
reinforced skills taught at school. However, parents also agreed that homework had
drawbacks, including causing tension and anxiety.
Research Question 1: What are teacher and parent perceptions of homework
effectiveness at the middle school? In order to best answer this question, I wanted to
focus on homework quality and quantity. By quality, I wanted to know if homework was
developed so that students could complete it independently. By quantity, I wanted to
know how much time it took to complete homework each night. Teachers and parents
were both asked to indicate, on average, how much time was spent on homework each
night. The specific results are displayed in figures 1 and 2.
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Figure 1
Time Spent on Homework Nightly (Teacher Response)
30-60 min., 0%
1-2 hrs., 0%
more than 2 hrs.,
0%
15-30 min., 30.4%
0-15 min., 69.6%
Figure 2
Time Spent on Homework Nightly (Parent Responses)
more than 2 hrs.,
11.6%
0-15 min., 7.5%
15-30 min., 22.1%
1-2 hrs., 23.6%
30-60 min., 35.2%
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
In order to properly compare results, it must be understood that Schuylkill Valley
Middle School runs on a block schedule, with only three core classes meeting daily. To
further drill down on this data, I needed to know how often teachers assigned homework.
Teachers were asked, on average, how many nights a week they assigned homework.
Figure 3 provides those results.
Figure 3
Average Nights of Homework
Never, 0%
Rarely, 26.1%
4-5 Nights/Week,
21.7%
Every Night, 26.1%
2-3 Nights/Week,
26.1%
Looking at the results, 35.2% of parents indicated that their children spent at least
one hour per night on homework, while 11.6% of that group indicated that more than two
hours was spent on homework each night. Because 26.1% of teachers assigned
homework every night and the same percentage indicated that they rarely assigned
homework, the amount of time spent on homework from the perspective of parents did
not appear to align with the perspective of teachers. Furthermore, 69.6% of the teachers
indicated that students should spend 0-15 minutes per night on the homework they
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60
assigned. With the maximum possibility of three core content assignments nightly, no
student should average more than one hour of homework per night.
Quality homework involves homework that students can complete independently,
meaning it is at an appropriate level and difficulty (Vatterott, 2010; Marzano &
Pickering, 2007). Teachers and parents were both asked to identify if homework was
expected to be completed independently. Surveys indicated similar results. With a mean
score of 3.58, parents agreed with the idea that work should be completed independently.
Teacher scores averaged 3.61, also indicating that homework was developed to be
completed independently. In addition, with a mean score of 3.02, parents were neutral in
response to identifying if homework was often too difficult for their child to complete.
These responses indicated that, regarding homework quality, teachers and parents were in
agreement.
Research Question 2: What are the comparative benefits and challenges of
homework for middle level students? Three common survey statements were given to
both parents and teachers to identify homework benefits: homework is an effective tool to
teach responsibility; homework is an effective tool to teach time management; and
homework is an effective tool to reinforce skills taught at school. Teachers’ mean scores
for these three statements were 4.00, 4.09, and 4.35, representing three of the four highest
scoring statements on the survey. Parents’ mean scores were 3.70, 3.44, and 3.77, also
indicating agreement that homework produced these benefits.
Teachers were also asked to rate two additional statements related to homework
benefits: students who complete homework have a more positive self-image and students
who complete homework create fewer discipline problems in my classroom. The mean
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61
scores for these statements were 3.70 and 3.65, respectively, indicating that teachers
found a positive correlation between homework completion and these specific positive
behaviors.
Parents were asked to identify challenges associated with homework from the
following survey statements: homework causes tension at home and homework causes
anxiety for my child. With similar mean scores of 3.45 and 3.48, parents identified
homework as a potential social/emotional challenge in the home. As noted previously,
parents were also asked if they believed homework was often too difficult for their child
to complete. They were neutral in their collective responses.
Research Question 3: What are the educational trends of homework in relation
to best practices? Parents were provided with the following specific survey statements
regarding homework trends and best practices: teachers should assign homework at the
middle school level and teachers provide written feedback on homework assignments.
With homework trends reaching extremes in some areas where districts have decided to
eliminate homework altogether, I wanted to know the opinions of the middle school
parents. With a mean score of 3.59, parents indicated that they still valued and wanted
homework in the middle school. However, when it came to teachers providing feedback,
parents indicated that this was not an effective best practice in the middle school with a
mean score of 2.18, the lowest score on the parent survey.
Teachers were asked several questions about best practices as it related to current
trends in homework. Teachers were asked how often homework was reviewed, graded,
and how much homework counted toward the overall class grade. Figures 4–6 provide
their responses.
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Figure 4
How Often Homework is Reviewed
about 1/2, 0%
rarely , 0%
never, 0%
most assignments,
34.8%
every assignment,
65.2%
Figure 5
How Often Homework is Graded
Never, 13%
Every assignment,
8.7%
Most assignments,
30.4%
Rarely, 39.1%
About 1/2, 8.7%
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Figure 6
Homework Percentage of Overall Grade
more than 50%,
4.4%
21-30%, 0%
31-40%, 0%
41-50%, 0%
11-20%, 39.1%
0-10%, 56.5%
Teachers were also asked to rate, on the Likert scale, their practices as it related to
giving zeros for late or incomplete homework, providing feedback on homework, and
their regular communication with colleagues about the amount of homework assigned.
The average teacher score for giving zeros for late or incomplete homework to motivate
students to complete future homework assignments was 3.00, which indicated that
teachers were neutral on this practice. When asked if they regularly provided feedback to
students regarding homework assignments, their mean score was 4.09, tied for second
highest average score. When asked if they regularly communicated with colleagues
about the amount of homework assigned, the teachers’ mean score was 3.00.
In an attempt to further validate the data among teachers and parents, I used a
neutral mediator to gather archived student gradebook data from quarter two of the 2018–
19 school year. Within the data, the mediator pulled five random students’ records from
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
each grade level. The report included the complete gradebook for math, ELA, science,
and social studies. Within the gradebook, the total number of homework points possible
and overall total points possible were identified to determine the weight of homework on
the quarter grade. Table 3 provides the averages of the collected data.
Table 8
Student Gradebook Results
Students
GRADE 5
GRADE 6
GRADE 7
GRADE 8
Subject
Math
Homework
points possible
20
Total points
possible
183
HW % of
overall grade
11
ELA
20
464
4
Science
0
128
0
Social Studies
0
208
0
Math
41
232
18
ELA
38
343
11
Science
8
164
5
Social Studies
0
219
0
Math
100
409
24
ELA
75
455
16
Science
36
277
13
Social Studies
30
180
17
Math
75
345
22
ELA
165
625
26
Science
30
262
11
Social Studies
40
312
13
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
65
“Credibility, dependability, and confirmability can be established through
triangulation” (Hendricks, 2017, p. 71). Again, the triangulation of data came from
survey data from both teachers and parents, in combination with the collected artifacts
from teacher gradebooks. Comparing all three sources allowed me to verify and refute
the accuracy of the accumulated data. Parents and teachers both provided perspectives of
homework quality and quantity. They were in agreement on quality but varied in
opinions related to quantity. In addition, teachers identified the impact of homework on
overall grades, with 56.5% indicating that homework counted for 0–10% of the overall
grade in their class and 39.1% indicating that homework counted for 11–20% of the
overall grade. There was one outlier stating that homework counted for more than 50%
of the overall grade. The archived student gradebook data did not line up with those
claims. In fact, 11 of the 16 classes (68.9%) averaged 11% or higher value in homework
impact. Three of the 16 classes (18.8%) had a homework impact greater than 20%. Of
the five classes that averaged 10% or less in homework impact, three of them assigned no
homework at all.
Discussion
Parents and teachers provided their perspectives on homework at the middle
school. Although both groups shared a similar view about homework quality as it related
to appropriate level and difficulty, they were not in agreement about homework quantity.
Specifically, parents indicated that students typically spent much more time on
homework than what teachers thought.
One of the regular parent concerns that led to the implementation of this action
research study related to the amount of homework students received and the time it took
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
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them to complete it. In fact, the parent survey question scoring the highest (3.87 on the
Likert scale) was the one stating that the middle school should adopt a policy that
controls the amount of homework assigned. Additional survey results further supported
their concerns. With 35.2% of parents indicating that their child spent more than one
hour each night on homework, including 11.6% of that group saying more than two hours
per night, the time middle school students spent on homework each night was clearly a
concern. With this information, there appeared to be a disconnect among teachers
because approximately 70% of those surveyed believed their individual homework
assignment should average no more than 15 minutes per night. Compounding this
problem was the fact that there was a neutral response (3.00) from teachers when asked if
they communicated with colleagues about amount of homework assigned. All of this
resulted in parents claiming long nights of homework while teachers assumed that the
total number of homework assignments given each night should be completed quickly.
Homework benefits have historically included the assumption that it teaches
responsibility and time management, as well as effectively reinforces skills taught in
school. Surveyed teachers agreed with this assertion. When asked to comment on the
purpose of their homework, 21 of 23 teachers wrote that homework reinforced skills
taught in the classroom through words including review, practice, prepare, and reinforce.
One teacher summed up the purpose of homework by saying “homework is assigned for
students to independently practice the concepts learned in class after having had support
from the teacher and peers. Homework’s intention is to allow a student to determine if he
or she fully grasps the material without further instruction.” Parent data reflected similar
support for these identified homework benefits.
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Teachers also agreed that success with homework leads to an increase in selfimage and decrease in classroom discipline. This indicated that homework can have a
direct impact on overall classroom climate. This supported the notion that effective
homework practices should be put in place to increase likelihood of student success, both
academically and socially/emotionally.
Next, homework trends and best practices were put into focus. Reviewing
homework and providing feedback are necessary for homework to be used as an effective
educational tool (Protheroe, 2009; Vincent-Lancrin et al., 2019). Teachers indicated that
they reviewed most (34.8%) or every assignment (65.2%), a practice that promotes
homework effectiveness. However, while teachers indicated that they regularly provided
feedback on homework assignments (4.09 on the Likert scale), parents said that teachers
did not provide feedback on homework assignments (2.18 on the Likert scale). This was
an alarming difference in ratings and was one that must be corrected because feedback
has been identified as having a direct and positive impact on student learning (Walberg &
Paik, 2004). Teachers said they gave feedback, yet parents did not see it. A homework
guideline requiring feedback would potentially eliminate this disconnect.
Finally, the use of homework in grading was examined. Survey results were
compared to archived student gradebook data. In this study, survey results did not align
with the gradebook data. While 56.5% of teachers surveyed indicated that homework
counted for no more than 10% of the total grade in class, the archived data showed that
only five of 16 classes (31.2%) supported that claim. Along with this, 39.1% of teachers
indicated that homework counted for 11-20% of the overall class grade, while the
archived data showed that 50% of classes fell into this range, with three classes averaging
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
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a homework impact greater than 20%. In terms of assessment and homework
accountability, this was an area that must be addressed, as the historical gradebook data
did not support the survey data. It should be noted that current homework trends are
devaluing the notion of grading homework altogether, instead simply using it as a method
of formative assessment (Vatterott, 2018).
Summary
This chapter focused on the analysis of teachers’ and parents’ perceptions of
homework as well as homework benefits, challenges, trends, and best practices. Parents
and teachers were surveyed, leading to similarities and discrepancies with their results.
Both groups found value in homework and supported its use in the middle school.
However, they did not agree on the perception of time needed to complete assignments.
Additional gradebook data was reviewed as a way to triangulate the data and support the
survey results. In this case, the gradebook data refuted several of the claims related to
overall homework impact in grading.
The next chapter will reflect on the previous chapters’ information and use that
information to draw conclusions about the need for homework reform at the middle
school. The extensive literature review, in conjunction with educational best practices,
will guide the intended outcome of establishing homework guidelines that Schuylkill
Valley Middle School can use to ensure that homework is being used as an effective
educational tool to best meet the academic and social/emotional needs of the students.
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter includes conclusions and recommendations based on the summary of
the data analysis and literature review. The purpose of this study was to identify the
impact of homework on students at Schuylkill Valley Middle School from the
perspectives of teachers and parents. Additionally, I wanted to identify best practices for
homework at the middle level so that homework could be used as an effective educational
tool to best meet the academic and social/emotional needs of the students.
Conclusions
Research Question 1: What are teacher and parent perceptions of homework
effectiveness at our middle school? In order to address the goal of this study, which was
to establish guidelines for effective homework practices, it was important to truly
understand the perceptions of teachers and parents as it related to homework
effectiveness. The survey results showed that teachers believed homework was effective
at the middle school. One teacher commented that “homework assignments are tasks that
need to be completed that students typically do not need my help with. I believe allowing
students to complete this work on their own allows the time they spend with me in the
classroom to be more valuable.” Another noted that “homework helps me to identify
concepts that need to be reviewed in more detail prior to moving on.” Several teachers
echoed the effectiveness of homework by writing that “homework reinforces the concepts
taught in class.” Along with this, teachers specifically identified the homework benefits
associated with self-regulation and other nonacademic purposes. Bembenutty (2011)
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
70
discussed the positive effects of homework when students specifically learn to practice
self-regulation skills. These specific findings supported the research.
Many parents perceived homework as being effective according to the survey
data, but to a lesser degree than teachers did. Several of the 85 comments from the 199
parents surveyed spoke to the value of homework. One parent stated, “I do believe there
is value in homework if used effectively to reinforce concepts and skills, and equity
practices for all learners are considered.” Another parent noted that “homework is a
critical part in learning and to help retain what was taught.” A third parent wrote,
“homework is a must at the middle school level! Now is our opportunity to prepare our
kids for their next level of school and the real world that can best be embraced through
hard work and determination.” It should be noted that the data showed that many
teachers surveyed gave grades for homework. Because of this, parents were likely to
equate good grades with homework effectiveness (Vatterott, 2011). Additionally, Van
Voorhis (2011) found that parents perceived homework as having a positive impact on
academic success. Again, the findings of this study supported the research.
Not all parents perceived homework as positive, however. One parent
commented, “homework has not made a positive impact on my child’s learning, grades,
and social emotional learning.” Another noted that “homework is important, but I feel
my child gets too much. I think the school should control the amount of homework that
kids are given so they are not up so late doing work. There needs to be a better balance.”
While overall parent perception of homework effectiveness was positive, parent
perceptions reflected their children’s experiences. One parent expressed concern by
saying “I do not believe the teachers have used homework to positively impact my child’s
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
71
growth, but actually caused my child to dislike school.” Another said, “my daughter is a
great student, but she is up until 11 pm every night trying to finish homework.” Bennett
and Kalish (2006) noted that parents whose children had bad experiences with
homework, reflected similar negative homework views. In all, the data showed that
parents and teachers generally supported the homework effectiveness at Schuylkill Valley
Middle School and the findings of this study supported the research.
Research Question 2: What are the comparative benefits and challenges of
homework for middle level students? The literature identified many academic and
nonacademic benefits to homework. Scholars such as Cooper (2007) and Bennett (2017)
indicated that doing homework caused improved academic achievement. One of the
teachers surveyed stated that “doing the daily math homework generally leads to more
success in terms of higher grades in class.” Another teacher said that homework did a
“good job to help prepare for a test.” A parent echoed those thoughts in saying that “I
believe the homework given is beneficial and provides practice to further understand
what is being taught to them in class.” The gradebook data generally supported these
assumptions in that of the 20 student records reviewed, 46 of 65 classes that assigned
homework resulted in homework averages equal to or higher than final grade averages.
That equated to 71% of grades improved due to homework scores being higher than
overall final class grades. However, looking at that percentage from an administrative
perspective, I would want to see a higher percentage of students demonstrating greater
success in terms of homework grades. This data is reflected in Table 9.
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Table 9
Student Homework and Final Grades
Grade 8 Students
Grade 7 Students
Grade 6 Students
Grade 5 Students
Math
ELA
Science
Social Studies
1
HW
Grade
95
Final
Grade
94
HW
Grade
100
Final
Grade
97
HW
Grade
NA
Final
Grade
95
HW
Grade
NA
Final
Grade
91
2
100
91
100
86
NA
95
NA
91
3
90
84
95
89
NA
92
NA
93
4
90
83
80
82
NA
89
NA
94
5
100
96
100
94
NA
97
NA
99
6
100
100
100
95
100
89
NA
92
7
100
91
100
94
100
93
NA
95
8
100
98
100
91
88
92
NA
86
9
73
68
92
82
88
79
NA
88
10
85
64
87
68
88
71
NA
69
11
100
91
97
85
81
84
90
86
12
100
97
100
92
92
92
90
97
13
70
73
83
78
75
73
77
64
14
70
82
93
95
81
88
90
83
15
85
77
93
83
92
90
90
96
16
91
88
85
84
93
94
85
85
17
87
80
73
75
100
90
85
86
18
67
62
73
79
93
78
85
85
19
67
74
88
95
100
94
100
89
20
80
86
88
95
93
96
85
89
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
73
Homework has benefits beyond academic achievement. Self-regulation skills, as
noted with research question 1, have been regularly identified as a benefit associated with
homework (Ramdass & Zimmerman, 2011; Bempechat, 2019). According to the survey
data, teachers and parents agreed that homework can be effectively used to teach
responsibility and time management. One teacher specifically noted that homework
“reinforces skills taught in the classroom and teaches some organization, responsibility,
and time management skills.” A parent said that “homework teaches responsibility and I
wish that a responsibility grade could be added to the report card to show how students
perform on homework.” The findings in this study supported the research regarding
homework benefits.
Although there is a list of homework benefits, there are also significant challenges
attributed to homework. More than 30 years ago, Cooper (1989) identified several
challenges, including the impact homework had on leisure time and family activities.
Several parents supported this notion, including a comment stating, “homework should
never be assigned over weekends and holidays. This should be family time.” Another
said, “homework should not be assigned during vacations and holidays. Vacation means
a break from school work, exams, and all other stressors. Holidays are times to spend
with families.” A third parent commented that “there should never be homework on the
weekends. That should be strictly for family time. Everyone has busy lives and we don’t
get enough time together.”
Perhaps even more concerning was the potential stress that homework put on
students. Vatterott (2019a) stated that, for students in high-achieving middle schools,
homework was the number one school stressor. Galloway and Pope (2007), in an earlier
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
74
study, made similar claims. The survey data from parents supported this assertion,
indicating that homework caused tension in the home and anxiety for the students. Of the
85 parent comments, 15 specifically included the words tension, anxiety, or stress. One
parent said, “I agree that homework is important, but in our case it causes a lot of tension
in the household.” Another said, “I feel homework is vital to the learning process, but it
absolutely causes anxiety and tension at home in that the amount of homework my
children bring home directly impacts what they can and cannot do as individuals, as well
as what we can and cannot do as a family.” A third parent said, “I understand that
homework should reinforce lessons taught at school, but I often feel that it has the
opposite effect due to the anxiety it causes.” Having these parent concerns about
homework at the middle school was eye-opening and emphasized the need for changes in
homework practices. Again, the findings of this study supported the research.
