Homework Performance Research Articles

Exploring Students’ Online Homework Completion Behaviors

With the advent of information technology, various online homework systems have often been utilized to enhance students’ knowledge and skills. Several studies analyzed the effects of web-based homework systems on students’ learning through comparing them with paper-pencil homework. However, few studies explored students’ homework completion behaviors (e.g., starting early or late to solve homework problems) in online homework settings. To fill the gap, this study examined students’ use of the WeBWorK, an online homework system, in three undergraduate mathematics courses and the impact of their usage of the system on their final exam and overall homework grades. The findings revealed that students who made more attempts on solving homework problems displayed considerably higher performance on homework and final exam than their peers having less attempts. Although students starting early to answer homework questions obtained higher homework scores than the late starters, they were unable to reflect their homework performance on the final exam.

Prevalence of School Absenteeism due to Menstrual Bleeding and Associated Disorders among Secondary School Students in a Semi-Urban Area of Southwest Nigeria

Background: School absenteeism is a serious public health concern because of its effect on the family, society and economy of the nation at large. It is intricately linked to several social and medical conditions in which menstrual patterns and their disorders are included especially for adolescent girls. There is little evidence on the effect of menstrual disorders on school attendance in Nigeria. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of school absenteeism due to menstrual bleeding and its associated disorders among secondary school girls in a semi-urban area of Ondo state, Southwest Nigeria. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was employed in eight secondary schools using a multi-stage cluster sampling technique. A self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on menstrual bleeding and associated disorders, school absenteeism and strategies for managing menstrual pain. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and association between variables explored with Chi-square test at p<0.05. Results: The mean age of respondents was 15.6±1.6 years and the mean age at menarche was 13.2±1.3 years. School absenteeism was reported among 53.6% of the respondents and 24.7% reported absence from school due to dysmenorrhoea. School absenteeism was associated with severe menstrual pain (p=0.001), premenstrual syndrome (p=0.035) and reduced concentration in class (p=0.005). Other factors include homework performance (p=0.001) and number of daily changes of menstrual materials (p=0.046). Conclusion: Menstrual disorders have been shown to have negative effects on school attendance and homework performance of the female students.

The Impact of Social Determinants of Health on the Efficacy of School-Based Interventions for Adolescents with ADHD.

Adolescents with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience significant impairment in functioning. There are multiple clinic-based interventions that address these impairments (e.g., behavioral parent training). However, clinic-based interventions are often associated with barriers to care (e.g., transportation and financial resources), which can limit access based upon social determinants of health (e.g., parental income). School-based interventions have been developed to address the impairments adolescents with ADHD experience, with the goal of also improving access to care and limiting the impact social determinants of health. Despite this, to date, there has been almost no research evaluating the role of social determinants of health on the efficacy of school-based ADHD interventions. In a sample of 222 adolescents with ADHD randomly assigned to receive two different interventions, the present study evaluates the impact of income, maternal education, single-parent status, and race, on intervention efficacy. Single-parent status had the greatest impact on intervention efficacy, resulting in diminished improvements for two of the three outcomes. There was also a significant moderation effect for income, but only for parent-rated homework performance. In addition, main effects were found for single-parent status and race that represent disparities present at baseline that remained post-intervention. Overall, this study suggests that although school-based models of service delivery have the potential to significantly improve access to care, social determinants of health, and single-parent status, in particular, still need to be considered and addressed.

Academic Motivation Deficits in Adolescents with ADHD and Associations with Academic Functioning.

The present study evaluates differences in self-reported intrinsic and extrinsic academic motivation and amotivation between eighth-grade adolescents with (n = 162) and without (n = 140) ADHD. This study also examines associations between motivation and academic functioning with objective (i.e., grade point average, standardized reading and math scores) and cross-rater measurement (i.e., parent-reported homework performance). Multivariate analysis of variance controlling for sex, intelligence, and medication status found that adolescents with ADHD exhibited a significant motivational deficit compared to adolescents without ADHD across all areas of academic motivation, including intrinsic motivation (d = 0.49), extrinsic motivation (d = 0.43), and amotivation (d = 0.42). To examine whether motivation was differentially associated with academic impairment in the ADHD and comparison groups, a multi-group path analysis was conducted controlling for sex, intelligence, and medication status. Findings showed that motivation was differentially associated with academic impairment for adolescents with and without ADHD. For the comparison group, higher amotivation was associated with poorer homework performance and lower intrinsic motivation was associated with lower reading accuracy. In the ADHD group, higher amotivation was associated with poorer homework performance and math fluency, higher extrinsic motivation was associated with better homework performance and higher GPA, and higher intrinsic motivation was associated with higher reading accuracy. This study builds upon previous research in demonstrating that adolescents with ADHD have academic motivational deficits when compared to their peers without ADHD. Research is needed to understand the longitudinal interplay of academic motivation and academic functioning, with an eye towards developing or modifying interventions to increase academic motivation and academic success.