Research Question 3: What are the educational trends of homework in relation
to best practices? This question got to the crux of this action research project. After
looking at educational trends, I wanted to clearly identify effective best practices that
aligned with the research. Regarding educational trends, homework moves in different
directions, including some schools eliminating homework altogether. Why was there
such variation with homework approach? A big reason was because there was evidence
to support the learning benefits of homework for some students (Carr, 2013), while other
research suggested that homework negatively impacts students (Bennett & Kalish, 2006;
Kralovac & Buell, 2001). Beyond the general use of homework, how homework was or
was not graded continued to be an educational trend. Protheroe (2009) advocated for
grading homework because it motivated students. However, Vatterott (2018) and Dueck
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
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(2014) believed that homework should not count as a grade. In terms of survey results,
teachers were mixed in their use of homework. About half (47.8%) assigned homework
every night or almost every night, while 26.1% said they rarely assigned homework and
26.1% only assigned homework two to three nights per week. How homework was
graded was even more varied among the teachers. Almost a third (30.4%) of teachers
surveyed indicated that they graded most assignments, while 39.1% said they rarely
graded homework.
With such variety in practice, some parents noted specific discrepancies. One
said, “my child has way more homework this year compared to last year.” Another said,
“I feel my son should have more homework each week. He doesn’t come home with
homework very often.” A third parent said, “my daughter is in eighth grade and that
grade has way too much homework.” Parents were also mixed in their comments about
grading. One parent noted that, “although I understand that homework is important, I
think the grades shouldn’t be effected by the homework. My understanding is that
homework is to see what the students need help with, not to grade the work.” Another
said, “homework should only be graded on attempted completion, not if correct.” In
contrast, a different parent said, “if homework is necessary, then it should be graded.” In
all, I believe the findings of this study indicated that more consistency was needed in the
homework practices in order to support the research regarding homework trends.
Time and frequency homework best practices have long been researched.
Students who get homework regularly showed greater gains than those who only received
homework sporadically (Rivero, 2017). Cooper’s (2007) “10 minute rule” continues to
be the homework standard for time, which was also supported by the National PTA and
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the National Education Association (Reilly, 2016). Along with time and frequency,
providing homework feedback is an educational best practice. Walberg and Paik (2004)
noted that students learned more when homework was commented upon and discussed.
In these areas, there was clearly disagreement among teachers and parents. The
majority of teachers surveyed (69.6%) said that their nightly homework assignments
should take 15 minutes or less to complete. Collectively, all nightly assignments should
fit within Cooper’s (2007) guidelines. However, 23.6% of parents indicated that
homework assignments took between one and two hours each night to complete, and
11.6% said that more than two hours was spent on homework each night.
Even more alarming were the responses regarding feedback. Teachers agreed,
with a mean rating of 4.09, that they regularly provided feedback to students regarding
homework assignments. Parents disagreed, with a mean rating of 2.18, saying that
teachers did not provide feedback on homework. In this situation, parent and teacher
perceptions differed greatly, supporting the need for consistent guidelines so that
homework practices support the research regarding educational best practices.
Homework Guidelines
The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of homework on students at
Schuylkill Valley Middle School from the perspective of teachers and parents. In
addition, I wanted to identify best practices for homework at the middle level so that
homework is used as an effective educational tool to best meet the academic and
social/emotional needs of the students. By doing so, I took the results of this study and
developed homework guidelines to use moving forward at the middle school. I believe
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
77
this will lead to tangible improvements to the homework practices, which will greatly
benefit the students.
The homework guidelines include parameters beyond the existing school board
policy (No. 130) and are as follows:
Assigned homework (work to be completed independently outside the classroom)
must be collected.
Homework should be corrected for all wrong answers and returned to the students
with written feedback.
Homework must be meaningful to the students, directly relating to the curriculum.
Homework for all middle school students should not exceed one total hour per
night. This is combining all subjects.
Homework grades shall not count more than 10% of student’s grade and shall not
be able to reduce a student’s overall classroom grade by more than one letter
grade (A to B, B to C, C to D, or D to F).
Homework that is marked for completion or as student responsibility shall not be
included in subject specific grades.
Students shall not receive a “0” for missed homework. They should receive
additional time to complete the assignment or be given an alternate assignment to
be completed with the teacher during ISTA.
Homework should only be repetitive in skill and style when the teacher judges it
to be appropriate.
Homework may not be assigned over holidays or extended breaks.
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
78
Implementing these homework guidelines will have no fiscal implications for the
middle school or school district. The guidelines will be communicated to all stakeholders
at no additional cost. Summer mailings will include a detailed explanation of the new
homework guidelines. Changes will also be communicated through social media,
including the middle school Facebook page and website.
Limitations
This research study sought to identify effective homework practices aligned with
educational best practices through the analysis of parent and teacher perceptions of
homework and a review of educational literature. To establish transparency, it was
necessary to identify some limitations that existed in this study. The following
limitations were identified:
This study had a relatively small sample size of teachers, thus the findings cannot
necessarily be generalized to the overall teaching population.
Human bias was an issue because of the topic and survey format. The
participants may have withheld information or provided inaccurate details.
Researcher bias had to be addressed because I had some preconceived ideas about
the outcome based on previously observed homework practices.
I attempted to address the limitations to strengthen the credibility of the study,
using the following safeguards:
Guarantee of confidentiality prior to administering the survey to reduce human
bias.
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
79
This study focused on Schuylkill Valley Middle School. However, the sample
population of teachers met the criteria that reflected the general population being
studied.
I recognized biases prior to creating the surveys and ensured that questions were
not leading or biased.
Recommendations
Future Plans. The results of this study will be shared with the Schuylkill Valley
Middle School staff to build upon their knowledge on the topic of homework. Significant
research has been completed on the relationship between homework and student
achievement. However, having a better collective understanding of teachers’ and
parents’ perceptions of homework will help to encourage a change to improved
homework practices. As the building leader, I will benefit from a better understanding of
these attitudes and practices and, more importantly, the students will benefit. As a result
of this study, I am recommending the following actions:
Develop a shared purpose for homework. Just like having a vision and mission
for the school, I believe it is essential to develop a meaningful purpose for
homework so that homework is used in the most effective ways to meet the
varying need of all students.
As the building principal, I need to become more aware of the homework
practices of the teachers in the building and evaluate these practices. Teachers
will be held accountable for homework practices to ensure that all assignments are
meaningful and have a sound educational purpose.
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Teachers need to receive professional development on effective homework
practices, including effective homework design. This will be a crucial step
towards overall success in the goal for improved homework practices.
I will meet with district administration to discuss the potential to expand the
created homework guidelines across the district, with a focus on a modified
version of Cooper’s (2007) “10 minute rule,” as deemed appropriate at each level.
I will put an increased focus on communication between teachers and parents in
hopes of reducing tension and anxiety in the home caused by homework. Clear,
detailed expectations will be shared with families outlining how much and what
type of support is expected from parents based on the new homework guidelines.
Implications for Further Research. Based on this study, the following
recommendations have been identified for future research regarding homework:
Conduct research on the impact of eliminating homework grades. Vatterott
(2018) suggested that homework should only be used as formative assessment and
should not count as a grade. Parent and teacher perceptions of homework
effectiveness may be influenced if homework was not graded. Additional
research may help identify whether or not homework deepens learning or is just
relied on to improve overall grades.
Use qualitative research to examine administrators’ perceptions of homework
effectiveness and purpose.
Use qualitative research to examine students’ attitudes and perspectives of
homework effectiveness and purpose and compare those results with that of
parents and teachers to identify similarities and differences.
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Use qualitative research, including interviews and focus groups, to gain a clearer
understanding of teachers’ and parents’ perceptions of homework, including their
experiences, both positive and negative, as it relates to homework.
Conduct a quantitative study among schools that do assign homework and schools
that do not assign homework. Homework effectiveness could be measured
through the analysis of standardized test scores.
Conduct an action research study where teachers provide students with a menu of
homework options. Carr (2013) noted that when students are personally
connected to the content of their homework, they will learn more and be more
motivated. Differentiating homework through student choice could be used to
determine which types of homework most benefit student learning.
Conduct a qualitative or quantitative study examining the homework perceptions
of parents and students as students enter and exit middle school.
Summary
This chapter focused on conclusions and recommendations based on the research
and data analysis surrounding homework effectiveness. The data supported the notion
that parents and teachers supported the overall use of homework at the middle school.
Along the way, I was able to identify specific benefits and challenges associated with
current homework practices. Teachers clearly believed that homework was an effective
tool used to improve academic achievement. Along those lines, homework data showed
that homework grades had a positive impact on overall grades, with 71% of sampled
grades increasing due to homework scores. However, parents’ voices were loud and
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
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clear when it came to how much homework was assigned and the stress that homework
put on the students.
After reviewing the data, it was clear that there was inconsistency, as a school,
when it came to homework practices. Some teachers gave no homework, while others
assigned homework every night. Some counted homework for as much as a quarter of
the overall class grade, while others did not grade homework at all. These irregularities
in practice emphasized the need for consistent homework guidelines that all of the
teachers can follow. As a result, I developed homework guidelines based on educational
best practices identified in the research. These guidelines were outlined in this chapter.
Finally, recommendations for future plans and implications for further research were
made based on the findings and conclusions.
Action Research Project Summary
On March 13, 2020, the educational world was turned upside down. COVID-19
completely changed the way business was handled as a middle school. Teachers went
from assigning homework at the end of class after instruction, to all work being
completed at home. While some students prospered in this new learning environment,
many others struggled, not knowing how to effectively manage doing so much work at
home. As the principal of Schuylkill Valley Middle School, I am tasked with ensuring
that the best educational opportunities are provided for all students, but how can I do this
when the students are not physically in the building with the collection of talented,
hardworking teachers to teach them? How can I do this when there is no control over the
structure or lack of structure in the home? These same questions got to the heart of this
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83
project. How do I ensure that the practices in assigning traditional homework are
effective to best meet the needs of the students?
The purpose of this action research project was to identify the impact of
homework on students at Schuylkill Valley Middle School from the perspectives of
teachers and parents. Additionally, I wanted to identify best practices for homework at
the middle level so that homework could be used as an effective educational tool to best
meet the academic and social/emotional needs of the students. Based on the research,
there is no one correct answer about whether homework is effective or ineffective, but I
believe that quality homework matters.
This study revealed that there were several inconsistencies in homework
practices. Survey results did not always align with the anonymously sampled gradebook
data. Teachers and parents also varied in perspectives of time necessary to complete
homework. This cannot continue. Teachers and parents must work together to provide
the best opportunities and support for the students.
I do not know what the “new normal” will look like at Schuylkill Valley Middle
School. I am eager for students to return to the halls and meet face to face with their
teachers and principals. With that, homework will continue to be assigned, but it will
follow the new guidelines developed as part of this study, because quality homework
matters. In fact, when homework is designed and implemented properly, it serves as a
valuable tool for reinforcing learning (Carr, 2013). When this result is achieved, I will
know that educational best practices in homework are truly being used to meet the needs
of all students!
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homework. Educational Leadership, 64(6), 74-79. Retrieved from
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SAGE.
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distinguish between quantity and quality in research on parental involvement: The
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Research, 108(5), 417–431. doi:10.1080/00220671.2014.901283
Núñez, J. C., Suárez, N., Rosário, P., Vallejo, G., Valle, A., & Epstein, J. L. (2015).
Relationships between perceived parental involvement in homework, student
homework behaviors, and academic achievement: Differences among elementary,
junior high, and high school students. Metacognition and Learning, 10(3), 375–
406. doi:10.1007/s11409-015-9135-5
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kindness. Irish Post. Retrieved from https://www.irishpost.com/news/irishschool-replaces-homework-acts-kindness-reason-somebody-smiles-today-174728
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involvement of low-income families with middle school students. School
Community Journal, 24(2), 165–188. Retrieved from http://www.adi.org/journal
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
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Pope, D., Brown, M., & Miles, S. (2015). Overloaded and underprepared: Strategies for
stronger schools and healthy, successful kids. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley &
Sons.
Protheroe, N. (2009). Good homework policy. Principal, 89(1), 42–45. Retrieved from
http://www.naesp.org/principal-archives
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important role of homework. Journal of Advanced Academics, 22(2), 194–218.
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Reeves, D. (2008). Leading to change/Effective grading practices. Educational
Leadership, 65(5), 85-87. Retrieved from
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educationalleadership/feb08/vol65/num05/Effective-Grading-Practices.aspx
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says. Time. Retrieved from http://time.com/4466390/homework-debate-research/
Rivero, C. (2017). Designing effective homework. Classroom Strategies, Research and
Reflections. Retrieved from https://achievethecore.org/aligned/designingeffective-homework/
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(2015). Does homework design matter? The role of homework’s purpose in
student mathematics achievement. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 43,
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teachers' perspectives on quality homework and on homework assigned in
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model of evaluating local schools’ homework practices. Universal Journal of
Educational Research, 1(2), 119–127. Retrieved from http://www.hrpub.org
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consistently shows that homework has only a slight effect on educational
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Stylus Publishing, LLC.
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on the measures used and the level of analysis chosen. Contemporary Educational
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designs. Theory Into Practice, 43(3), 205–212. Retrieved from
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students. Elementary School Journal, 109(1), 82–95. doi:10.1086/592368
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97
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APPENDICES
98
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Appendix A
Parent Survey
LETTER FOR PARENT SURVEY
Dear Participant:
As principal of the middle school, I am working on my Doctorate in Education in Administration
and Leadership at the California University of Pennsylvania. In order to complete my studies, I
need to complete a capstone project. The name of my project is Impact of Homework Practices
on Middle Level Students (Grades 5 – 8).
One purpose of this study is to determine what perceptions of homework parents have. I would
like to give a brief survey to parents/guardians of students attending our middle school. The
entire survey should take you less than 10 minutes to complete. You will be asked questions
about your homework beliefs, how effective you think homework is, and what the purpose of
homework is.
Because this study deals with homework, the risks of participating are minimized. Your
confidentiality will be protected as best as possible. Responses will be anonymous, with the
only demographic question being the grade level of your child. Although your rights and privacy
will be protected, the California University of PA Instructional Review Board (IRB) and people
working on this research can view the study records.
Taking part in this study is completely voluntary. You may decide not to take part in this study.
You can exit the survey if you want to stop completely, without penalty, prejudice, or loss of
benefits.
This study was approved by the California University of Pennsylvania Institutional Review Board.
This approval is effective 08/26/2019 and expires 08/09/2020. If you have any questions related
to this research or any problems, you may contact me at (610) 916-5617. I am working on this
project together with my Faculty Capstone Committee Advisor, Dr. Peter Aiken. You may
contact him at aiken@calu.edu. Dr. Cindy Mierzejewski, Schuylkill Valley School District
superintendent, is serving as my External Capstone Committee Member. You may contact her
at cmierzejewski@schuylkillvalley.org.
Sincerely,
Joshua Kuehner
Clicking the I AGREE button on the survey indicates:
I have read the above information
I agree to volunteer
I am a parent or guardian of a middle school student
I am at least 18 years of age
99
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
1.
I agree to participate in this survey
I AGREE
I DO NOT AGREE
2. On average, how much time does your child spend on homework each night
a. 0-15 minutes
b. 15-30 minutes
c. 30-60 minutes
d. 1-2 hours
e. More than 2 hours
Please use the following scale to circle an answer the questions below.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
1
2
3
4
5
3. Homework is an effective tool to teach responsibility
1
2
3
4
5
4. Homework is an effective tool to teach time management
1
2
3
4
5
5. Homework is an effective tool to reinforce skills taught at school
1
2
3
4
5
6. Students are expected to complete homework assignments with help from parents
1
2
3
4
5
7. Students are expected to complete homework assignments independently
1
2
3
4
5
8. Teachers should assign homework at the middle school level
1
2
3
4
5
9. Homework is often difficult for my child to complete
1
2
3
4
5
10. My child’s grade is significantly impacted by homework
1
2
3
4
5
100
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
11. I understand the value and purpose of my child’s homework assignments
1
2
3
4
5
12. The middle school expects teachers to assign homework
1
2
3
4
5
13. Teachers provide written feedback on homework assignments
1
2
3
4
5
14. The middle school should adopt a homework policy that controls the amount of
homework assigned
1
2
3
4
5
15. Homework causes tension at home
1
2
3
4
5
16. Homework causes anxiety for my child
1
2
3
4
5
17. Additional comments regarding homework assigned at the middle school level
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________
My child is in the following grade
5
6
7
8
101
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Appendix B
Teacher Survey
LETTER FOR TEACHER SURVEY
Dear Participant:
My name is Joshua Kuehner, and I am a doctoral student at California University of
Pennsylvania. I am working on my Doctorate in Education in Administration and Leadership. In
order to complete my studies, I need to complete a capstone project. The name of my project is
Impact of Homework Practices on Middle Level Students (Grades 5 – 8).
One purpose of this study is to determine what perceptions of homework teachers have. I
would like to give a brief survey to teachers of students attending our middle school using a
Google Form. The entire survey should take you less than 10 minutes to complete. You will be
asked questions about your homework beliefs, how effective you think homework is, and what
the purpose of homework is.
Because this study deals with homework, the risks of participating are minimized. Your
confidentiality will be protected as best as possible. Responses will be anonymous, with the
only demographic questions being the grade level(s) that you teach. Google Forms use
encryption software and does not collect IP addresses. Although your rights and privacy will be
protected, the California University of PA Instructional Review Board (IRB) and people working
on this research can view the study records.
Taking part in this study is completely voluntary. You may decide not to take part in this study.
You can exit the survey if you want to stop completely, without penalty, prejudice, or loss of
benefits.
This study was approved by the California University of Pennsylvania Institutional Review Board.
This approval is effective 08/26/2019 and expires on 08/09/2020. If you have any questions
related to this research or any problems, you may contact me at (610) 916-5617. I am working
on this project together with my Faculty Capstone Committee Advisor, Dr. Peter Aiken. You may
contact him at aiken@calu.edu. Dr. Cindy Mierzejewski, Schuylkill Valley School District
superintendent, is serving as my External Capstone Committee Member. You may contact her
at cmierzejewski@schuylkillvalley.org.
Sincerely,
Joshua Kuehner
Clicking the I AGREE button on the survey indicates:
I have read the above information
I agree to volunteer
I am a teacher
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
I am at least 18 years of age
1. I agree to participate in this survey
I AGREE
I DO NOT AGREE
2. On average, I assign homework:
a. Every night
b. 2-3 times per week
c. 4-5 times per week
d. Rarely
e. never
3. On average, how much time is needed to complete the homework you assign each
night?
a. 0-15 minutes
b. 15-30 minutes
c. 30-60 minutes
d. 1-2 hours
e. More than 2 hours
4. On average, how much time in total should a middle school student spend doing
homework each night?
a. 0-15 minutes
b. 15-30 minutes
c. 30-60 minutes
d. 1-2 hours
e. More than 2 hours
5. How often is homework reviewed in your classroom?
a. Every assignment
b. Most assignments
c. About ½ assignments
d. Rarely
e. Never
102
103
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
6. How often do you grade homework?
a. Every assignment
b. Most assignments
c. About ½ assignments
d. Rarely
e. Never
7.
How much does homework count towards the overall grade in your class?
a. 0-10%
b. 11-20%
c. 21-30%
d. 31-40%
e. 41-50%
f. More than 50%
8.
What percentage of students typically complete and turn in homework assignments in
your class?
a. 0-50%
b. 51-75%
c. 76-90%
d. 91-100%
Please use the following scale to circle an answer the questions below.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
1
2
3
4
5
9. Homework is an effective tool to teach responsibility
1
2
3
4
5
10. Homework is an effective tool to teach time management
1
2
3
4
5
11. Homework is an effective tool to reinforce skills taught at school
1
2
3
4
5
12. Students are expected to complete homework assignments with help from parents
1
2
3
4
5
104
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
13. Students are expected to complete homework assignments independently
1
2
3
4
5
14. Parents want students to have homework
1
2
3
4
5
15. The middle school administration expects teachers to assign homework
1
2
3
4
5
16. Giving zeros for late or incomplete homework motivates students to complete future
homework assignments
1
2
3
4
5
17. I regularly provide feedback to students regarding homework assignments
1
2
3
4
5
18. Students who complete homework have a more positive self-image
1
2
3
4
5
19. I regularly communicate with my colleagues about the amount of homework assigned
1
2
3
4
5
20. Students who complete homework create fewer discipline problems in my classroom
1
2
3
4
5
21. What is the purpose of the homework that you assign?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________
The grade level(s) that I teach:
5
6
7
8
105
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Appendix C
Superintendent Participation Approval
106
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Appendix D
IRB Approval
107
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Appendix E
CITI Program Certificates
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
108
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
109
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK PRACTICES ON MIDDLE LEVEL STUDENTS
(GRADES 5-8)
A Doctoral Capstone Project
Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies and Research
Department of Secondary Education and Administrative Leadership
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Education
Joshua Lee Kuehner
California University of Pennsylvania
August 2020
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
ii
iii
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Cynthia Mierzejewski and Dr.
Peter Aiken for their support through this process. Dr. Mierzejewski encouraged me
throughout, providing valuable resources and recommendations to see this project to
completion. Dr. Aiken regularly answered my many questions and was always a positive
voice.
I would like to thank all of the teachers and parents who responded to my survey.
Your comments and participation provided great insight and motivated me to truly dig
into this topic of homework at the middle school level.
I would also like to thank all of my colleagues who took the time to listen to my
thoughts and ideas over the past few years. Your support was encouraging and kept me
fixed on the goal of providing better educational opportunities for the students of
Schuylkill Valley Middle School.
iv
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Abstract
Schuylkill Valley Middle School did not have a guideline for consistent
homework use among the teaching staff, which resulted in irregular homework practices.
This irregularity emphasized a need for consistent homework guidelines that all teachers
can follow.
The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of homework on students at
Schuylkill Valley Middle School from the perspectives of teachers and parents.
Additionally, I wanted to identify best practices for homework at the middle level so that
homework could be used as an effective educational tool to best meet the academic and
social/emotional needs of the students. In this mixed methods study, I examined and
analyzed answers provided on anonymous surveys (Appendix A & B) distributed
electronically to teachers and parents of students at Schuylkill Valley Middle School, as
well as reviewed archived gradebook data to check for consistency among perceptions
and practices. Three research questions guided the study, focusing on homework
perceptions, benefits and challenges, and trends and best practices.
The survey data indicated that parents and teachers agreed on the value, benefits,
and challenges associated with homework at the middle level. However, parents’ and
teachers’ perceptions of best practices were not aligned. With that, the gradebook data
indicated that teachers’ perceptions and practices did not match. This resulted in the
establishment of recommended homework guidelines to be consistently used by all
teachers moving forward. Additionally, recommendations were made for further research
regarding homework use and design.
v
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
iii
Abstract
iv
List of Tables
viii
List of Figures
ix
CHAPTER I. Introduction
1
CHAPTER II. Literature Review
5
Quality Homework Design
5
Purpose of Homework
8
Best Practices
10
Homework Trends
12
Benefits of Homework
16
Challenges of Homework
20
Perceptions of Teachers, Parents, and Students
26
Teachers
26
Parents
30
Students
33
Summary of the Literature
36
CHAPTER III. Methodology
39
Purpose
39
Setting and Participants
40
Research Plan
42
Research Design, Methods, and Data Collection
46
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Summary
CHAPTER IV. Data Analysis and Results
Results
vi
52
53
54
Research Question 1
57
Research Question 2
60
Research Question 3
61
Discussion
65
Summary
68
CHAPTER V. Conclusions and Recommendations
Conclusions
69
69
Research Question 1
69
Research Question 2
71
Research Question 3
74
Homework Guidelines
76
Limitations
78
Recommendations
79
Future Plans
79
Implications for Future Research
80
Summary
81
Action Research Project Summary
82
References
84
APPENDIX A. Parent Survey
98
APPENDIX B. Teacher Survey
101
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vii
APPENDIX C. Superintendent Participation Approval
105
APPENDIX D. IRB Approval
106
APPENDIX E. CITI Program Certificates
107
viii
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
List of Tables
Table 1. Homework and Related Symptoms
22
Table 2. Homework Behaviors
25
Table 3. Reasons for Homework
27
Table 4. Assessing Homework
28
Table 5. Homework Percentage of Grade
28
Table 6. Teacher Survey Results
54
Table 7. Parent Survey Results
56
Table 8. Student Gradebook Results
64
Table 9. Student Homework and Final Grades
72
ix
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
List of Figures
Figure 1. Time Spent on Homework Nightly (Teacher Responses)
58
Figure 2. Time Spent on Homework Nightly (Parent Responses)
58
Figure 3. Average Nights of Homework
59
Figure 4. How Often Homework is Reviewed
62
Figure 5. How Often Homework is Graded
62
Figure 6. Homework Percentage of Overall Grade
63
1
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A school in Ireland was recently in the news because they decided to do away
with homework for the entire month of December, replacing it with “acts of kindness”
(O’Connor, 2019). Children were asked to do anything as long as it brightened
someone’s day. A school district in Marion County, Florida, also banned homework,
replacing it simply with pleasure reading (Friedman, 2018). A policy in Ridgefield
Public Schools in Ridgefield, Connecticut banned all homework on weekends and school
vacations (Hobbs, 2018). The administration wanted students to spend more time
reading, sleeping, and being with family. These ideas, and others, have become more
prevalent as educators continue to question the value of homework in schools.
As the principal of a nationally recognized Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools to
Watch, I believe one of my primary responsibilities is to lead in an effort to provide
improved academic and developmental outcomes for all students at the middle level. The
staff promotes the importance of educating the whole child, putting equal emphasis on
academic and social/emotional learning. With an educational background in special
education, I routinely advocated for the individual needs of every student that I served.
Now I serve approximately 700 students and have seen the daily struggles of middle
school students, especially as it relates to homework practices.
Despite best intentions and because there was no existing homework guideline, as
students progressed through middle school, they received significant homework
assignments daily, leading to hours of homework each night. More and more, students
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
2
who struggled academically and/or lacked support outside of school continued to be
unsuccessful in accurately completing these homework assignments, rendering the intent
of the assignments ineffective. This led to decreased grades, which in turn increased
anxiety and other social/emotional concerns for the students. The goal of this study was
to identify the impact of current homework practices on students. In addition, I wanted to
thoroughly review and pinpoint best practices for homework use, to establish guidelines
for effective homework practices that best meet the academic and social/emotional needs
of middle level students.
Through surveys and data review, I used a mixed methods approach. Using
random samples, I pulled students’ academic results via on-line gradebooks to determine
the academic impact of homework. Grades were analyzed to determine weight of
homework on overall percentage of students’ grades. This quantitative approach helped
to identify the academic impact of homework on the students. The qualitative focus
involved teachers in the core content areas (mathematics, ELA, science, and social
studies). Teachers were anonymously surveyed, through an on-line database, regarding
the quality and quantity of homework assignments. The surveys focused on how teachers
used homework as an educational tool and how those assignments were used in the
grading process, considering the fact that no blanket homework guideline was in place.
Parents were anonymously surveyed with a focus on their perceived impact of homework
on students at the middle level. Parent surveys were distributed electronically using the
school district’s on-line database containing parent emails.
After surveying, I analyzed all of the collected data, focusing on the quality and
quantity of homework assignments in terms of number of homework assignments and
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
weighting on academic grades. Extensive review of literature, in conjunction with the
quantitative and qualitative data reviews, led to recommendations for homework best
practices at the middle school. The research looked to identify a comparison between
current homework assignment practices and students’ academic and social/emotional
successes and concerns. Using the results of the research, my goals included a potential
overhaul of the existing homework system. Objectives for assigning homework were
clearly identified and used as the guide for future homework practices. With new
guidelines, teachers will know and understand how to use homework as an effective
learning tool and parents will know and understand why homework is given to students,
leading to a better overall partnership in the development and growth of all students.
Time was identified as the primary cost associated with this action research
project. Building administration will need time to thoroughly explain the changes to
homework guidelines to the teaching staff, as well as time to further communicate
changes to students and parents. Teachers will need time to understand and implement
the changes in their existing programs, including time to ask questions related to the
changes. Administrators will need time to prepare and present homework guideline
recommendations to the board of school directors. Beyond that, there were no real costs
associated with this project.
I looked back at my educational career from the time I was a student, to my time
as a teacher and ultimately to my role as an administrator. I remembered homework
assignments that I had and gave that were ineffective. As a student, useless assignments
were frustrating and time-consuming. As a teacher, they were conceived without real
knowledge or understanding about best practices. In my role as an administrator, these
3
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
4
types of assignments must be eliminated. The purpose of this action research study was
to identify practices that ensure that homework is used as an effective educational tool.
This was my focus because homework is a part of our educational programming that will
not be completely eliminated anytime soon. To help achieve the desired results, I used
the following research questions to guide the study:
What are teacher and parent perceptions of homework effectiveness at the middle
school?
What are the comparative benefits and challenges of homework for middle level
students?
What are the educational trends of homework in relation to best practices?
Chapter I introduced the topic of homework and its use at Schuylkill Valley
Middle School. Published research about homework is explored in Chapter II. Chapter
III will explain the methodology used in this study, including surveys used to evaluate the
perceptions of parents and teachers, as well as an anonymous review of archived student
gradebook data. A statistical analysis of the data and findings will be presented in
Chapter IV. Conclusions of the study are discussed and recommendations for practice
and further research are offered in Chapter V.
5
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
Educational scholars have debated the merits of homework for many years. Most
came to the same conclusion: when designed well, homework results in positive
achievement for students (Christopher, 2008; Cooper, Robinson, & Patall, 2006; Marzano
& Pickering, 2007). However, there are groups that oppose any form of homework and
believe it has no educational value (Bennett & Kalish, 2006; Kohn, 2006; Kralovec &
Buell, 2000). Based on the research, there is no one correct answer about whether
homework is effective or ineffective. However, most people can agree that quality
homework matters. In fact, when homework is designed and implemented properly, it
serves as a valuable tool for reinforcing learning (Carr, 2013).
Quality Homework Design
According to Dettmers, Trautwein, Ludtke, Kunter, and Baumert (2010),
“homework works if homework quality is high” (p. 467). The question becomes, what
does quality homework look like? Cathy Vatterott (2010) identified five hallmarks of
good homework: purpose, efficiency, ownership, competence, and aesthetic appeal.
Teachers need to understand what makes homework effective and be sure to focus on
these areas during its design.
Purpose means that homework assignments are meaningful to the students (Carr,
2013). Meaningful homework assignments challenge students to think deeply, apply
knowledge and skills towards problem solving, and create authentic products
(Bembenutty, 2011). Meaningful assignments are ones where students understand their
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
6
purpose and why they are important (Xu, 2011). These assignments should provide
feedback to teachers about students’ understanding, and enable teachers to adjust
instruction as necessary (Vatterott, 2011).
In the book, Homework Done Right: Powerful Learning in Real-Life Situations,
Alleman (2010) identified seven principles of meaningful homework. Principle 1
involves connecting homework assignments with the out-of-school environment.
Principle 2 includes challenging students to use critical thinking to apply learned material
to real-world situations. Principle 3 encourages parent involvement in the process.
Principle 4 relies on student differences in developing homework based on individual
experiences. Principle 5 suggests that homework should allow students to explore their
current social and family circumstances as part of the process. Principle 6 says
meaningful homework should allow students to explore and observe their community and
environment. Principle 7 says that in order for homework to be meaningful, the
curriculum must be up-to-date. Alleman (2010) claimed that following these principles
will lead to high rates of success and an increase in homework completion.
Efficiency is the second hallmark of quality homework. Homework at the middle
level should not take too much time to complete and should require thinking (Carr, 2013).
Cooper (1989) made recommendations regarding the amount of time spent on homework,
generally suggesting ten minutes per grade level. This means a fifth grade student should
have no more than 50 minutes of homework per night and an eighth grade student should
have no more than 80 minutes of homework per night. Students who spend too much
time on homework tend to perform worse than students who spend less time (Cooper et
al., 2006). This is a reason why schools establish policies for quantity of homework
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
7
permitted. Efficient assignments are not too easy and not too hard. Moderately difficult
homework will most likely enhance student motivation and performance (Dettmers, et al.,
2010).
The third characteristic of quality homework is ownership. When students are
personally connected to the content of their homework, they will learn more and be more
motivated (Carr, 2013). Giving students choice in their homework is a way to create
ownership. Menus with a variety of options are a way to make this possible. Teachers
must know their students and think about how they learn best; that is what makes the
learning more relevant (Vatterott, 2010). Additionally, students take ownership of their
work when they are proud of their work (Carr, 2013). Teachers can do this by
recognizing the efforts of their students and displaying their work.
Competence is the fourth characteristic of quality homework. Students must feel
competent in completing their assignments. “Homework that students can’t do without
help is not good homework; students are discouraged when they are unable to complete it
on their own” (Vatterott, 2010, p. 13). Marzano and Pickering (2007) pointed out that
research provided strong evidence that students were more likely to complete homework
when it was at an appropriate level and difficulty. This means students should be able to
complete homework on their own with a relatively high level of success. In order to
ensure this, teachers should differentiate assignments to meet the various levels of all
students (Carr, 2013).
The appearance of homework matters. This is why aesthetic appeal is the fifth
hallmark of quality homework. Students decide whether or not to do their homework on
the basis of the first impressions (Vatterott, 2010). Worksheets filled with definitions or
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
8
math facts appear boring and students are turned off from completing them. Simple
things like graphics and colors can make homework more exciting and interesting. In the
end, quality homework is developmentally appropriate and meaningful in a way that
promotes self-efficacy and self-regulation (Vatterott, 2011). This homework is authentic,
allowing students to engage in solving real-world problems. According to Bempechat
(2019), quality homework makes efficient use of students’ time and it has a clear purpose
connected to what students are learning. It allows choice, promoting a sense of
ownership for children. Quality homework enhances students’ perception of their own
competence by: (1) focusing them on tasks they can complete independently, (2)
differentiating based on need, (3) providing suggested time frames for completion instead
of fixed time to complete tasks, (4) delivering clear directions, and (5) modeling
strategies for competing lengthy tasks.
Purpose of Homework
Why do teachers assign homework? According to Van Voorhis (2004), teachers
assign homework for one of 10 purposes: practice, preparation, participation, personal
development, parent-teacher communication, parent-child relations, peer interactions,
policy, public relations, and punishment. These purposes serve either instructional or
non-instructional functions. Recent studies have shown that practicing the content
learned is the homework purpose most frequently used throughout schooling
(Kukliansky, Shosberger, & Eshach, 2016). A recent study by Rosario, Nunez, Vallejo,
Cunha, Nunes, Mourao, and Pinto (2015) looked at the relationship between homework
and sixth grade mathematics achievement. They reported that homework with the
purpose of extending what students already knew, positively impacted student
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
9
achievement while simple practice and preparation did not. In order to understand if
homework is beneficial and enhances academic success, purposes of homework need to
be looked at more closely.
Frey and Fisher (2011) looked at instructional homework purposes and organized
them into four categories: fluency practice, application, spiral review, and extension.
Fluency practice is when students practice something they already know just so they can
get better. This technique is common in sports and music, but it can be used in all
content areas. Reading at your instructional level or practicing times tables are examples
of fluency practice. Application is relating what one knows to a new situation. Spiral
review involves practicing familiar concepts throughout the year while still practicing
newer material. Finally, extension homework has the purpose of simply extending what
students already know. This type of homework requires the use of a variety of skills and
knowledge (Frey & Fisher, 2011).
Non-instructional purposes focus on communication or political functions (Van
Voorhis, 2004). Teachers develop assignments that encourage parent-teacher
communications, parent-child relations, and peer interactions. Some teachers ask
students to review tests with parents to keep the parents aware of student progress. Some
assignments require students to interact with their parents to complete. Marzano and
Pickering (2007) noted that appropriate parent involvement should not require parents to
act as teachers or to police homework completion. Collaboration through shared
documents on-line have become commonplace in today’s classroom, serving to impact
peer interactions. Political functions involve those where teachers assign homework to
fulfill policy requirements or to satisfy public expectations (Van Voorhis, 2004). The last
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
10
identified purpose of homework is punishment. Teachers who want to make homework a
positive experience for their students need to avoid using homework as a punishment.
Such practices have no educational value and adversely affect students, teachers, and the
relationship they share (Guskey, 2000).
Cooper (2007) argued that homework has benefits for academic achievement
among students, particularly for middle and high school students. It is generally agreed
upon that homework has the potential to extend learning beyond the classroom (Tam &
Chan, 2016). Whether the purpose is academic or non-academic, teachers need to assign
homework that targets areas of student weakness and pushes students to reach success
within their capacity (Cushman, 2010).
Best Practices
Teachers need to give homework that will have a profound effect on students’
academic, social, and personal development (Bembenutty, 2011). In order to meet these
positive benefits, teachers need to implement homework best practices. Time and
frequency homework best practices have long been researched. Students who are
assigned homework regularly showed greater gains than those who only received
homework sporadically (Rivero, 2017). Researchers hypothesized that this was due to
improved study skills and routines practiced through frequent homework. As noted
previously, the amount of homework should also be a focus. Cooper’s (2007) “10 minute
rule” continues to be the standard. The National PTA and the National Education
Association both supported this guideline (Reilly, 2016). Beyond this threshold, more
homework does not contribute to learning (Bempechat, 2019). So if research identifies
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
11
frequency and time, what other best practices should be put in place to ensure homework
is being used as a valuable instructional tool?