Öğrencilerin Ödev Performansları ve Edmodo'ya İlişkin Görüşleri

Using Educational Social Networking Sites (ESNSs) in educational settings has been a very popular practice especially in the past decade. Yet, its impact on learning is still under discussion. With this purpose in mind, this experimental study aims to investigate university vocational school students’ homework performance in Edmodo, which is an ESNS, and to identify their views on online assignments. During the experimentation, five weekly assignments were given for the experimental group via Edmodo and for the control group as pen-and-paper homework. During the assignment process, semi-structured interviews were held with the participants in the experimental group about online assignments. The findings revealed that both groups usually had high rates of homework submission. Moreover, the participants of the control group had a better performance in homework grades. The study also revealed that students usually have positive views on online assignments. The study concluded with the suggestion that EFL teachers should give assignments as online in university vocational schools since they are more instructive, motivating and enjoyable to do for students, as well as, more practical in terms of submission, checking, and grading.

Research to Practice: Implementation of Family School Success for Parents of Children With ADHD

“Family-School Success” (FSS) is an efficacious intervention improving the home and school functioning of children with ADHD in grades 2–6. An extension of this intervention designed for a younger population also showed positive effects for kindergarten and first grade students in a pilot study. Following the completion of these trials, FSS was implemented in a fee-for-service tertiary care ADHD center. The implementation process included adapting the manual and treatment procedures to be feasible outside the structure and support of a federally funded randomized control trial (RCT). The current study examines the process of adapting the treatment protocol and examines the acceptability and effectiveness of the adapted FSS, as well as predictors of family treatment response including parent engagement in treatment (as measured by attendance and homework adherence). A case study illustrates the adaptations to the intervention and its implementation in the clinic-based setting. In line with findings from clinical trials, families reported high satisfaction with the adapted FSS intervention and showed significant improvement in parental self-efficacy, child academic homework performance, and reduction in child impairment. Additionally, as in the initial FSS RCT, parental attendance in the adapted FSS program predicted child attention to academic homework, controlling for parental adherence to between-session homework. Furthermore, controlling for attendance at FSS sessions, parent adherence to between-session homework assignments predicted improvements in parent self-efficacy as well as child’s homework productivity. These results replicate those of the original RCT and confirm that both session attendance and between-session homework completed are important for improvement during the program. Overall, this study provides support for the acceptability and effectiveness of this treatment model and suggests that future work toward dissemination to community-based settings would be worthwhile.

Brief homework intervention for adolescents with ADHD: Trajectories and predictors of response.

In the present study, we sought to examine response trajectories to brief (11-week) school-based homework interventions and factors that may help schools predict responses. Participants included 222 middle-school students (72% boys; Mage = 12.00 years, SD = 1.02) who had been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and had received either a contingency-management or skills-based intervention for homework problems. Both interventions included 16 20-min student meetings with a school counselor and two parent meetings. Trajectories of response for ratings of homework problems and assignment completion were examined from baseline to a 6-month follow-up using growth-mixture models. Baseline variables routinely measured in school settings, including grade-point average (GPA), math and reading achievement, and externalizing and internalizing symptoms, were examined as predictors of treatment-response trajectories. The majority of students (68-81%) showed positive treatment response across outcomes. However, trajectories of students who did not respond to intervention were identified for each outcome. Baseline GPA significantly predicted trajectories for all outcomes and achievement scores significantly predicted trajectories of teacher-reported homework performance and parent-reported homework problems, such that youth with relatively higher baseline GPAs and achievement were most likely to respond. In contrast, neither externalizing nor internalizing symptoms were significant predictors of response trajectories. Schools can use GPA and academic-achievement data to determine whether brief school-based interventions for homework problems are likely to succeed. Students with ADHD who display severe academic impairment (i.e., GPA lower than 2.0 at baseline) may benefit from a more long-term, intensive intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Exploring the relationship between homework task difficulty, student engagement and performance