Teachers should make sure students fully understand the concepts and possess the
skills necessary to successfully complete any homework assignment. For example,
expecting students to do math problems at home that they do not fully understand will
only discourage and frustrate them (Protheroe, 2009). For this reason, providing time in
class to start homework is essential (Saam & Jeong, 2013; Cushman 2010). Protheroe
(2009) recommended that teachers should routinely allow students to work together on
homework in class. Some students are motivated to complete homework if they are
allowed to work with a peer or in peer groups. Data collected by Burress and Snead
(2017) on middle school students’ motivation and homework suggested that creating
homework assignments involving a social context may be beneficial. Protheroe (2009)
also suggested assigning homework toward the beginning of class, explaining how to do
the homework, including going over the directions and providing examples, explicitly
relating the homework to classwork, and clearly communicating the expectations for
every assignment.
Feedback must be given to homework. Letterman (2013) identified that students
felt homework was important to them when teachers provided feedback on their
assignments. Walberg and Paik (2004) identified teacher feedback to homework as
having a powerful positive effect on student learning. Specifically, they noted that
students learned more when homework was commented upon and discussed. Feedback
also acknowledges a homework assignment’s importance (Protheroe, 2009). Discussing
homework in class allows students to deepen their understanding of the concepts they
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
12
have learned and also identifies what they may not have understood (Vincent-Lancrin,
Urgel, Kars, & Jacotin, 2019).
Homework Trends
The debate over homework is one that elicits strong feelings. Although studies
have shown gains in achievement associated with homework (Marzano & Pickering,
2007), the relationship between academic achievement and homework is still somewhat
unclear (Cooper & Valentine, 2001). There is evidence to suggest that homework has
learning benefits for some students (Carr, 2013), but other research suggested that
homework negatively impacts students (Bennett & Kalish, 2006; Kralovac & Buell,
2001). Cooper (2001), a pioneer in homework research, recommended homework for all
students as long as policies were in place that take into account the unique needs and
circumstances of students. Believing that quality homework improves student
achievement, school districts have changed policies and have taken on the challenge of
homework reform. The “No Excuses Homework” reform is one such example (Watkins
& Stevens, 2013). In this program, students do not get to choose to not do homework.
Instead, interventions are put in place to encourage the completion and quality of
homework. Homework is clearly defined as assignments that require time outside of
class to complete. Students are required to revise or redo work that did not reach a score
of 70%. Zeroes are not allowed. If students do not complete homework, they are given
extra supports from the school. Homework centers and after school tutoring programs
are now a regular part of schools like in this example. Vatterott (2019a) stated that this
was primarily because most homework done outside of the classroom was still done in
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
13
close proximity to schools. Schools recognize that homework success and completion
must be a requirement and not just a suggestion (Watkins & Stevens, 2013).
The way homework is or is not graded is another trend. Teachers provided
several reasons for grading homework, including motivation, reward for hard work, and
help for students who struggled with tests (Vatterott, 2018). There is a belief that the
grade students get will encourage them or cause them to complete homework (Vatterott,
2011). Protheroe (2009) claimed that students learned more when homework was graded
and teachers should reinforce what is done correctly and re-teach skills and concepts that
are not mastered. Vatterott (2011) noted that grades only influenced students who were
motivated by grades, and some students did not care about grades. Schinske and Tanner
(2014) stated the following:
At best, grading motivates high-achieving students to continue getting high grades
– regardless of whether that goal also happens to overlap with learning. At worst,
grading lowers interest in learning and enhances anxiety and extrinsic motivation,
especially among those students who are struggling. (p. 161)
Grading homework rewards effort and can reflect students’ learning. With this,
students understand that their efforts determine outcomes (Fisher, Frey, & Pumpian,
2011). Teachers believe that effort should be rewarded and grades are a way to do so
(Vatterott, 2011). The concern over this is that rewarding students for doing homework
inflates overall grades, which does not truly reflect learning. This grade inflation was a
third reason why teachers graded homework, according to Vatterott (2011).
There is an argument that homework is practice and should not be graded.
According to Vatterott (2018), the current consensus is that homework should be used as
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
14
formative assessment and should not count as a grade. Counting homework as a grade
can be unfair because students differ in the amount of support and resources they receive
and educators do not always know who is actually doing the work (Vatterott, 2019b).
Dueck (2014) agreed that many students simply are not empowered to do homework
because they do not have the resources to do so. Violence in the home, utility
disconnection, and negative school views were additional hurdles to homework
completion noted by Dueck (2014).
Grading homework for completion is really a measure of compliance and
opportunity rather than learning (Dueck, 2014). The most effective grading practices
provide accurate, specific, timely feedback designed to improve student performance
(Marzano & Pickering, 2007). Punishing students with zeroes for missing work is an
ineffective practice (Reeves, 2008). Despite evidence that grading as punishment does
not work (Guskey, 2000), many teachers maintain this policy, believing it will lead to
improved student performance (Reeves, 2008). The problem is that penalties do not
reduce homework avoidance and have little effect on future homework behavior (Dueck,
2014).
Vatterott (2019b) specifically recommended that homework should not count in a
grade, but can be reported separately as a work habit. In schools where homework was
not graded, it was still marked for correctness and students received specific feedback
(Vatterott, 2011). The purpose of homework should always be a focus, and teachers
should incorporate three specific practices as it relates to the grading of homework
(Vatterott, 2011). Practice 1 involved evaluating each assignment to determine whether
to grade it. Formative assessments should not be graded, while summative assessments
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
15
may be. The Rockward School District in Eureka, Missouri instituted such a guideline.
Their policy specifically said that homework will not be part of a course grade if it is
assigned for pre-assessment or early learning. Homework that is assigned as summative
assessment may be graded. Practice 2 involved tying homework to assessments.
Vatterott (2011) recommended allowing students to use homework assignments when
taking a test. This practice encouraged students to practice via homework, while still
creating a grading system that required understanding (Fisher, Frey, & Pumpian, 2011).
Practice 3 is focused on demonstration of learning, not task completion. By doing this,
students understood that they can improve their grades through the demonstration of
mastery (Vatterott, 2011).
Another new trend in education is the flipped classroom concept. Rather than
students doing their assigned practice at home, they access their instruction portion at
home and complete specific learning activities in class with the teacher present
(Greenwald & Holdener, 2019). Flipped learning is about how to best use in-class time
with students (Inan, Balakrishnan, & Refeque, 2019). Flipped classroom environments
can reduce student workloads by placing certain classroom tasks that require attention,
such as taking notes in lectures, into contexts where students have more control over how
and where to complete them (Talbert, 2017). Flipped learning can also promote
technology-enhanced learning, which again provides flexibility for students (Al Rowais,
2016). Interestingly, a study by Dodson (2014) looked at the impact of online homework
on class productivity. One group used only on-line homework, while the other did only
paper assignments. The findings indicated that the difference was insignificant, with both
groups having nearly equal rates of completion and grades in their homework. In the
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
16
end, flipped classrooms offered flexibility and choice, and when students were allowed to
select homework activities, it raised their intrinsic motivation (Bembenutty, 2011).
Benefits of Homework
Based on John Hattie’s research, Corwin Visible Learning identified 250+
influences on student achievement. The Visible Learning research synthesized findings
from 1600+ meta-analyses of 95,000+ studies involving 300 million students, into what
works best in education. They identified homework as having an effect size of 0.29,
meaning that homework was likely to have a positive impact on student achievement. By
comparison, mindfulness had a 0.28 effect size, boredom had a -0.47 effect size, and
teacher credibility had a 1.09 effect size (Visible Learning, n.d.). Cooper (2006) agreed,
stating that “doing homework caused improved academic achievement” (p. 48).
In Cooper’s (1989) early work, Homework, he identified potential positive effects
of homework. These effects are identified as follows:
Immediate achievement and learning
o Better retention of factual knowledge
o Increased understanding
o Better critical thinking, concept formation, information processing
o Curriculum enrichment
Long-term academic benefits
o More learning during leisure time
o Improved attitude toward school
o Better study habits and skills
Non-academic benefits
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
17
o Greater self-direction
o Greater self-discipline
o Better time organization
o More inquisitiveness
o More independent problem-solving
Parental and family benefits
o Greater parental appreciation of and involvement in schooling
o Parental demonstrations of interest in child’s academic progress
o Student awareness of connection between home and school
Many assumptions can be made about the benefits of homework, including an
increase in academic achievement (Bennett, 2017). Using research from the nonprofit
group, Instruction Partners, Rivero (2017) added to the assumption, noting that consistent
homework completion had been shown to increase achievement rates. Their research
indicated that average gains on unit tests for students who completed homework were six
percentile points in grades four through six and 12 percentile points in grades seven
through nine. A study by Bas, Senturk, and Cigerci (2017) looked at students in grades
one through eight, and higher levels. Their results indicated that “as the grade levels rise,
the given homework appears to increase students’ academic success” (p. 45). They did
note that a possible reason for this may also be that as grade levels rise, students become
older, more responsible, acquire higher levels of awareness, improve in other
developmental domains, increase knowledge, and improve concentration.
Cheema and Sheridan (2015) looked at how time spent on homework affected
mathematics achievement. They obtained data from the Program for International
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
18
Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 student survey. PISA in an international assessment of
15-year-old students that was administered in more than 60 countries. They found that an
increase in time spent on homework was associated with an increase in mathematics
achievement of more than a fifth of a standard deviation. They noted this was a
considerable effect size and should not be ignored. Rosario et al. (2015) analyzed the
relationship between homework assignments and sixth grade mathematics achievement.
They reported that extension homework impacted positively on students’ academic
achievement. Trautwein, Schnyder, Niggli, Neumann, and Ludtke (2009) concluded that
demanding homework exercises improved seventh grade students’ mathematics
achievement. Rosario et al. (2018) found that homework quality predicted positively
sixth grade students’ mathematics achievement. It should be noted that a recent metaanalysis focusing on mathematics and science homework showed that the relationship
between homework and academic achievement in middle school is weaker than in
elementary school (Bempechat, 2019; Fan, Xu, Cai, He, & Fan, 2017). On the other
hand, Chang, Wall, Tare, Golonka, and Vatz (2014) referenced a study showing that the
homework attitudes of lower grade students (grade 4 and below) were not significantly
associated with achievement, but the homework attitudes of upper grade students (grade
6 and above) were positively associated with achievement.
As Cooper (1989) identified, homework has benefits beyond academic
achievement. Homework can prepare students to confront complex tasks, develop
resilience, and learn to embrace challenges (Bempechat, 2019). Specifically, homework
plays an important role in the development of self-regulation skills (Ramdass &
Zimmerman, 2011). Self-regulation involves setting goals, selecting appropriate learning
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
19
strategies, maintaining motivation, and monitoring and evaluating academic progress. A
longitudinal study with fifth grade students showed that doing homework fostered selfregulation skills and reading achievement (Xu, 2010). Another study by Xu (2008)
involving 633 eighth graders looked at five self-regulation processes: structuring the
environment, managing time, motivating oneself, managing emotions, and inhibiting
distractions. Xu found that high-achieving students performed significantly better on
these measures compared to low-achieving students. A study by Schmitz and Perels
(2011) found that eighth grade students receiving daily self-regulation support during
mathematics homework performed better on post-tests than their peers who did not
receive self-regulation support. “Teaching these skills to students should be a priority for
teachers and a focal point when designing homework assignments” (Carr, 2013, p. 172).
Self- regulation operates through three components: motivation, cognition, and
metacognition (Ramdass & Zimmerman, 2011). The motivational domain implies that
students believe in their capabilities and value homework as a task that enhances
learning. Valuing homework and having high self-efficacy for the assignment can
enhance a student’s determination when faced with challenges (Ramdass & Zimmerman,
2011). The cognitive domain relates to strategies students use to complete homework
and process information more effectively. An example would be using brainstorming
ideas and making an outline before writing an essay (Ramdass & Zimmerman, 2011).
The metacognitive domain involves students setting goals and monitoring their own
progress as they finish homework. An example of when students do this is when they
reflect on why they do not understand a text during homework completion and use a
strategy such as rereading the text (Ramdass & Zimmerman, 2011).
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
20
Many teachers also talk about the importance of students assuming responsibility
for their learning and claim that homework builds that habit (Fisher & Frey, 2008).
“Homework could also serve as a model for self-discipline, time management, and
personal responsibility” (Saam & Jeong, 2013, p. 122). Managing time is necessary for
this purpose. It involves setting priorities and planning ahead, scheduling regular time to
do homework, and pacing oneself to complete multiple assignments with different due
dates. It also involves keeping track of what remains to be done and reminding oneself of
available time to do it (Xu, 2013).
Ramdass and Zimmerman (2011) found a positive relationship between
homework and self-efficacy, self-reflection, responsibility for learning, maintaining
focus, managing the environment, inhibiting distractions, delaying gratification, and
managing time. Their study also showed a positive relationship at the middle school
level between homework and a range of self-regulation skills, “implying that homework
facilitates the development of self-regulation skills and enhances learning” (p. 215).
Challenges of Homework
Although there is a long list of positive effects associated with homework, there
are also significant negative effects that challenge the suggested positive effects. Cooper
(1989) identified potential negative effects of homework. These effects included:
Satiation
o Loss of interest in academic material
o Physical and emotional fatigue
Denial of access to leisure time and community activities
Parental interference
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
21
o Pressure to complete homework and perform well
o Confusion of instructional techniques
Cheating
o Copying from other students
o Help beyond tutoring
Increased differences between high and low achievers
More recent findings supported many of Cooper’s claims. In fact, students in
high-achieving middle schools identified homework as the number one school stressor
(Vatterott, 2019a). An empirical study by Galloway and Pope (2007) explained the link
between homework and well-being. 496 students participated in this study. Their results
found that 68% of students identified school work, homework, and tests as the number
one cause of stress in their lives. Sixty-five percent of students stated that they were
often or always stressed by homework and school work. Kids Health Surveyed 875
students ages 9-13, with 36% indicating that grades and homework caused them stress
(Kids & Stress, 2005). Although small levels of stress can foster motivation and healthy
competition, ongoing exposure to school-related stressors can lead to physical, emotional,
and behavioral struggles, including fatigue, depression, and decreased academic
performance (Conner, Pope, & Galloway, 2009). Conner et al. (2009) identified the most
frequent consequences of ongoing stress for students, including: physical illness,
insufficient sleep, anxiety and depression, irritability, decrease in academic performance,
withdrawal, drug or alcohol experimentation, and cheating.
Studies exploring the relationship between homework and well-being indicated
that number of hours of homework was negatively associated with psychological well-
22
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
being, physical health symptoms, and sleep (Galloway, Conner, & Pope, 2013).
Specifically, Bempechat (2019) claimed that students carrying three or more hours of
homework per night will face negative effects, including impaired learning, lack of
motivation, anxiety, physical complaints, and sleep deprivation. Galloway and Pope’s
(2007) study also looked at the percentage of students who have dropped an activity,
experienced exhaustion, and experienced weight gain by hours of nightly homework.
Their results are represented in Table 1.
Table 1
Homework and Related Symptoms
Dropped activity
Less than 2 hours
of homework per
night
41.2%
2.1 – 3.5 hours of
homework per
night
52.2%
More than 3.5
hours of homework
per night
77.9%
Exhaustion
49.5%
53.5%
70.2%
Weight gain
14.3%
10.9%
28.9%
Symptom
Homework also deprived students of free time hours and often put a strain on
family time (Bennett, 2017; Suskind, 2012). Galloway and Pope (2007) reported that a
majority of students in their study dropped an activity or hobby they enjoyed because
homework took too much of their time. Research also suggested that homework can
reduce the time students had for social life and cultural and religious activities (Galloway,
Conner, & Pope, 2013).
Katz, Buzukashvili, and Feingold (2012) reported that students’ interactions with
their parents around homework often involved conflicts and negatively impacted their
relationships. Lange and Meaney (2011) discussed how students reach frustration levels
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
23
when working with parents on homework. They noted that, when frustration occurs, it
can:
Result in homework not being completed, which could raise the ire both of
teachers and parents. Therefore, homework has the potential to be emotionally
traumatic for children because they are both the medium for and the mediator in
school/home interactions. (p. 36)
This conflict is only compounded because very often students are either not
motivated to do homework or are motivated by extrinsic reasons, making interactions
around homework at home mostly negative (Katz, Kaplan, & Gueta, 2010). Although
parents are often encouraged to help their students with homework, it should be noted
that parental help with homework is not a necessary component for school success
(Bempechat, 2019).
Social class and ability level are two other areas that impact homework
effectiveness. Kralovec and Buell (2000) claimed that homework punishes the poor
because low income parents may not be educated enough to help with homework. In a
recent study, researchers looked at mathematics achievement in low-income eighth grade
Asian and Latino students (Bempechat, 2019). The results indicated that help with
homework was something their parents could not provide. Vatterott (2019b) asked if
homework was fair for different socioeconomic groups. She stated that teachers need to
avoid making assumptions when assigning homework, including:
Do not assume the child has a quiet place to do homework
Do not assume the child has a parent who is home in the evening
Do not assume the child’s parents speak and read English
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
24
Do not assume the family has money for school supplies
Do not assume the child has access to materials such as paper, scissors, glue or a
calculator
Do not assume the child has access to a computer or the internet
The United States has the second-highest disparity between time spent on
homework by students of high and low social classes, based on the Program for
International Student Assessment (PISA) (Bempechat, 2019). The difference between
advantaged and disadvantaged students was more than three hours per week. A study by
Fernandez-Alonso, Alvarez-Diaz, Suarez-Alvarez, and Muniz (2017) supported this
claim. They selected students in eighth grade in Spain and reviewed the time needed to
complete homework. Their data showed that in a school with 60 minutes of assigned
homework daily, students needed anywhere from four to ten hours a week to complete
the assignments. In a school that assigned 120 minutes of homework daily, students
needed 7.5 hours to 20 hours per week to complete based on ability.
In addition to the negative homework effects noted previously, Bembenutty
(2011) identified specific maladaptive homework behaviors. These behaviors, identified
as homework failures, refer to “any action, behavior, effect, or belief that is an attempt to
regulate homework actions in ways that will result in detracting from reaching long-term
academic achievement” (p. 460). These homework behaviors are listed in the following
table (Benbenutty, 2011):
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Table 2
Homework Behaviors
Behavior/situation
Description
Example
Self-handicapping
Tendencies to engage in
activities that can detract
from accomplishing
important academic goals
Making social
commitments or attending
a party the night before an
important homework is
due
Procrastination
Putting off academic tasks
that will result in
debilitating academic
performance
Setting unrealistically low
expectations
Waiting until the last
minute to complete
homework
Defensive pessimism
Defective academic delay
of gratification
Misregulation
Underregulation
Postponing immediate
gratification in favor of
academic goals that are
temporally remote
Attempting to control
actions, beliefs, and
behaviors in ways that will
fail to bring the desired
outcomes
Setting or maintaining low
standards, having
difficulties, monitoring
behavior, and failing to
exercise self-control
Lowering expectations in
such a way that if the
outcome is undesirable,
they would have
justification for the
unsatisfactory performance
Going to a favorite concert
the day before a test rather
than staying home to study
for a good grade on a test
Trying to complete a very
important homework in
bed with the television,
radio, or music on,
believing that these
resources will help them
concentrate
Setting standards that are
too minimal or negligent,
which could result in
meeting only the basic
homework requirements or
failure to achieve even the
lowest expected
performance levels
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
iConnected parents
Allowing parents to be
deeply involved in
learners’ homework tasks
by using technology such
as instant communication
Surveying their children’s
academic work and
homework in such a way
that children depend on
them for decisions such as
when to do homework;
over assisting children
Maladaptive Echo
Generation
Engaging in instant
communication through
technology and social
networking sites
Uncontrolled use of
texting during class time or
interrupting homework to
text members of their
social networks
Perceptions of Teachers, Parents, and Students
Teachers. Literature looks heavily at the purpose of homework and best
practices for success. However, looking at perceptions of those most directly involved in
the homework process, teachers, parents, and students, is also important to review.
“There is a lack of qualitative data in the existing literature describing perceptual
differences among various stakeholders’ views on when homework is or is not beneficial
for students” (Snead & Burriss, 2016, p. 62). Recently, however, several studies have
looked at homework perceptions among these groups.
Snead and Burriss (2016) used a mixed-method study to understand middle
school teachers’ perspectives on the role of homework. 118 sixth through eighth grade
teachers identified academic and non-academic reasons for having to complete
homework, including: practice, reinforcement, review, and responsibility. They
answered an instrument composed of seven open-ended questions. The questions were
designed to explore teachers’ perceptions associated with different aspects of homework.
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
In the study by Snead and Burriss (2016), teachers were asked why they assigned
homework. Reasons focused on practice, reinforcement, or review. Their responses
were as follows:
Table 3
Reasons for Homework
Sixth Grade
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
Practice
23%
28%
15%
Reinforcement
26%
28%
15%
Review
3%
8%
4%
Combination
3%
0%
9%
Other
13%
12%
13%
Not indicated
32%
24%
43%
Teachers were then asked if homework was mandatory. More than 80% of the teachers
indicated that it was not. Next, teachers were asked how much time they thought
students spent on homework per week. Responses ranged from zero hours to seven hours
per week to complete homework, with the average amount for all grade levels ranging
from 0.77 hours per week to 1.78 hours per week to complete homework. In this study,
grade level was not a significant factor in the amount of time required to complete
homework. This would not be supported by the “10 minute rule” recommended by
Cooper (2007). Teachers were also asked if technology was required to complete
homework, with most responses indicating that no technology was typically needed
(Snead & Burriss, 2016). Teachers were next asked how they assessed homework. Their
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
responses fell into several categories of who graded homework, including teachers,
students, teacher-student combination, not graded, and not indicated. Specifically, their
responses were:
Table 4
Assessing Homework
Sixth Grade
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
Teacher
3%
8%
7%
Student
0%
20%
9%
Combination
55%
4%
15%
Not graded
10%
32%
37%
Not indicated
32%
36%
33%
Teachers were also asked what percentage homework counted in overall grades.
Answers ranged from zero to upwards of 25%. Their responses included:
Table 5
Homework Percentage of Grade
Sixth Grade
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
0 > 10%
3%
12%
26%
11 > 15%
0%
4%
2%
16 > 20%
7%
4%
4%
21 > 25%
13%
0%
9%
Other
13%
20%
9%
Not counted
39%
4%
17%
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Not indicated
26%
56%
33%
Finally, teachers were asked if they wanted to share anything else about homework.
Other than sharing thoughts about inconsistencies with grading, the middle school
teachers did not support any specific reason for assigning homework. The arbitrary
responses suggested that teachers assigned homework “because this is just what teachers
are expected to do” (p. 74).
Rosario et al. (2019) completed a similar study regarding teachers’ perspectives of
homework. Their focus group consisted of teachers in grades five through nine, looking
at characteristics of quality homework and characteristics of homework assigned.
Research has found a disconnect, specifically between middle school science teachers’
perspectives of homework practices and actual homework practices observed in class
(Kukliansky, Shosberger, & Eshhach, 2014). Because of this, Rosario et al. (2019) hoped
to look at how teachers could best contribute to maximum homework benefits.
In this study, fifth and sixth grade teachers identified three themes of quality
homework: instructional purpose, degree of individualization/adaptability, and length.
Seventh through ninth grade teachers identified instructional purpose and degree of
individualization/adaptability as themes. Both groups identified instructional purpose as
the main characteristic of quality homework. These groups also believed that homework
may be a valuable tool for students to diagnose their own learning levels. Both groups
also believed homework should be a connection between school and home. These groups
believed that quality homework should be developed to meet students’ individual needs
and it should be brief. However, the majority of teachers at both levels reported that they
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
30
primarily assigned whole-class homework, showing a disconnect between teachers’
perspectives about quality homework and their actual practices (Rosario et. al., 2019).
Another study by Davidovitch and Yavich (2017) looked at the homework
perspectives of fifth and sixth grade secular and non-secular teachers in Israel. They
identified two specific views from teachers:
Some teachers perceived homework as a way of reviewing, studying, and revising
the material and in their opinion, this is an essential part of the learning process.
In contrast, other teachers thought that today there are more innovative ways of
learning and reviewing the material and homework does not have to be the major
and only way of learning. (p. 105)
Saam and Jeong (2013) collected information from a well performing midwestern middle school in the United States. Their study identified five beliefs shared by
teachers regarding homework, including: homework is necessary, providing class time to
begin homework is essential, coordinating with other teachers about homework is
essential, awareness of length of homework is essential, and homework should provide
feedback for both students and teachers. Specifically, the teachers noted that
“coordinating the amount of homework given by each teacher in a team and the length of
estimated time needed to complete the homework assignments increased the amount of
success middle school students have with completion of homework” (p. 122). The data
from this study supported this perception in that more than 70% of students in this school
finished all assigned homework five nights a week (Saam & Jeong, 2013).
Tam and Chan (2016) looked at teachers’ perceptions of homework in Hong
Kong. Teachers in primary grades through grade six were involved in this study. “On
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
31
the whole, respondents support the use of homework assignments to serve various
academic and non-academic functions” (p. 25). These teachers believed that homework
was beneficial for monitoring learning and developing positive qualities in students.
They also viewed homework as a tool to improve teaching and enhance home-school
communication.
Parents. Bempechat (2019) referenced the National Household Education
Surveys Program, stating that 70 to 83 percent of parents believed that the amount of
homework their children had was about right. Parents also believed that “doing
homework fosters responsibility and organizational skills, and that doing well on
homework tasks contributes to learning, even if children experience frustration from time
to time” (p. 39). Additionally, parents’ attitudes during homework time helped support
the development of positive attitudes in their children, which is predictive of higher
achievement (Bempechat, 2019).
In order to identify parent perceptions of homework, several studies have been
completed in recent years. Davidovitch and Yavich (2017) surveyed parents of fifth and
sixth grade students, in both secular and non-secular schools, with questions focusing on
helping children with homework, motivating children to prepare homework, and
involvement with homework. Based on survey results, there were no consistent answers
among parents regarding their thoughts on helping with homework. Some provided little
to no help, while others wanted to provide high levels of support. Regarding motivating
students, again, there were no trends with parents’ answers. Overall, parents of students
at religious schools perceived homework as an essential part of the learning process. In
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
32
contrast, parents in secular schools felt that homework should be done in school and is
not essential (Davidovitch & Yavich, 2017).
Moroni, Dumont, Trautwein, Niggli, and Baeriswyl (2015) conducted a
longitudinal study involving 1,498 parents of fifth and sixth grade students in
Switzerland, with a focus on the quantity and quality of parental homework involvement.
They found that “when homework involvement was perceived as supportive, it was
positively associated with students’ achievement, but when parents were perceived as
intrusive and controlling in the homework process, their help was negatively associated
with students’ achievement” (p. 427).
O’Sullivan, Chen, and Fish (2014) completed a study exploring the impact of
homework support with middle school families. Parents from an urban junior high
school (seventh and eighth grade) participated in the study. Parental self-efficacy was a
crucial part of this study. “Parents were asked to rate their beliefs in the capability to act
in ways that would produce positive influences in their children’s school performance in
mathematics” (p. 172). With this, the majority (more than 75%) of parents surveyed
indicated that they provided a structured home environment for homework at least once
per week. Approximately 50% of parents also reported that they provided autonomy
support with homework at least once per week. This study also found a positive
correlation between parental self-efficacy and all methods of homework assistance,
specifically noting that:
Parents who felt more efficacious about helping with mathematics and believed
that their involvement was beneficial to their children’s learning were more likely
to construct a structured environment, provide direct assistance/instruction, and to
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
33
engage in activities that supported their children’s autonomy to complete math
homework when compared to parents who did not feel their assistance would
make a significant difference in their children’s math performance. (p. 181)
These findings supported the idea of creating homework that was not too difficult for
children, requiring unnecessary parental support. Parents believed that when homework
is so difficult that they need to be excessively involved, it was simply too difficult
(Cameron & Bartel, 2009). As one mom noted about homework, it is an “ever-present
albatross around our family’s neck!” (p. 50).
An interesting, yet older, program focusing on parental involvement in homework
is the Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork (TIPS) intervention (Van Voorhis, 2011).
Van Voorhis (2011) explored this program that emphasized that students do better in
school when parents, educators, and others in the community work together to support
student learning. This program included assignments that required parental involvement
through discussion, interview, experiment, or other interaction. Families rated their
feelings while working on homework together and TIPS families rated their interactions
significantly happier than non-participating families. Families also responded to
questions about homework attitudes, with TIPS families reporting much more favorably
to these questions than non-participating families. There are clear benefits to effective
programs, such as TIPS, which can produce results through positive parental interaction,
because the quality of parental help matters (Bempechat, 2019).
Students. According to Burriss and Snead (2017):
When considering homework, in spite of the most sincere efforts of parents to
help children at home and the thoughtful planning of teachers to meet academic
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
34
objectives, it is ultimately students’ attitudes regarding their commitment toward
homework that may make the critical difference toward ensuring positive learning
outcomes. (p. 194)
Homework assignments are likely to be most effective if students give the necessary
effort and identify with the positive benefits for their learning (Madjar, Shklar, & Moshe,
2016). For this reason, it is important to know and understand the homework
perspectives of students.
Deveci and Onder (2015) studied the views of middle school students relating to
homework assignments in science classes. One thousand five hundred eighty-four
seventh and eighth grade students were surveyed. They concluded that students with a
more positive attitude towards homework assignments took more time to complete their
homework with better results. They also found that students who spent less time
watching television or playing video games had a more positive attitude towards
homework. Additionally, they concluded that students who spent more time on reading
activities had more positive views about homework than students who spent less time
reading.
Burriss and Snead (2017) surveyed sixth through eighth grade students from four
middle schools in the Southeastern United States. They wanted to better understand
students’ thinking and feeling regarding homework. Students were asked why they
thought teachers gave homework. Responses included:
Help learn – 33%
Practice/review – 21%
Busy work/have to/grades – 12%
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Assessment – 12%
Punishment – 10%
Improve/get better/get smarter – 4%
Other – 8%
35
Nunez, Suarez, Rosario, Vallejo, Valle, and Epstein (2015) wanted to understand
how students’ perceptions of their parents’ involvement with homework impacted their
homework beliefs. Students in grades five through ten were included in this study. One
of their key findings was that “students’ homework behaviors (i.e., time spent on
homework, homework time management, and amount of homework completed) are
significantly related to perceived parental homework involvement” (p. 394). These
results indicated that students were more motivated to do homework when they believed
their support was positive (Nunez et. al., 2015).
Katz, Kaplan, and Gueta (2010) completed a cross-sectional study that included
71 fourth grade and 108 eighth grade students from elementary and junior high schools in
Israel, where they focused on motivation for doing homework. The students identified
controlled and autonomous reasons for why they do homework. Controlled reasons
included to get better grades or a feeling of shame if their teacher found out that they did
not do it. Autonomous reasons included doing homework to improve understanding or
because it was fun. The findings of their study indicated that junior high students
reported lower autonomous motivation for doing homework than do elementary students.
Another important result from their study was that the eighth grade students “perceived
their teachers as less supportive of their psychological needs than did elementary school
students” (p. 262).
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
36
According to Letterman (2013), student motivation to complete homework
assignments is “influenced by a collection of beliefs, attitudes, and emotions. These
include students’ experiences that lead to success or failure, their personal expectations
and standards for performance, and confidence in their ability to do well” (p. 114).
Through interviews, students discussed current homework practices that do not work
(Cushman, 2010). With this, they gave five recommendations for how they perceived
homework to be effective. These recommendations were:
Teachers should talk with other teachers to make the homework load reasonable.
Teachers should give time to start homework in class so that students can get help
if needed.
Teachers should match homework to time available and should not penalize if
students cannot finish it.
Teachers should not give homework every day.
Teachers should provide times and places for academic support.
These ideas supported the findings that suggested that how students perceived the support
they received to complete homework was very important to their success (Katz et. al.,
2010).
Summary of the Literature
In 1996, Lyn Corno wrote an article entitled, Homework is a Complicated Thing.
That concept holds true to this day. People have wondered, “is homework just a
headache – another distraction from family time and down time, already diminished by
the likes of music and dance lessons, sports practices, and part-time jobs” (Bempechat,
2019, p. 37)? Or, is homework essential for student academic success because it leads to
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
37
improved study skills and routines that allow students to perform better academically
(Rivero, 2017)?
Pamela Bator, an assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction at
Weston Public Schools in Massachusetts, wrote a blog in 2018 about homework.
Regarding homework, she said, “for every opinion, there can be an opposing opinion.
For every child, there can be a different response.” Educational scholars continue to be
on both sides of the homework argument. However, most people agree that quality
homework is a valuable educational tool that works to reinforce learning (Carr, 2013;
Dettmers et. al., 2010).
The pressure to succeed in school is growing daily, and a major contribution to
students’ exhaustion is heavy homework loads. Students can spend upwards of two to
three hours per night on homework, but homework is not truly necessary for a rigorous
curriculum or for developing a solid work ethic (Pope, Brown, & Miles, 2015). Because
of the stress that homework can cause, Pope et al. (2015) argued that homework should
only be used to review skills or prepare for in-class activities. Furthermore, they noted
that quality homework allowed for student choice, was aligned to each student’s skill
level, and connected to the main concepts being taught in class.
Quality and quantity of homework, as well as perceptions of homework, served as
the primary focus of this literature review. Cooper (1989) recommended an increase of
ten minutes of homework per grade level, which many experts still support (Reilly,
2016). Concerning quality, scholars such as Vatterott (2011) and Bempechat (2019) have
identified best practices for homework design. Regardless of circumstance, quality
homework works well (Dettmers et. al., 2010), a perception shared by parents, teachers,
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
and students alike (Bempechat, 2019; Cushman, 2010; Rosario et al., 2019; & Snead &
Burriss, 2016). Chapter III focuses on the methodology of this action research project.
38
39
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
The action research study was intended to investigate the impact of homework on
middle level (Grades 5–8) students. With no set guidelines in our school, homework was
administered in varied lengths, using multiple approaches. Furthermore, no real
homework purpose was ever effectively established or communicated as a guide for
teachers to follow. Because of this, students had diverse homework experiences, often
leading to mixed responses, both good and bad, at home and at school.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of homework on students at
Schuylkill Valley Middle School from the perspective of teachers and parents. In
addition, I wanted to identify best practices for homework at the middle level so that
homework is used as an effective educational tool to best meet the academic and
social/emotional needs of the students. Because of the purpose of this study, the
literature review focused on specific areas: quality homework design, the purpose of
homework, homework best practices, homework trends, homework benefits and
challenges, and perceptions of homework. Knowing the purpose, I identified research
questions that guided this project:
What are teacher and parent perceptions of homework effectiveness at the middle
school?
What are the comparative benefits and challenges of homework for middle level
students?
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
40
What are the educational trends of homework in relation to best practices?
The goal in answering these questions was to identify homework best practices at
the middle school in an effort to provide recommendations for effective homework
practices that served as a resource for teachers in our school. Thus, this was the first step
in the development of homework guidelines.
Setting and Participants
Schuylkill Valley Middle School is located in southeastern Pennsylvania. The
school district encompasses approximately 53 square miles of rural and suburban
communities. The middle school population includes 676 students in Grades five
through eight. Approximately 84% of the students are Caucasian, and 11% are Hispanic.
Approximately 36% of the students are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Seventeen
percent of the student population qualifies for special education, and 3% of the students
are gifted.
The middle school operates with a block schedule, with 80 minutes of
mathematics and ELA instruction daily. In addition, students receive 80 minutes of
combined science and social studies and 80 minutes of elective classes each day.
Electives include art, STEAM, fitness, music, guidance, library, foundations of world
languages, and technology education. Extra and co-curricular programs, including sports
and chorus/band, are readily available for all students as well. In addition, remediation,
tutoring, and after-school homework centers are accessible for all students. The middle
school has 43 full-time teachers and 16 full- and part-time support staff who meet the
needs of the students.
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41
It is important to note that Schuylkill Valley Middle School has been recognized
as a Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools to Watch. The National Forum to Accelerate
Middle-Grades Reform was established in 1999 with the purpose of developing criteria
for identifying high-performing middle schools (Pennsylvania Association for Middle
Level Education, 2015). These criteria focus on four areas: academic excellence,
developmental responsiveness, social equity, and organizational structures. The middle
school was originally recognized with this honor in 2014 and was twice re-designated as
a School to Watch. I point this out because it is evidence that Schuylkill Valley Middle
School is a high-performing school, yet there was a need to improve existing homework
practices.
As described earlier, I am a middle school principal and former special education
teacher. I spent nine years in the classroom and have completed 12 years in
administration. I have been in my current principal position for four years, and I had
previously served as an assistant principal and principal at the high school level. In
addition, I served as the director of secondary educational services concurrent to the high
school principal position.
The participants in this study included core content (mathematics, ELA, science,
and social studies) teachers as well as parents of students in the middle school. Core
content teachers were the focus because they were primarily responsible for assigning
homework in the school. This represented 24 of the 43 members of the teaching team.
All parents of middle school students who previously supplied an email address in the
student information system were also included in this study. Six hundred forty-six emails
were on file, representing approximately 96% of middle school parents in the district.
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
42
Each participant received a survey asking questions about homework perceptions and
purposes.