This article considers the relationship between differential homework task difficulty, student engagement and performance across four Irish post-primary school sites. A total of 236 participants completed all elements of this study. All participants were junior cycle students, aged between 12 and 16 years. The study employed a standardised test–retest approach, with a one week interval between tests. Between testing, participants were randomly subdivided into three cohorts. Each cohort received homework questions of different difficulty levels to complete for one week. The results of this study found that Cohort A, who received the least difficult homework tasks, completed the most non-compulsory questions. Although Cohort A demonstrated higher levels of engagement, no statistically significant difference was found in the change in performance scores of the three cohorts. The results highlight the negative impact of increased task difficulty on student engagement with independent homework tasks. The findings suggest that in order to support student engagement it is important that teachers afford ample opportunity for student success when designing self-directed tasks such as homework.

Factor structure and predictive validity of a homework motivation measure for use with middle school students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Many students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) exhibit deficits in motivation to pursue long-term goals. Students with ADHD have particular difficulty with motivation to complete homework-related tasks and often fail to complete assignments. Although these problems are common and may impact academic performance, no homework-motivation measures have been validated for use with students with ADHD. The primary goal of the present study was to evaluate the factor structure and predictive validity of a homework-motivation measure based upon the expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation. A sample of 285 middle school students with ADHD completed the measure, and confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the proposed factor structure and associations with parent and teacher ratings of homework performance. A 2-factor structure emerged, and model fit was excellent. Further, student-rated ability-expectancy beliefs demonstrated significant associations with parent-rated homework problems and performance and with teacher-rated homework performance and percentage of assignments turned in above and beyond ADHD symptoms. Future directions for studying the importance of motivation in students with ADHD are provided, with particular attention to the role that reward sensitivity may play in motivation. (PsycINFO Database Record

Homework purposes, homework behaviors, and academic achievement. Examining the mediating role of students’ perceived homework quality

A multi-level structural equation model was used to examine the relationships between the homework purposes reported by teachers (i.e. practice, preparation, participation, and personal development), homework quality perceived by students (e.g., homework related to the class material taught) and homework variables (i.e. effort, and homework performance) collected through different sources, and mathematics achievement. Participants were 4265 6th graders and their teachers (N = 101) from 199 classes. The direct and indirect relationships between variables were analyzed. Data showed that (a) homework purposes, students’ homework variables and mathematic achievement are associated, and (b) the relationship between homework purposes and mathematic achievement is mediated, by students’ perception of homework quality. Research and practice implications are addressed.

Evaluation of the Interplay Between Homework Motivation and Sluggish Cognitive Tempo in Youth With ADHD: Associations With Homework Performance

Objective: This study evaluated which Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) factors (i.e., Slow, Sleepy, Daydreamer) are most strongly associated with homework motivation, and whether homework motivation mediates the path between SCT and academic impairment. Method: Participants were 285 middle school students (boys 209) in Grades 6 to 8 (ages 10-15 years) who were comprehensively diagnosed with ADHD. Results: Parent- and self-report of SCT Slow behaviors predicted homework motivation above and beyond symptoms of ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), anxiety, depression, and intelligence. The mediation models tested were multi-informant and cross-rater (parent-report of SCT to self-report of motivation to teacher-report of homework problems), and suggest that low motivation may help explain the associations between SCT and functional impairment. Conclusion: SCT and motivation are significantly associated constructs. Clinically, youth with ADHD and comorbid SCT may be more likely to present with low motivation, placing them at risk for academic failure. The manuscript discusses potential clinical implications of these findings.

Improved grade outcomes with an e-mailed “grade nudge”

ABSTRACTInformation provided at the moment a person makes a decision can influence behavior in predictable ways. The United Kingdom's Behavioural Insights Team have used this idea to help improve the insulation of lofts, collect taxes, and even reduce litter. The authors of this article developed software that appends a personalized message to each assignment in the class regarding the student's current grade. This “grade nudge” explains precisely how the assignment will impact the student's final grade given their current standing in the class. Through a randomized trial, the authors show that the nudge improves student homework performance by about four percentage points.