Regarding participation, Informed Participant Consent was obtained for all
participants through a letter sent with the survey. The letter provided an understanding of
the research as well as its risks. Parents and teachers agreed to participate by clicking a
button at the beginning of the survey, which indicated their cooperation. Additionally,
the district superintendent, Dr. Cindy Mierzejewski, granted written permission for me to
complete this research study, allowing access to middle school teachers and parents.
This study also included a review of the actual impact of homework on students’
academic performance. In order to identify this impact, a neutral mediator generated a
random sample of student data using the electronic gradebook system. The data were
stripped of all identifying information other than grade level. Dr. Mierzejewski also
granted permission to access the gradebooks of middle level teachers as part of this
research. The letter and survey to parents (Appendix A), letter and survey to teachers
(Appendix B), and written permission from the district superintendent (Appendix C) were
provided in the Appendix.
Research Plan
Action research is a systematic approach to solve a problem (Hendricks, 2017).
In this case, Schuylkill Valley Middle School had a problem in that it did not have a
guide to help teachers use homework as an effective educational tool. In order to attempt
to solve this problem, I took a systematic approach through participatory action research.
Participatory action research is considered to be “emancipatory (the action researcher is
able to explore practices within the limits of social structures), critical (the action
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
43
researcher’s goal is to challenge alienation, unproductive ways of working, and power
struggles), and transformational (changing both theory and practice)” (p. 7).
I wanted to challenge the conventional notion that homework was a practice that
must continue just like it did for previous generations. To a greater degree, nationwide
practices have become such that students are averaging about twice as much time spent
on homework each day as their counterparts did in previous decades (Pinsker, 2019).
School districts continue to recognize this trend and, like a school district in
Hillsborough, California, have updated their homework policies to emphasize the need
for more meaningful homework (Pinsker, 2019). Their policy went so far as to ban
homework due dates that fell on the day after a weekend or a break. According to its
superintendent, Louann Carlomagno, the students seemed to be less stressed based on the
changes, and their state testing performance remained the same (Pinsker, 2019).
Literature provided two primary areas of focus as it related to the value of
homework. One side promoted the benefits of homework. Harris Cooper and others
believed that the amount of homework students did correlated positively with their
academic performance (Pinsker, 2019). The other area, which had proponents including
Alfie Kohn, claimed that homework did not provide any real academic benefits. In fact,
homework opponents pointed to countries where students routinely outperformed
American students on standardized tests, such as Japan and Denmark, because they
traditionally assigned less homework (Pinsker, 2019; Wilde, 2012).
After completing a review of literature, it was clear that homework, when
designed and implemented properly, can serve as an effective educational tool (Carr,
2013). The literature focused on homework quality and quantity when determining value
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
44
and effectiveness. Quality homework has purpose, is efficient, creates ownership, is at an
appropriate level of difficulty, and is aesthetically appealing (Vatterott, 2010). The
effective quantity of homework focuses on amount of time needed to successfully
complete it. Cooper (2007) identified the “10-minute rule” as the standard for homework
time. These areas of homework quality and quantity served as guides for the next part of
this study.
I began this study by first meeting with the core content teachers in grades five
through eight. The team met during academic team meetings, which were designed to
discuss the academic needs of the students. During this time, I explained that I was
researching homework with the hope of creating guidelines that could be used to increase
the effectiveness of the collective homework practices. I shared with the teachers the
three research questions that were guiding this study and explained that the
superintendent gave permission to survey middle school parents and teachers.
During the discussions, I asked the teachers to think about participating in the
study. I explained that their perceptions of homework were very valuable. I also stressed
that taking part in the study was completely voluntary and they may decide to not
participate and there would be no problems if they declined. I also explained that taking
part meant they would fill out a survey that asked questions about their homework
beliefs, how effective they thought homework was, and what their purpose in assigning
homework was. I provided time for the teachers to ask any questions. The only question
was whether or not the survey was anonymous. I explained that it was anonymous and
the only demographic question involved identifying grade level(s) taught.
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
45
All teachers indicated that they were willing to participate in the study. I told
them that they would receive a link to the survey in their school email. A consent form
was attached to the survey and the participating teachers had to click a button at the
beginning of the survey that indicated that they agreed to participate. This survey was
distributed electronically, with a two-week timeframe to complete it. At the end of two
weeks, 23 of the 24 core content teachers provided data for the study.
Regarding parent participation, I worked with the Director of Technology to
provide a mass email list of middle school parents. He generated a list of 646 emails.
Using that list, I distributed emails that explained the purpose of the survey, including the
desire to identify parents’ perceptions of homework. Parents were also informed that
participation was completely voluntary and they could decline participation without any
penalty. Much like the teacher survey, parents needed to click a button at the beginning
of the survey indicating that they agreed to participate. Parents were also given a twoweek timeframe to complete the survey. At the end of two weeks, 199 parent surveys
were completed.
The third piece of the research plan involved gathering data on the academic
impact of homework on the middle school students. This required a neutral mediator to
generate a random sample of students to use for the research. After generating the
sample, the neutral mediator was given access to the district’s electronic gradebook and
produced gradebook information, looking at the academic impact of homework in terms
of its weight on overall percentage of grades. This information was cross-referenced
against recommendations in the literature. The overall plan involved a comprehensive
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
46
analysis of the survey results, combined with recommendations from the literature, to
identify current practices in the middle school.
Regarding fiscal implications, this plan had no cost to the district. Regarding
future plans, communication and professional development will play a role but at no
anticipated cost. Professional development will be necessary to review and explain
changes associated with new homework guidelines, but this professional development
will be accomplished in-house during contracted time. Changes from this project need to
be clearly communicated to stakeholders. This will be explained to all students and staff
through the mass notification system and distributed with the summer mailers to all
families. I will also communicate homework guideline changes through social media
avenues, including the middle school Facebook page and website. As noted previously,
time was the primary indirect cost associated with this project.
Research Design, Methods, and Data Collection
This study used a mixed-methods research design, in that it included a qualitative
piece and a quantitative piece. Creswell and Clark (2011) provided examples of
problems that best matched mixed-methods research. One example that they pointed to
was that one data source might not be enough to fully answer the research questions.
Specific to this study, I wanted to identify if the results of the qualitative data and
quantitative data were complementary or contradictory.
This mixed-methods design followed convergent parallel design (Mertler, 2019).
Using this design method, I collected quantitative and qualitative data at the same time,
giving equal priority to each part. The quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
47
independently, but the results were compared to identify supporting or contradictory
findings regarding homework practices at the middle school.
The qualitative component of this research project included the use of teacher and
parent surveys to identify perceptions of homework practices. The quantitative piece
involved the actual data pulled from teacher gradebooks, identifying the mathematic
impact of students’ homework on academic performance.
In order to gain a detailed understanding of the homework practices, I distributed
surveys to all core content teachers as well as distributed surveys to parents of the middle
school students. The surveys were sent via email using a link to Google Forms. Results
of the surveys were compiled through the Advanced Summary option by Awesome
Table, which is a web-based application that displays data from Google Spreadsheets,
using a variety of advanced filters.
To answer the question, “What are teacher and parent perceptions of homework
effectiveness at the middle school?” I asked teachers and parents to respond to the
previously mentioned survey questions. Because I wanted teachers and parents to say
what they really believed, I used an on-line survey system where all responses were
confidential and anonymous. Although similar, the surveys had separate concentrations
requiring some variations in questions.
Both surveys included multiple choice response questions using a Likert scale
ranging from (1) strongly disagree to (5) strongly agree, and a free response for teachers
to identify their specific purpose for assigning homework and a free response for parents
to identify any additional comments that they had about homework assigned at the
middle school.
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48
The timeline for collecting this data involved a two-week range. All surveys were
distributed on February 14, 2020. The window to complete the surveys was closed on
February 28, 2020. As noted previously, 23 of 24 teacher surveys were submitted, as
well as 199 parent surveys. Once the window for completing the surveys was closed, all
collected survey data was entered into Awesome Table, utilizing Advanced Survey
options to graph the data points, primarily focusing on mean scores.
To answer the questions about homework benefits and challenges, as well as
trends and best practices, I relied on the survey results and literature review. From there,
I used the random samples obtained from teacher gradebooks in Sapphire Suite to attempt
to compare current practices with best practices to see how the teachers performed. A
neutral mediator was used to generate a random sample of students to use for the
research. After generating the sample, the neutral mediator was given access to the
electronic gradebook system to produce gradebook information.
The random sample had a parameter of five students from each grade level,
meaning there was a total of 20 students in the sample. Archived data was used from the
2018–2019 school year. Specifically, quarter two gradebook information was used for
consistency. Again, the neutral mediator picked this timeframe during the random
selection process. The generated report included the complete list of gradebook
information for core content subjects: mathematics, ELA, science, and social studies.
All assignments were categorized in one of the following areas: default category,
projects, quizzes, tests, classwork, homework, and extra credit.
Upon receiving the information, I identified all assignments given the homework
designation in the gradebooks. Using this data, I determined how many homework points
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
49
were included during the second marking period, as well as the total points possible for
each student. Although there was differentiation based on ability within the grade levels,
all students had common assessments and common homework grades, allowing for a
clean comparison. This meant that all five students at each grade level had the same
number of homework points possible and total points possible for each of their respective
courses. For example, all fifth grade students had 20 homework points possible for the
183 total points possible in math. Likewise, all seventh grade students had 16 homework
points possible for the 277 total points possible in science. This process allowed me to
identify the value homework weighed on the overall percentage of second quarter grades
during the 2018–2019 school year and compared that to the actual grades that each
student earned in each content area during that grading period.
Upon completion of data gathering, I began a comprehensive analysis of the
survey results compared to recommendations in the literature and actual academic
artifacts to identify current practices in the middle school, triangulating all data sources.
A password-protected laptop was used for the electronic storage of all information. Any
artifacts or documents were stored in a locked cabinet in the middle school office, as well
as backups of all artifact data on the same password protected laptop. Additionally, as an
added precaution, all data was housed in a cloud-based security encrypted location.
A research concern was producing valid and reliable information in an ethical
way, which was deemed trustworthy to professionals (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Regarding the research process, ethical issues can occur “prior to conducting the study, at
the beginning of the study, during data collection, in conducting data analysis, in
reporting the data, and in publishing a study” (Creswell & Poth, 2018, p. 54). I
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documented the process of collecting and analyzing data, following strict ethical
guidelines to protect participants’ identities, developing security measures to store and
protect data, and avoiding conflict with participants (Creswell & Poth, 2018; Brinkman &
Kvale, 2015).
Researchers have an obligation to protect the privacy of all participants (Creswell
& Poth, 2018). The guarantee of confidentiality and the participant’s rights were outlined
in the informed consent documents (Appendix A and B). Additionally, I gained
confirmation that all human subject protection guidelines were followed by submitting
documentation to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at California University of
Pennsylvania. The purpose of this documentation was to protect participants and outline
potential researcher bias, conflict of interest, and any risks or benefits to which a
participant may be exposed. The IRB review request was submitted August, 7, 2019. An
email from IRB was received August 15, 2019, granting approval for this research project
(Proposal #18-084). The approval email was provided (Appendix D). In addition, I
successfully completed all web-based courses through the Collaborative Institutional
Training Initiative (CITI) required for this study in September of 2018 (Appendix E).
Regarding fiscal implications, there were no new costs associated with any part of
this data collection process.
Validity and reliability are of high priority in research study (Suter, 2012).
Reliability refers to “the process of the study being consistent, reasonably stable over
time, and across researchers and methods” (Miles, Huberman, & Saldana, 2020, p. 305).
Reliability is really having consistent outcomes if a research study is replicated (Suter,
2012). Validity is the determination of the data collection process and occurs if the
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process accurately measured what it was intended to measure (Suter, 2012). Research is
considered trustworthy if the researcher follows a rigorous methodology (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016).
I conducted an action research project that focused on the triangulation of
multiple data sets to achieve validity. According to Merriam and Tisdell (2016),
triangulation using multiple sources of data means comparing and cross-checking data
collected through various methods, including people with different perspectives. The
triangulation of data came from survey data of homework perspective from parents and
teachers in the middle school, in combination with the collected artifacts from teacher
gradebooks. This process allowed me to verify the data’s accuracy (Mills, 2014) and
clarify meanings or misconceptions held by participants (Stringer, 2007). Cresswell and
Poth (2018) indicated that when “researchers locate evidence to document a code or
theme in different sources of data, they are triangulating information and providing
validity to their findings” (p. 260).
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) believed that reliability is challenging because
“human behavior is never static” (p. 250). Replication of the research is difficult because
reliability is based on the assumption that there is one single reality and that studying it
over and over will yield the same results (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Improving
reliability is possible, however, by developing trustworthiness and documenting the data
collection procedures (Cresswell & Poth, 2018). This is what I attempted to do
throughout this action research project.
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Summary
Fraenkel, Wallen, and Hyun (2012) identified five strengths of action research:
It can be conducted by almost any professional in any type of educational
setting.
It is focused on the improvement of educational practice.
Educators who practice action research develop more effective ways to
perform as professional educators.
Action research can help educators identify problems and issues and then
study them in a systematic manner.
Action research can help in the establishment of a community of
professional learners within an educational setting.
Because the purpose of action research is “to solve local-level problems, not to
generalize solutions to larger population” (Mertler, 2019, p. 146), there were no real
limitations. This participatory action research project intended to explore and challenge
current homework practices, with the intent of transforming the way of thinking to ensure
that homework is used as an effective educational tool to best meet the needs of all
students moving forward.
The methodology for this project was explained throughout this chapter,
concentrating on data collection through surveys focused on parents’ and teachers’
homework perspectives, as well as the retrieval of gradebook artifacts to verify the
accuracy, or clarify the misconceptions, of participants. Chapter IV will focus on the
analysis of the collected data and provide results and interpretations of findings.
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CHAPTER IV
DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
The purpose of this action research study was to identify the impact of homework
on students at Schuylkill Valley Middle School from the perspectives of teachers and
parents. In addition, I wanted to identify best practices for homework at the middle level
so that homework could be used as an effective educational tool to best meet the
academic and social/emotional needs of the students.
I analyzed survey responses on the perceptions of homework effectiveness and
homework purpose among parents and teachers at Schuylkill Valley Middle School.
Participants in this study included 23 core content middle school teachers and 199 parents
of middle school students. Furthermore, I analyzed archived gradebook data for 20
randomly selected middle school students from the 2018–19 school year. This included
an analysis of the academic impact of homework in terms of its weight on overall grades.
In this chapter, data were presented and analyzed to answer three research
questions:
What are teacher and parent perceptions of homework effectiveness at the middle
school?
What are the comparative benefits and challenges of homework for middle level
students?
What are the educational trends of homework in relation to best practices?
Data were collected through anonymous on-line surveys that were distributed to
participants and through the gathering of archived data using a neutral mediator.
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Results
I created surveys for parents and teachers used specifically for this study.
Although not identical, both surveys included like questions that were used to answer the
research questions. Additional questions were included to help steer my understanding of
parent and teacher perceptions of homework needs as well as input for establishing
potential future homework guidelines. Parents were given the option to provide
additional comments about homework at the end of their survey. Teachers were also
asked to comment on the purpose of the homework that they assigned. Comments were
not statistically analyzed but were discussed in chapters IV and V.
The following results addressed the survey questions given to parents and
teachers that used a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 =
strongly agree.
Table 6
Teacher Survey Results
Question
Mean
Standard
Deviation
Homework is an effective tool to teach responsibility
4.00
1.07
Homework is an effective tool to teach time management
4.09
1.00
Homework is an effective tool to reinforce skills taught at
school
4.35
0.61
Students are expected to complete homework assignments
with help from parents
2.13
0.91
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Students are expected to complete homework assignments
independently
3.61
0.67
Parents want students to have homework
2.96
0.61
The middle school administration expects teachers to assign
homework
2.65
0.73
3.00
1.03
I regularly provide feedback to students regarding homework
assignments
4.09
0.98
Students who complete homework have a more positive selfimage
3.70
0.78
I regularly communicate with my colleagues about the
amount of homework assigned
3.00
0.86
Students who complete homework create fewer discipline
problems in my classroom
3.65
0.61
Giving zeros for late or incomplete homework motivates
students to complete future homework assignments
Based on the results, teachers presented supporting or neutral results for all but two
statements, indicating shared beliefs in the value of homework. Parental support with
homework received the lowest score (2.13), indicating that teachers believed homework
was developed to be completed independently.
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Table 7
Parent Survey Results
Question
Mean
Standard
Deviation
Homework is an effective tool to teach responsibility
3.70
1.03
Homework is an effective tool to teach time management
3.44
1.15
Homework is an effective tool to reinforce skills taught at
school
3.77
1.01
Students are expected to complete homework assignments
with help from parents
2.72
0.99
Students are expected to complete homework assignments
independently
3.58
0.86
Teachers should assign homework at the middle school level
3.59
1.08
Homework is often difficult for my child to complete
3.02
1.03
My child’s grade is significantly impacted by homework
3.32
1.08
I understand and value the purpose of my child’s homework
assignments
3.52
0.94
The middle school expects teachers to assign homework
3.69
0.79
Teachers provide written feedback on homework assignments
2.18
1.01
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
The middle school should adopt a homework policy that
controls the amount of homework assigned
3.87
1.01
Homework causes tension at home
3.45
1.10
Homework causes anxiety for my child
3.48
1.02
Parents agreed that homework taught responsibility and time management, as well as
reinforced skills taught at school. However, parents also agreed that homework had
drawbacks, including causing tension and anxiety.
Research Question 1: What are teacher and parent perceptions of homework
effectiveness at the middle school? In order to best answer this question, I wanted to
focus on homework quality and quantity. By quality, I wanted to know if homework was
developed so that students could complete it independently. By quantity, I wanted to
know how much time it took to complete homework each night. Teachers and parents
were both asked to indicate, on average, how much time was spent on homework each
night. The specific results are displayed in figures 1 and 2.
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Figure 1
Time Spent on Homework Nightly (Teacher Response)
30-60 min., 0%
1-2 hrs., 0%
more than 2 hrs.,
0%
15-30 min., 30.4%
0-15 min., 69.6%
Figure 2
Time Spent on Homework Nightly (Parent Responses)
more than 2 hrs.,
11.6%
0-15 min., 7.5%
15-30 min., 22.1%
1-2 hrs., 23.6%
30-60 min., 35.2%
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
In order to properly compare results, it must be understood that Schuylkill Valley
Middle School runs on a block schedule, with only three core classes meeting daily. To
further drill down on this data, I needed to know how often teachers assigned homework.
Teachers were asked, on average, how many nights a week they assigned homework.
Figure 3 provides those results.
Figure 3
Average Nights of Homework
Never, 0%
Rarely, 26.1%
4-5 Nights/Week,
21.7%
Every Night, 26.1%
2-3 Nights/Week,
26.1%
Looking at the results, 35.2% of parents indicated that their children spent at least
one hour per night on homework, while 11.6% of that group indicated that more than two
hours was spent on homework each night. Because 26.1% of teachers assigned
homework every night and the same percentage indicated that they rarely assigned
homework, the amount of time spent on homework from the perspective of parents did
not appear to align with the perspective of teachers. Furthermore, 69.6% of the teachers
indicated that students should spend 0-15 minutes per night on the homework they
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60
assigned. With the maximum possibility of three core content assignments nightly, no
student should average more than one hour of homework per night.
Quality homework involves homework that students can complete independently,
meaning it is at an appropriate level and difficulty (Vatterott, 2010; Marzano &
Pickering, 2007). Teachers and parents were both asked to identify if homework was
expected to be completed independently. Surveys indicated similar results. With a mean
score of 3.58, parents agreed with the idea that work should be completed independently.
Teacher scores averaged 3.61, also indicating that homework was developed to be
completed independently. In addition, with a mean score of 3.02, parents were neutral in
response to identifying if homework was often too difficult for their child to complete.
These responses indicated that, regarding homework quality, teachers and parents were in
agreement.
Research Question 2: What are the comparative benefits and challenges of
homework for middle level students? Three common survey statements were given to
both parents and teachers to identify homework benefits: homework is an effective tool to
teach responsibility; homework is an effective tool to teach time management; and
homework is an effective tool to reinforce skills taught at school. Teachers’ mean scores
for these three statements were 4.00, 4.09, and 4.35, representing three of the four highest
scoring statements on the survey. Parents’ mean scores were 3.70, 3.44, and 3.77, also
indicating agreement that homework produced these benefits.
Teachers were also asked to rate two additional statements related to homework
benefits: students who complete homework have a more positive self-image and students
who complete homework create fewer discipline problems in my classroom. The mean
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61
scores for these statements were 3.70 and 3.65, respectively, indicating that teachers
found a positive correlation between homework completion and these specific positive
behaviors.
Parents were asked to identify challenges associated with homework from the
following survey statements: homework causes tension at home and homework causes
anxiety for my child. With similar mean scores of 3.45 and 3.48, parents identified
homework as a potential social/emotional challenge in the home. As noted previously,
parents were also asked if they believed homework was often too difficult for their child
to complete. They were neutral in their collective responses.
Research Question 3: What are the educational trends of homework in relation
to best practices? Parents were provided with the following specific survey statements
regarding homework trends and best practices: teachers should assign homework at the
middle school level and teachers provide written feedback on homework assignments.
With homework trends reaching extremes in some areas where districts have decided to
eliminate homework altogether, I wanted to know the opinions of the middle school
parents. With a mean score of 3.59, parents indicated that they still valued and wanted
homework in the middle school. However, when it came to teachers providing feedback,
parents indicated that this was not an effective best practice in the middle school with a
mean score of 2.18, the lowest score on the parent survey.
Teachers were asked several questions about best practices as it related to current
trends in homework. Teachers were asked how often homework was reviewed, graded,
and how much homework counted toward the overall class grade. Figures 4–6 provide
their responses.
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Figure 4
How Often Homework is Reviewed
about 1/2, 0%
rarely , 0%
never, 0%
most assignments,
34.8%
every assignment,
65.2%
Figure 5
How Often Homework is Graded
Never, 13%
Every assignment,
8.7%
Most assignments,
30.4%
Rarely, 39.1%
About 1/2, 8.7%
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Figure 6
Homework Percentage of Overall Grade
more than 50%,
4.4%
21-30%, 0%
31-40%, 0%
41-50%, 0%
11-20%, 39.1%
0-10%, 56.5%
Teachers were also asked to rate, on the Likert scale, their practices as it related to
giving zeros for late or incomplete homework, providing feedback on homework, and
their regular communication with colleagues about the amount of homework assigned.
The average teacher score for giving zeros for late or incomplete homework to motivate
students to complete future homework assignments was 3.00, which indicated that
teachers were neutral on this practice. When asked if they regularly provided feedback to
students regarding homework assignments, their mean score was 4.09, tied for second
highest average score. When asked if they regularly communicated with colleagues
about the amount of homework assigned, the teachers’ mean score was 3.00.
In an attempt to further validate the data among teachers and parents, I used a
neutral mediator to gather archived student gradebook data from quarter two of the 2018–
19 school year. Within the data, the mediator pulled five random students’ records from
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
each grade level. The report included the complete gradebook for math, ELA, science,
and social studies. Within the gradebook, the total number of homework points possible
and overall total points possible were identified to determine the weight of homework on
the quarter grade. Table 3 provides the averages of the collected data.
Table 8
Student Gradebook Results
Students
GRADE 5
GRADE 6
GRADE 7
GRADE 8
Subject
Math
Homework
points possible
20
Total points
possible
183
HW % of
overall grade
11
ELA
20
464
4
Science
0
128
0
Social Studies
0
208
0
Math
41
232
18
ELA
38
343
11
Science
8
164
5
Social Studies
0
219
0
Math
100
409
24
ELA
75
455
16
Science
36
277
13
Social Studies
30
180
17
Math
75
345
22
ELA
165
625
26
Science
30
262
11
Social Studies
40
312
13
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
65
“Credibility, dependability, and confirmability can be established through
triangulation” (Hendricks, 2017, p. 71). Again, the triangulation of data came from
survey data from both teachers and parents, in combination with the collected artifacts
from teacher gradebooks. Comparing all three sources allowed me to verify and refute
the accuracy of the accumulated data. Parents and teachers both provided perspectives of
homework quality and quantity. They were in agreement on quality but varied in
opinions related to quantity. In addition, teachers identified the impact of homework on
overall grades, with 56.5% indicating that homework counted for 0–10% of the overall
grade in their class and 39.1% indicating that homework counted for 11–20% of the
overall grade. There was one outlier stating that homework counted for more than 50%
of the overall grade. The archived student gradebook data did not line up with those
claims. In fact, 11 of the 16 classes (68.9%) averaged 11% or higher value in homework
impact. Three of the 16 classes (18.8%) had a homework impact greater than 20%. Of
the five classes that averaged 10% or less in homework impact, three of them assigned no
homework at all.
Discussion
Parents and teachers provided their perspectives on homework at the middle
school. Although both groups shared a similar view about homework quality as it related
to appropriate level and difficulty, they were not in agreement about homework quantity.
Specifically, parents indicated that students typically spent much more time on
homework than what teachers thought.
One of the regular parent concerns that led to the implementation of this action
research study related to the amount of homework students received and the time it took
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
66
them to complete it. In fact, the parent survey question scoring the highest (3.87 on the
Likert scale) was the one stating that the middle school should adopt a policy that
controls the amount of homework assigned. Additional survey results further supported
their concerns. With 35.2% of parents indicating that their child spent more than one
hour each night on homework, including 11.6% of that group saying more than two hours
per night, the time middle school students spent on homework each night was clearly a
concern. With this information, there appeared to be a disconnect among teachers
because approximately 70% of those surveyed believed their individual homework
assignment should average no more than 15 minutes per night. Compounding this
problem was the fact that there was a neutral response (3.00) from teachers when asked if
they communicated with colleagues about amount of homework assigned. All of this
resulted in parents claiming long nights of homework while teachers assumed that the
total number of homework assignments given each night should be completed quickly.
Homework benefits have historically included the assumption that it teaches
responsibility and time management, as well as effectively reinforces skills taught in
school. Surveyed teachers agreed with this assertion. When asked to comment on the
purpose of their homework, 21 of 23 teachers wrote that homework reinforced skills
taught in the classroom through words including review, practice, prepare, and reinforce.
One teacher summed up the purpose of homework by saying “homework is assigned for
students to independently practice the concepts learned in class after having had support
from the teacher and peers. Homework’s intention is to allow a student to determine if he
or she fully grasps the material without further instruction.” Parent data reflected similar
support for these identified homework benefits.
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
67
Teachers also agreed that success with homework leads to an increase in selfimage and decrease in classroom discipline. This indicated that homework can have a
direct impact on overall classroom climate. This supported the notion that effective
homework practices should be put in place to increase likelihood of student success, both
academically and socially/emotionally.
Next, homework trends and best practices were put into focus. Reviewing
homework and providing feedback are necessary for homework to be used as an effective
educational tool (Protheroe, 2009; Vincent-Lancrin et al., 2019). Teachers indicated that
they reviewed most (34.8%) or every assignment (65.2%), a practice that promotes
homework effectiveness. However, while teachers indicated that they regularly provided
feedback on homework assignments (4.09 on the Likert scale), parents said that teachers
did not provide feedback on homework assignments (2.18 on the Likert scale). This was
an alarming difference in ratings and was one that must be corrected because feedback
has been identified as having a direct and positive impact on student learning (Walberg &
Paik, 2004). Teachers said they gave feedback, yet parents did not see it. A homework
guideline requiring feedback would potentially eliminate this disconnect.
Finally, the use of homework in grading was examined. Survey results were
compared to archived student gradebook data. In this study, survey results did not align
with the gradebook data. While 56.5% of teachers surveyed indicated that homework
counted for no more than 10% of the total grade in class, the archived data showed that
only five of 16 classes (31.2%) supported that claim. Along with this, 39.1% of teachers
indicated that homework counted for 11-20% of the overall class grade, while the
archived data showed that 50% of classes fell into this range, with three classes averaging
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
68
a homework impact greater than 20%. In terms of assessment and homework
accountability, this was an area that must be addressed, as the historical gradebook data
did not support the survey data. It should be noted that current homework trends are
devaluing the notion of grading homework altogether, instead simply using it as a method
of formative assessment (Vatterott, 2018).
Summary
This chapter focused on the analysis of teachers’ and parents’ perceptions of
homework as well as homework benefits, challenges, trends, and best practices. Parents
and teachers were surveyed, leading to similarities and discrepancies with their results.
Both groups found value in homework and supported its use in the middle school.
However, they did not agree on the perception of time needed to complete assignments.
Additional gradebook data was reviewed as a way to triangulate the data and support the
survey results. In this case, the gradebook data refuted several of the claims related to
overall homework impact in grading.
The next chapter will reflect on the previous chapters’ information and use that
information to draw conclusions about the need for homework reform at the middle
school. The extensive literature review, in conjunction with educational best practices,
will guide the intended outcome of establishing homework guidelines that Schuylkill
Valley Middle School can use to ensure that homework is being used as an effective
educational tool to best meet the academic and social/emotional needs of the students.
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter includes conclusions and recommendations based on the summary of
the data analysis and literature review. The purpose of this study was to identify the
impact of homework on students at Schuylkill Valley Middle School from the
perspectives of teachers and parents. Additionally, I wanted to identify best practices for
homework at the middle level so that homework could be used as an effective educational
tool to best meet the academic and social/emotional needs of the students.
Conclusions
Research Question 1: What are teacher and parent perceptions of homework
effectiveness at our middle school? In order to address the goal of this study, which was
to establish guidelines for effective homework practices, it was important to truly
understand the perceptions of teachers and parents as it related to homework
effectiveness. The survey results showed that teachers believed homework was effective
at the middle school. One teacher commented that “homework assignments are tasks that
need to be completed that students typically do not need my help with. I believe allowing
students to complete this work on their own allows the time they spend with me in the
classroom to be more valuable.” Another noted that “homework helps me to identify
concepts that need to be reviewed in more detail prior to moving on.” Several teachers
echoed the effectiveness of homework by writing that “homework reinforces the concepts
taught in class.” Along with this, teachers specifically identified the homework benefits
associated with self-regulation and other nonacademic purposes. Bembenutty (2011)
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
70
discussed the positive effects of homework when students specifically learn to practice
self-regulation skills. These specific findings supported the research.
Many parents perceived homework as being effective according to the survey
data, but to a lesser degree than teachers did. Several of the 85 comments from the 199
parents surveyed spoke to the value of homework. One parent stated, “I do believe there
is value in homework if used effectively to reinforce concepts and skills, and equity
practices for all learners are considered.” Another parent noted that “homework is a
critical part in learning and to help retain what was taught.” A third parent wrote,
“homework is a must at the middle school level! Now is our opportunity to prepare our
kids for their next level of school and the real world that can best be embraced through
hard work and determination.” It should be noted that the data showed that many
teachers surveyed gave grades for homework. Because of this, parents were likely to
equate good grades with homework effectiveness (Vatterott, 2011). Additionally, Van
Voorhis (2011) found that parents perceived homework as having a positive impact on
academic success. Again, the findings of this study supported the research.
Not all parents perceived homework as positive, however. One parent
commented, “homework has not made a positive impact on my child’s learning, grades,
and social emotional learning.” Another noted that “homework is important, but I feel
my child gets too much. I think the school should control the amount of homework that
kids are given so they are not up so late doing work. There needs to be a better balance.”
While overall parent perception of homework effectiveness was positive, parent
perceptions reflected their children’s experiences. One parent expressed concern by
saying “I do not believe the teachers have used homework to positively impact my child’s
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
71
growth, but actually caused my child to dislike school.” Another said, “my daughter is a
great student, but she is up until 11 pm every night trying to finish homework.” Bennett
and Kalish (2006) noted that parents whose children had bad experiences with
homework, reflected similar negative homework views. In all, the data showed that
parents and teachers generally supported the homework effectiveness at Schuylkill Valley
Middle School and the findings of this study supported the research.
Research Question 2: What are the comparative benefits and challenges of
homework for middle level students? The literature identified many academic and
nonacademic benefits to homework. Scholars such as Cooper (2007) and Bennett (2017)
indicated that doing homework caused improved academic achievement. One of the
teachers surveyed stated that “doing the daily math homework generally leads to more
success in terms of higher grades in class.” Another teacher said that homework did a
“good job to help prepare for a test.” A parent echoed those thoughts in saying that “I
believe the homework given is beneficial and provides practice to further understand
what is being taught to them in class.” The gradebook data generally supported these
assumptions in that of the 20 student records reviewed, 46 of 65 classes that assigned
homework resulted in homework averages equal to or higher than final grade averages.
That equated to 71% of grades improved due to homework scores being higher than
overall final class grades. However, looking at that percentage from an administrative
perspective, I would want to see a higher percentage of students demonstrating greater
success in terms of homework grades. This data is reflected in Table 9.
72
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Table 9
Student Homework and Final Grades
Grade 8 Students
Grade 7 Students
Grade 6 Students
Grade 5 Students
Math
ELA
Science
Social Studies
1
HW
Grade
95
Final
Grade
94
HW
Grade
100
Final
Grade
97
HW
Grade
NA
Final
Grade
95
HW
Grade
NA
Final
Grade
91
2
100
91
100
86
NA
95
NA
91
3
90
84
95
89
NA
92
NA
93
4
90
83
80
82
NA
89
NA
94
5
100
96
100
94
NA
97
NA
99
6
100
100
100
95
100
89
NA
92
7
100
91
100
94
100
93
NA
95
8
100
98
100
91
88
92
NA
86
9
73
68
92
82
88
79
NA
88
10
85
64
87
68
88
71
NA
69
11
100
91
97
85
81
84
90
86
12
100
97
100
92
92
92
90
97
13
70
73
83
78
75
73
77
64
14
70
82
93
95
81
88
90
83
15
85
77
93
83
92
90
90
96
16
91
88
85
84
93
94
85
85
17
87
80
73
75
100
90
85
86
18
67
62
73
79
93
78
85
85
19
67
74
88
95
100
94
100
89
20
80
86
88
95
93
96
85
89
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
73
Homework has benefits beyond academic achievement. Self-regulation skills, as
noted with research question 1, have been regularly identified as a benefit associated with
homework (Ramdass & Zimmerman, 2011; Bempechat, 2019). According to the survey
data, teachers and parents agreed that homework can be effectively used to teach
responsibility and time management. One teacher specifically noted that homework
“reinforces skills taught in the classroom and teaches some organization, responsibility,
and time management skills.” A parent said that “homework teaches responsibility and I
wish that a responsibility grade could be added to the report card to show how students
perform on homework.” The findings in this study supported the research regarding
homework benefits.
Although there is a list of homework benefits, there are also significant challenges
attributed to homework. More than 30 years ago, Cooper (1989) identified several
challenges, including the impact homework had on leisure time and family activities.
Several parents supported this notion, including a comment stating, “homework should
never be assigned over weekends and holidays. This should be family time.” Another
said, “homework should not be assigned during vacations and holidays. Vacation means
a break from school work, exams, and all other stressors. Holidays are times to spend
with families.” A third parent commented that “there should never be homework on the
weekends. That should be strictly for family time. Everyone has busy lives and we don’t
get enough time together.”
Perhaps even more concerning was the potential stress that homework put on
students. Vatterott (2019a) stated that, for students in high-achieving middle schools,
homework was the number one school stressor. Galloway and Pope (2007), in an earlier
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
74
study, made similar claims. The survey data from parents supported this assertion,
indicating that homework caused tension in the home and anxiety for the students. Of the
85 parent comments, 15 specifically included the words tension, anxiety, or stress. One
parent said, “I agree that homework is important, but in our case it causes a lot of tension
in the household.” Another said, “I feel homework is vital to the learning process, but it
absolutely causes anxiety and tension at home in that the amount of homework my
children bring home directly impacts what they can and cannot do as individuals, as well
as what we can and cannot do as a family.” A third parent said, “I understand that
homework should reinforce lessons taught at school, but I often feel that it has the
opposite effect due to the anxiety it causes.” Having these parent concerns about
homework at the middle school was eye-opening and emphasized the need for changes in
homework practices. Again, the findings of this study supported the research.
Research Question 3: What are the educational trends of homework in relation
to best practices? This question got to the crux of this action research project. After
looking at educational trends, I wanted to clearly identify effective best practices that
aligned with the research. Regarding educational trends, homework moves in different
directions, including some schools eliminating homework altogether. Why was there
such variation with homework approach? A big reason was because there was evidence
to support the learning benefits of homework for some students (Carr, 2013), while other
research suggested that homework negatively impacts students (Bennett & Kalish, 2006;
Kralovac & Buell, 2001). Beyond the general use of homework, how homework was or
was not graded continued to be an educational trend. Protheroe (2009) advocated for
grading homework because it motivated students. However, Vatterott (2018) and Dueck
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
75
(2014) believed that homework should not count as a grade. In terms of survey results,
teachers were mixed in their use of homework. About half (47.8%) assigned homework
every night or almost every night, while 26.1% said they rarely assigned homework and
26.1% only assigned homework two to three nights per week. How homework was
graded was even more varied among the teachers. Almost a third (30.4%) of teachers
surveyed indicated that they graded most assignments, while 39.1% said they rarely
graded homework.