Race and Gender Differences in Teacher Perceptions of Student Homework Performance: a Preliminary Examination

Although most students regularly complete homework, the extent to which race and gender influence teacher perceptions of homework performance has been largely unstudied. However, individual characteristics, such as race and gender, have been shown to meaningfully influence many aspects of students’ educational experiences and outcomes, and it is plausible that race and gender differences may exist in teacher perceptions of homework performance. This study used analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine student gender and race differences in teacher ratings of three dimensions of homework performance (student competence, parent support, and homework completion). Findings indicated that teachers rated girls and White students as having greater homework competence (ability to complete homework assignments) than boys and racial minority (Black and Latino) students. No significant race or gender differences in teacher ratings of parent support for homework or in rates of homework completion were found. The examination of race and gender differences in homework performance has the potential to contribute to our understanding of race and gender gaps in academic achievement. As such, replication and further study of these differences are warranted.

Outcomes for adolescents who comply with long-term psychosocial treatment for ADHD.

We conducted a large (N = 216) multisite clinical trial of the Challenging Horizons Program (CHP)-a yearlong afterschool program that provides academic and interpersonal skills training for adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Intent-to-treat analyses suggest that, as predicted, the CHP resulted in significant reductions in problem behaviors and academic impairment when compared to community care. However, attendance in the CHP ranged from zero to 60 sessions, raising questions about optimal dosing. To evaluate the impact of treatment compliance, complier average causal effect modeling was used to compare participants who attended 80% or more of sessions to an estimate of outcomes for comparable control participants. Treatment compliers exhibited medium to large benefits (ds = 0.56 to 2.00) in organization, disruptive behaviors, homework performance, and grades relative to comparable control estimates, with results persisting 6 months after treatment ended. However, compliance had little impact on social skills. Students most in need of treatment were most likely to comply, resulting in significant benefits in relation to comparable control participants who experienced deteriorating outcomes over time. Difficulties relating to dose-response estimation and the potentially confounding influence of treatment acceptability, accessibility, and client motivation are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

Improving homework performance among children with ADHD: A randomized clinical trial.

Evidence indicates that children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience acute and prolonged academic impairment and underachievement including marked difficulty with completing homework. This study is the first to examine the effects of behavioral, psychostimulant, and combined treatments on homework problems, which have been shown to predict academic performance longitudinally. Children with ADHD (ages 5-12, N = 75, 71% male, 83% Hispanic/Latino) and their families were randomly assigned to either behavioral treatment (homework-focused parent training and a daily report card; BPT + DRC) or a waitlist control group. Children also participated in a concurrent psychostimulant crossover trial conducted in a summer treatment program. Children's objective homework completion and accuracy were measured as well as parent-reported child homework behaviors and parenting skills. BPT + DRC had large effects on objective measures of homework completion and accuracy (Cohen's ds from 1.40 to 2.21, ps < .001). Other findings, including unimodal medication and incremental combined treatment benefits, were not significant. Behavioral treatment focused on homework problems results in clear benefits for children's homework completion and accuracy (the difference between passing and failing, on average), whereas long-acting stimulant medication resulted in limited and largely nonsignificant acute effects on homework performance. (PsycINFO Database Record

Assessing the effectiveness of a hybrid-flipped model of learning on fluid mechanics instruction: overall course performance, homework, and far- and near-transfer of learning

ABSTRACTTo examine the impact of a hybrid-flipped model utilising active learning techniques, the researchers inverted one section of an undergraduate fluid mechanics course, reduced seat time, and engaged in active learning sessions in the classroom. We compared this model to the traditional section on four performance measures. We employed a propensity score method entailing a two-stage regression analysis that considered eight covariates to address the potential bias of treatment selection. First, we estimated the probability score based on the eight covariates, and second, we used the inverse of the probability score as a regression weight on the performance of learners who did not select into the hybrid course. Results suggest that enrolment in the hybrid-flipped section had a marginally significant negative impact on the total course score and a significant negative impact on homework performance, possibly because of poor video usage by the hybrid-flipped learners. Suggested considerations are also discussed.

What Keeps Chinese Students Motivated in Doing Math Homework? An Empirical Investigation

Background As many students face the enduring challenge of maintaining their motivation to complete homework assignments, there is a critical need to pay close attention to homework motivation management (i.e., students’ efforts to sustain or enhance their motivation in order to complete homework assignments that might be boring or difficult). Yet, in spite of research showing that homework motivation has a powerful influence on homework performance and academic achievement, there have been few attempts to systematically investigate models of factors that influence homework motivation management. Purpose The current investigation examines empirical models of motivation management for Chinese students in the context of math homework, with models informed by key motivation theories, including self-regulation of motivation, expectancy-value, and volitional control. Research Design The study reported here used cross sectional survey data. Participants The participants were 1,799 high school students from 46 classes in China. Results Results from multilevel analyses indicated that, at the class level, motivation management was positively associated with homework interest, but was negatively associated with teacher feedback. At the student level, motivation management was positively related to managing emotion, managing time, students’ interest in homework, cognitive reappraisal, expectancy belief, and time on sports. Meanwhile, motivation management was negatively associated with value belief and time on TV. Conclusion The current investigation found that some results were in line with key motivation theories and related findings with U.S. students (e.g., managing time, and homework interest at the student level). In addition, it suggests that other results may be influenced by cultural and societal differences (e.g., gender, value belief, and teacher feedback). Consequently, it would be informative to pursue this line of research in cross-cultural settings. With respect to promoting student motivation in the homework process, it would be beneficial to pay more close attention to the role of homework interest, expectancy belief, and student initiatives (e.g., managing time, managing emotion, and cognitive reappraisal).

To FLIP or not to FLIP: Comparative case study in higher education in Turkey

The purpose of this study was (1) to investigate the effectiveness of the flipped-classroom approach, when coupled with problem-based learning and cooperative learning, compared to that of a traditional classroom; (2) to investigate the effects of watching videos and of doing homework on achievement in a physics course; and (3) to evaluate students’ perception of the use of the flipped-classroom format in a physics course. In this study, both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. A pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental method with a control group was used. The results showed that homework performance and the amount of video watched (preliminary work before class) were significantly more effective for student achievement in the flipped-classroom. Moreover, although students struggled to adapt to the new system at the beginning, students who know and feel responsible for their own learning can close the gap with more individual and group activities and can achieve higher grades.

Reductions in Negative Parenting Practices Mediate the Effect of a Family–School Intervention for Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

.Accumulating research has identified family behavioral interventions as an empirically supported psychosocial treatment for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The mechanisms behind the effectiveness of these interventions, however, have been less well studied. The current study examined possible mediators of improvement in 181 children's homework performance as a result of a family–school intervention for children in Grades 2–6 with ADHD (Family–School Success program, FSS). Specifically, changes in parenting practices and the family–school relationship were examined as potential mediators of the relationship between FSS treatment and improvements in students' homework performance. When we controlled for pretreatment levels of behavior and demographic variables, reductions in negative parenting practices were associated with both parent and teacher reports of homework performance at posttreatment. The relationship between treatment group and teacher reports of homework responsibility was fully mediated by reductions in negative parenting practices. Although the meditational effect for parent reports of homework problems did not meet criteria for full mediation, the magnitude of the treatment effect was significantly altered by reductions in negative parenting. This study replicated findings linking reductions in negative parenting to improvements in child behavior and extended findings to homework performance.

Effects of Explicit Instructions, Metacognition, and Motivation on Creative Performance

Effects of explicit instructions, metacognition, and intrinsic motivation on creative homework performance were examined in 303 Chinese 10th-grade students. Models that represent hypothesized relations among these constructs and trait covariates were tested using structural equation modelling. Explicit instructions geared to originality were positively related to originality of homework, but not to fluency/flexibility of homework. Participants with high intrinsic motivation for creative work scored higher on originality as well as fluency/flexibility of homework, whereas intrinsic motivation for challenging work had an inverse effect on creative homework. Theoretical claims on the relation between explicit instructions and metacognitive activities and between the latter and creative performance were not supported by this study. The degree of explicitness of instructions and the nature of the tasks were discussed in relation to the findings on the effect of explicit instructions. Further, the difference of creative process involved in the production of original versus fluent/flexible creative performance and the difference in the two types of intrinsic motivation and their effects on creative performance were discussed based on various studies including brain activities. Implications of the findings for the Chinese education system were discussed.