With such variety in practice, some parents noted specific discrepancies. One
said, “my child has way more homework this year compared to last year.” Another said,
“I feel my son should have more homework each week. He doesn’t come home with
homework very often.” A third parent said, “my daughter is in eighth grade and that
grade has way too much homework.” Parents were also mixed in their comments about
grading. One parent noted that, “although I understand that homework is important, I
think the grades shouldn’t be effected by the homework. My understanding is that
homework is to see what the students need help with, not to grade the work.” Another
said, “homework should only be graded on attempted completion, not if correct.” In
contrast, a different parent said, “if homework is necessary, then it should be graded.” In
all, I believe the findings of this study indicated that more consistency was needed in the
homework practices in order to support the research regarding homework trends.
Time and frequency homework best practices have long been researched.
Students who get homework regularly showed greater gains than those who only received
homework sporadically (Rivero, 2017). Cooper’s (2007) “10 minute rule” continues to
be the homework standard for time, which was also supported by the National PTA and
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
76
the National Education Association (Reilly, 2016). Along with time and frequency,
providing homework feedback is an educational best practice. Walberg and Paik (2004)
noted that students learned more when homework was commented upon and discussed.
In these areas, there was clearly disagreement among teachers and parents. The
majority of teachers surveyed (69.6%) said that their nightly homework assignments
should take 15 minutes or less to complete. Collectively, all nightly assignments should
fit within Cooper’s (2007) guidelines. However, 23.6% of parents indicated that
homework assignments took between one and two hours each night to complete, and
11.6% said that more than two hours was spent on homework each night.
Even more alarming were the responses regarding feedback. Teachers agreed,
with a mean rating of 4.09, that they regularly provided feedback to students regarding
homework assignments. Parents disagreed, with a mean rating of 2.18, saying that
teachers did not provide feedback on homework. In this situation, parent and teacher
perceptions differed greatly, supporting the need for consistent guidelines so that
homework practices support the research regarding educational best practices.
Homework Guidelines
The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of homework on students at
Schuylkill Valley Middle School from the perspective of teachers and parents. In
addition, I wanted to identify best practices for homework at the middle level so that
homework is used as an effective educational tool to best meet the academic and
social/emotional needs of the students. By doing so, I took the results of this study and
developed homework guidelines to use moving forward at the middle school. I believe
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
77
this will lead to tangible improvements to the homework practices, which will greatly
benefit the students.
The homework guidelines include parameters beyond the existing school board
policy (No. 130) and are as follows:
Assigned homework (work to be completed independently outside the classroom)
must be collected.
Homework should be corrected for all wrong answers and returned to the students
with written feedback.
Homework must be meaningful to the students, directly relating to the curriculum.
Homework for all middle school students should not exceed one total hour per
night. This is combining all subjects.
Homework grades shall not count more than 10% of student’s grade and shall not
be able to reduce a student’s overall classroom grade by more than one letter
grade (A to B, B to C, C to D, or D to F).
Homework that is marked for completion or as student responsibility shall not be
included in subject specific grades.
Students shall not receive a “0” for missed homework. They should receive
additional time to complete the assignment or be given an alternate assignment to
be completed with the teacher during ISTA.
Homework should only be repetitive in skill and style when the teacher judges it
to be appropriate.
Homework may not be assigned over holidays or extended breaks.
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
78
Implementing these homework guidelines will have no fiscal implications for the
middle school or school district. The guidelines will be communicated to all stakeholders
at no additional cost. Summer mailings will include a detailed explanation of the new
homework guidelines. Changes will also be communicated through social media,
including the middle school Facebook page and website.
Limitations
This research study sought to identify effective homework practices aligned with
educational best practices through the analysis of parent and teacher perceptions of
homework and a review of educational literature. To establish transparency, it was
necessary to identify some limitations that existed in this study. The following
limitations were identified:
This study had a relatively small sample size of teachers, thus the findings cannot
necessarily be generalized to the overall teaching population.
Human bias was an issue because of the topic and survey format. The
participants may have withheld information or provided inaccurate details.
Researcher bias had to be addressed because I had some preconceived ideas about
the outcome based on previously observed homework practices.
I attempted to address the limitations to strengthen the credibility of the study,
using the following safeguards:
Guarantee of confidentiality prior to administering the survey to reduce human
bias.
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
79
This study focused on Schuylkill Valley Middle School. However, the sample
population of teachers met the criteria that reflected the general population being
studied.
I recognized biases prior to creating the surveys and ensured that questions were
not leading or biased.
Recommendations
Future Plans. The results of this study will be shared with the Schuylkill Valley
Middle School staff to build upon their knowledge on the topic of homework. Significant
research has been completed on the relationship between homework and student
achievement. However, having a better collective understanding of teachers’ and
parents’ perceptions of homework will help to encourage a change to improved
homework practices. As the building leader, I will benefit from a better understanding of
these attitudes and practices and, more importantly, the students will benefit. As a result
of this study, I am recommending the following actions:
Develop a shared purpose for homework. Just like having a vision and mission
for the school, I believe it is essential to develop a meaningful purpose for
homework so that homework is used in the most effective ways to meet the
varying need of all students.
As the building principal, I need to become more aware of the homework
practices of the teachers in the building and evaluate these practices. Teachers
will be held accountable for homework practices to ensure that all assignments are
meaningful and have a sound educational purpose.
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Teachers need to receive professional development on effective homework
practices, including effective homework design. This will be a crucial step
towards overall success in the goal for improved homework practices.
I will meet with district administration to discuss the potential to expand the
created homework guidelines across the district, with a focus on a modified
version of Cooper’s (2007) “10 minute rule,” as deemed appropriate at each level.
I will put an increased focus on communication between teachers and parents in
hopes of reducing tension and anxiety in the home caused by homework. Clear,
detailed expectations will be shared with families outlining how much and what
type of support is expected from parents based on the new homework guidelines.
Implications for Further Research. Based on this study, the following
recommendations have been identified for future research regarding homework:
Conduct research on the impact of eliminating homework grades. Vatterott
(2018) suggested that homework should only be used as formative assessment and
should not count as a grade. Parent and teacher perceptions of homework
effectiveness may be influenced if homework was not graded. Additional
research may help identify whether or not homework deepens learning or is just
relied on to improve overall grades.
Use qualitative research to examine administrators’ perceptions of homework
effectiveness and purpose.
Use qualitative research to examine students’ attitudes and perspectives of
homework effectiveness and purpose and compare those results with that of
parents and teachers to identify similarities and differences.
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81
Use qualitative research, including interviews and focus groups, to gain a clearer
understanding of teachers’ and parents’ perceptions of homework, including their
experiences, both positive and negative, as it relates to homework.
Conduct a quantitative study among schools that do assign homework and schools
that do not assign homework. Homework effectiveness could be measured
through the analysis of standardized test scores.
Conduct an action research study where teachers provide students with a menu of
homework options. Carr (2013) noted that when students are personally
connected to the content of their homework, they will learn more and be more
motivated. Differentiating homework through student choice could be used to
determine which types of homework most benefit student learning.
Conduct a qualitative or quantitative study examining the homework perceptions
of parents and students as students enter and exit middle school.
Summary
This chapter focused on conclusions and recommendations based on the research
and data analysis surrounding homework effectiveness. The data supported the notion
that parents and teachers supported the overall use of homework at the middle school.
Along the way, I was able to identify specific benefits and challenges associated with
current homework practices. Teachers clearly believed that homework was an effective
tool used to improve academic achievement. Along those lines, homework data showed
that homework grades had a positive impact on overall grades, with 71% of sampled
grades increasing due to homework scores. However, parents’ voices were loud and
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
82
clear when it came to how much homework was assigned and the stress that homework
put on the students.
After reviewing the data, it was clear that there was inconsistency, as a school,
when it came to homework practices. Some teachers gave no homework, while others
assigned homework every night. Some counted homework for as much as a quarter of
the overall class grade, while others did not grade homework at all. These irregularities
in practice emphasized the need for consistent homework guidelines that all of the
teachers can follow. As a result, I developed homework guidelines based on educational
best practices identified in the research. These guidelines were outlined in this chapter.
Finally, recommendations for future plans and implications for further research were
made based on the findings and conclusions.
Action Research Project Summary
On March 13, 2020, the educational world was turned upside down. COVID-19
completely changed the way business was handled as a middle school. Teachers went
from assigning homework at the end of class after instruction, to all work being
completed at home. While some students prospered in this new learning environment,
many others struggled, not knowing how to effectively manage doing so much work at
home. As the principal of Schuylkill Valley Middle School, I am tasked with ensuring
that the best educational opportunities are provided for all students, but how can I do this
when the students are not physically in the building with the collection of talented,
hardworking teachers to teach them? How can I do this when there is no control over the
structure or lack of structure in the home? These same questions got to the heart of this
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
83
project. How do I ensure that the practices in assigning traditional homework are
effective to best meet the needs of the students?
The purpose of this action research project was to identify the impact of
homework on students at Schuylkill Valley Middle School from the perspectives of
teachers and parents. Additionally, I wanted to identify best practices for homework at
the middle level so that homework could be used as an effective educational tool to best
meet the academic and social/emotional needs of the students. Based on the research,
there is no one correct answer about whether homework is effective or ineffective, but I
believe that quality homework matters.
This study revealed that there were several inconsistencies in homework
practices. Survey results did not always align with the anonymously sampled gradebook
data. Teachers and parents also varied in perspectives of time necessary to complete
homework. This cannot continue. Teachers and parents must work together to provide
the best opportunities and support for the students.
I do not know what the “new normal” will look like at Schuylkill Valley Middle
School. I am eager for students to return to the halls and meet face to face with their
teachers and principals. With that, homework will continue to be assigned, but it will
follow the new guidelines developed as part of this study, because quality homework
matters. In fact, when homework is designed and implemented properly, it serves as a
valuable tool for reinforcing learning (Carr, 2013). When this result is achieved, I will
know that educational best practices in homework are truly being used to meet the needs
of all students!
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
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distinguish between quantity and quality in research on parental involvement: The
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Research, 108(5), 417–431. doi:10.1080/00220671.2014.901283
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Relationships between perceived parental involvement in homework, student
homework behaviors, and academic achievement: Differences among elementary,
junior high, and high school students. Metacognition and Learning, 10(3), 375–
406. doi:10.1007/s11409-015-9135-5
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kindness. Irish Post. Retrieved from https://www.irishpost.com/news/irishschool-replaces-homework-acts-kindness-reason-somebody-smiles-today-174728
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involvement of low-income families with middle school students. School
Community Journal, 24(2), 165–188. Retrieved from http://www.adi.org/journal
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Pope, D., Brown, M., & Miles, S. (2015). Overloaded and underprepared: Strategies for
stronger schools and healthy, successful kids. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley &
Sons.
Protheroe, N. (2009). Good homework policy. Principal, 89(1), 42–45. Retrieved from
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important role of homework. Journal of Advanced Academics, 22(2), 194–218.
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Leadership, 65(5), 85-87. Retrieved from
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educationalleadership/feb08/vol65/num05/Effective-Grading-Practices.aspx
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says. Time. Retrieved from http://time.com/4466390/homework-debate-research/
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Reflections. Retrieved from https://achievethecore.org/aligned/designingeffective-homework/
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(2015). Does homework design matter? The role of homework’s purpose in
student mathematics achievement. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 43,
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model of evaluating local schools’ homework practices. Universal Journal of
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consistently shows that homework has only a slight effect on educational
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on the measures used and the level of analysis chosen. Contemporary Educational
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designs. Theory Into Practice, 43(3), 205–212. Retrieved from
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students. Elementary School Journal, 109(1), 82–95. doi:10.1086/592368
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97
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APPENDICES
98
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Appendix A
Parent Survey
LETTER FOR PARENT SURVEY
Dear Participant:
As principal of the middle school, I am working on my Doctorate in Education in Administration
and Leadership at the California University of Pennsylvania. In order to complete my studies, I
need to complete a capstone project. The name of my project is Impact of Homework Practices
on Middle Level Students (Grades 5 – 8).
One purpose of this study is to determine what perceptions of homework parents have. I would
like to give a brief survey to parents/guardians of students attending our middle school. The
entire survey should take you less than 10 minutes to complete. You will be asked questions
about your homework beliefs, how effective you think homework is, and what the purpose of
homework is.
Because this study deals with homework, the risks of participating are minimized. Your
confidentiality will be protected as best as possible. Responses will be anonymous, with the
only demographic question being the grade level of your child. Although your rights and privacy
will be protected, the California University of PA Instructional Review Board (IRB) and people
working on this research can view the study records.
Taking part in this study is completely voluntary. You may decide not to take part in this study.
You can exit the survey if you want to stop completely, without penalty, prejudice, or loss of
benefits.
This study was approved by the California University of Pennsylvania Institutional Review Board.
This approval is effective 08/26/2019 and expires 08/09/2020. If you have any questions related
to this research or any problems, you may contact me at (610) 916-5617. I am working on this
project together with my Faculty Capstone Committee Advisor, Dr. Peter Aiken. You may
contact him at aiken@calu.edu. Dr. Cindy Mierzejewski, Schuylkill Valley School District
superintendent, is serving as my External Capstone Committee Member. You may contact her
at cmierzejewski@schuylkillvalley.org.
Sincerely,
Joshua Kuehner
Clicking the I AGREE button on the survey indicates:
I have read the above information
I agree to volunteer
I am a parent or guardian of a middle school student
I am at least 18 years of age
99
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
1.
I agree to participate in this survey
I AGREE
I DO NOT AGREE
2. On average, how much time does your child spend on homework each night
a. 0-15 minutes
b. 15-30 minutes
c. 30-60 minutes
d. 1-2 hours
e. More than 2 hours
Please use the following scale to circle an answer the questions below.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
1
2
3
4
5
3. Homework is an effective tool to teach responsibility
1
2
3
4
5
4. Homework is an effective tool to teach time management
1
2
3
4
5
5. Homework is an effective tool to reinforce skills taught at school
1
2
3
4
5
6. Students are expected to complete homework assignments with help from parents
1
2
3
4
5
7. Students are expected to complete homework assignments independently
1
2
3
4
5
8. Teachers should assign homework at the middle school level
1
2
3
4
5
9. Homework is often difficult for my child to complete
1
2
3
4
5
10. My child’s grade is significantly impacted by homework
1
2
3
4
5
100
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
11. I understand the value and purpose of my child’s homework assignments
1
2
3
4
5
12. The middle school expects teachers to assign homework
1
2
3
4
5
13. Teachers provide written feedback on homework assignments
1
2
3
4
5
14. The middle school should adopt a homework policy that controls the amount of
homework assigned
1
2
3
4
5
15. Homework causes tension at home
1
2
3
4
5
16. Homework causes anxiety for my child
1
2
3
4
5
17. Additional comments regarding homework assigned at the middle school level
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________
My child is in the following grade
5
6
7
8
101
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Appendix B
Teacher Survey
LETTER FOR TEACHER SURVEY
Dear Participant:
My name is Joshua Kuehner, and I am a doctoral student at California University of
Pennsylvania. I am working on my Doctorate in Education in Administration and Leadership. In
order to complete my studies, I need to complete a capstone project. The name of my project is
Impact of Homework Practices on Middle Level Students (Grades 5 – 8).
One purpose of this study is to determine what perceptions of homework teachers have. I
would like to give a brief survey to teachers of students attending our middle school using a
Google Form. The entire survey should take you less than 10 minutes to complete. You will be
asked questions about your homework beliefs, how effective you think homework is, and what
the purpose of homework is.
Because this study deals with homework, the risks of participating are minimized. Your
confidentiality will be protected as best as possible. Responses will be anonymous, with the
only demographic questions being the grade level(s) that you teach. Google Forms use
encryption software and does not collect IP addresses. Although your rights and privacy will be
protected, the California University of PA Instructional Review Board (IRB) and people working
on this research can view the study records.
Taking part in this study is completely voluntary. You may decide not to take part in this study.
You can exit the survey if you want to stop completely, without penalty, prejudice, or loss of
benefits.
This study was approved by the California University of Pennsylvania Institutional Review Board.
This approval is effective 08/26/2019 and expires on 08/09/2020. If you have any questions
related to this research or any problems, you may contact me at (610) 916-5617. I am working
on this project together with my Faculty Capstone Committee Advisor, Dr. Peter Aiken. You may
contact him at aiken@calu.edu. Dr. Cindy Mierzejewski, Schuylkill Valley School District
superintendent, is serving as my External Capstone Committee Member. You may contact her
at cmierzejewski@schuylkillvalley.org.
Sincerely,
Joshua Kuehner
Clicking the I AGREE button on the survey indicates:
I have read the above information
I agree to volunteer
I am a teacher
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
I am at least 18 years of age
1. I agree to participate in this survey
I AGREE
I DO NOT AGREE
2. On average, I assign homework:
a. Every night
b. 2-3 times per week
c. 4-5 times per week
d. Rarely
e. never
3. On average, how much time is needed to complete the homework you assign each
night?
a. 0-15 minutes
b. 15-30 minutes
c. 30-60 minutes
d. 1-2 hours
e. More than 2 hours
4. On average, how much time in total should a middle school student spend doing
homework each night?
a. 0-15 minutes
b. 15-30 minutes
c. 30-60 minutes
d. 1-2 hours
e. More than 2 hours
5. How often is homework reviewed in your classroom?
a. Every assignment
b. Most assignments
c. About ½ assignments
d. Rarely
e. Never
102
103
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
6. How often do you grade homework?
a. Every assignment
b. Most assignments
c. About ½ assignments
d. Rarely
e. Never
7.
How much does homework count towards the overall grade in your class?
a. 0-10%
b. 11-20%
c. 21-30%
d. 31-40%
e. 41-50%
f. More than 50%
8.
What percentage of students typically complete and turn in homework assignments in
your class?
a. 0-50%
b. 51-75%
c. 76-90%
d. 91-100%
Please use the following scale to circle an answer the questions below.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
1
2
3
4
5
9. Homework is an effective tool to teach responsibility
1
2
3
4
5
10. Homework is an effective tool to teach time management
1
2
3
4
5
11. Homework is an effective tool to reinforce skills taught at school
1
2
3
4
5
12. Students are expected to complete homework assignments with help from parents
1
2
3
4
5
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IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
13. Students are expected to complete homework assignments independently
1
2
3
4
5
14. Parents want students to have homework
1
2
3
4
5
15. The middle school administration expects teachers to assign homework
1
2
3
4
5
16. Giving zeros for late or incomplete homework motivates students to complete future
homework assignments
1
2
3
4
5
17. I regularly provide feedback to students regarding homework assignments
1
2
3
4
5
18. Students who complete homework have a more positive self-image
1
2
3
4
5
19. I regularly communicate with my colleagues about the amount of homework assigned
1
2
3
4
5
20. Students who complete homework create fewer discipline problems in my classroom
1
2
3
4
5
21. What is the purpose of the homework that you assign?
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The grade level(s) that I teach:
5
6
7
8
105
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Appendix C
Superintendent Participation Approval
106
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Appendix D
IRB Approval
107
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
Appendix E
CITI Program Certificates
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
108
IMPACT OF HOMEWORK
109