Traditional Homework Research Articles

Homework: At Home or at School?—Attitudes of Teachers, Parents and the General Public: A Case Study

The purpose of this study is to investigate the attitudes of three influential groups toward homework: parents, teachers and the public. Specifically, attitudes toward reducing and eliminating homework, as well as creating alternatives to conventional homework, are examined. The first hypothesis is that the attitude of teachers and parents toward homework is positive, whereas that of the public is negative, in line with the Israeli Ministry of Education that suggests changing homework policies. Another hypothesis is that there is a correlation between the seniority of teachers and their attitudes toward homework—the greater the seniority, the more negative the attitude. Finally, the effect of various background variables of teachers (class grade and subject area: sciences or humanities) and parents (age of parents, number of children in the family and child birth-order) on their attitudes toward homework is examined. The first research hypothesis was confirmed—most teachers and parents are supportive of homework, whereas the public is the least supportive. In addition, the public is the most supportive of changing homework policies, parents are less supportive, and teachers are the least supportive. No correlation was found between the seniority of teachers and their attitudes toward homework. Finally, background variables have no effect on attitudes toward homework. According to these findings, the public is not yet ready to completely forgo homework, which has been so widely used and accepted. The desire to change the traditional homework policy exists, but the concept that homework is essential remains.

Online vs traditional homework: A systematic review on the benefits to students’ performance

In recent years, a strong investment has been made to equip schools with technology for educational purposes, leading to some transformations in teachers' practices. In this context, apart from traditional format, there are online platforms available for teachers to assign and monitor homework completed by students. Literature has described the benefits of online homework for teachers when compared with traditional homework. Still, evidence of the benefits for students when compared with traditional homework is scattered. Thus, the current study aimed to conduct a systematic review on online homework and traditional homework, with the goal of learning the methodological features of the studies comparing both homework formats and understanding which of the two benefits most students' performance. Following a review protocol, 31 studies were included and categories such as participants, duration of intervention, and course domain were described. Results showed that most studies used a convenience sample in a between-subject design, included college students, used non-standardized instruments, and presented a wide range of number of participants, duration of intervention, course domain, and approaches to implement the online homework. Additionally, half of the studies showed no differences in terms of student performance as a function of the format of delivery of homework. In nine studies students’ performance was higher in the online compared with the traditional homework format, and only one study showed the opposite result. Lastly, six studies reported mixed results. Based on results, educational implications are discussed, as well as suggestions for future research.

Can Between-Session Homework Be Delivered Digitally? A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial of CBT for Adjustment Disorders.

Adjustment disorder (AjD) is one of the most common disorders in clinical practice, and its symptoms are severe enough to cause great distress and functional impairment. The AjD CBT protocol specifically developed for this disorder has shown positive results when delivered face to face and through virtual reality. Despite existing evidence supporting the benefits of therapeutic homework as part of a psychological intervention, little is known about how to increase homework engagement in psychotherapy. This study examines the feasibility (doability, initial efficacy and acceptability) of a digital support system to deliver homework via the Internet in the treatment of AjD. Participants were randomly assigned to a traditional homework condition or a digital support system condition. Both interventions resulted in statistically significant improvements, with large effect sizes, in all the outcome measures at post-treatment, with no significant differences between groups. At 12-month follow-up, these therapeutic gains were maintained, and an improvement was even observed in both conditions, with no significant differences between groups. Additionally, treatment satisfaction predicted efficacy in both groups separately and when the whole group was considered. This is the first study to explore the feasibility an initial efficacy of delivering a therapeutic homework component for AjD through the Internet.

Preventing Homework Copying through Online Homework in a Math Class

This article presents a potential solution to one of the prevailing issues of paper-and-pencil homework in mathematics–copying. We investigated the reasons why students copy homework and determined how they usually do it. Then, we used the information gathered to design an online homework using the features of MyOpenMath, an open source learning management system that can possibly address the limitations of traditional homework. A set of online homework that administers algorithmically generated parallel homework questions to each student, provides immediate feedback, and offers students unlimited attempts to get the problem right was developed as a result. After which, we explored how students approached the online homework and studied if it was able to prevent copying of homework among students. A class with 32 participants was observed for this endeavor. Interviews, outputs, and reflection papers from the class were analyzed to reach our aims. Two studen cases were presented to demonstrate how homework copying is usually done and to further examine and comprehend the impact of online homework. Student A narrated how online homework at MyOpenMath prevented him from copying and forced him to engage in answering homework. Student B's experience described why some students allow others to copy their homework and how the online homework led her to tutor her classmates. By and large, the MyOpenMath online homework was able to prevent copying among students and was able to generate remarkable improvement to students' homework answering practices.

High-Impact Solutions for Struggling Mathematics Students

To maximize classroom time spent on practice and concept attainment, a teaching team discarded traditional warm-up activities and homework assignments.

Making Homework Meaningful through The Use of Presentations and Technology

This paper investigates the advantages of using a two-step homework system. First, technology is used to collect and grade traditional homework. Then, students are expected to present and explain problems from their assignments in class. Several versions of implementation are discussed for different course levels and sizes. Through these methods, students are encouraged to revisit their course material and gain a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts.

A Technique For Continuous Evaluation Of Student Performance In Two Different Domains: Structural Engineering And Computer Information Technology

Student access to the Internet has made it much easier for students to find solutions to traditional homework problems online and thereby has made this traditional assessment method of monitoring student progress and gauging the assimilation of knowledge in engineering and technology courses less reliable. This paper presents an in-class, group-based quiz technique where students are quizzed typically on a weekly basis on material presented during the same week in lecture, but before doing any homework. Homework is typically not graded or its impact reduced on its percentage impact on the final class grade, whereas the quizzes are assigned a higher percentage impact on the final grade. Mid-term and final exams are based or derived from the homework assignments. Since students have not usually had any time to study the new material, they can work in groups of typically two or three students and if they get stuck, they have the option of asking the instructor for hints to prevent them from being stuck. Quizzes are graded in real-time during the class and provide the instructor with continuous, week to week, assessment as to a student’s progress. The study found that the use of this quiz technique creates a more interactive experience between students, between the student and the instructor, and reduces the possibility of plagiarism on homework assignments.

Homework Policy and Student Choice: Findings from a Montessori Charter School

The use of homework has been a controversial topic in education for many years: what types of homework to give, how much, and how often. In previous years, Ocean Montessori School (a pseudonym), the site of this study, offered homework like that of traditional public schools, such as worksheets and rote skill practice. Feeling conflicted about the misalignment between traditional homework and Montessori practices, the school administration changed the homework policy for the 2016–2017 academic year. The new policy encouraged students to choose what they wanted to do each night for homework. This study examines the views and practices of the teachers, students, and parents involved in the new homework policy. Data were collected from parent surveys, teacher focus groups, student interviews, observations, and student work samples. The findings indicate that, although students enjoyed the proposed homework change, it lacked sufficient structure for parents, and students needed support from teachers and parents to engage in meaningful homework tasks.

Irakasleak eta familiak etxerako lanetan: TIPSen estrategia

Este trabajo responde a una necesidad de profesorado y familias de una escuela rural sobre los deberes escolares. Quieren que sean acordes con el planteamiento metodológico de la escuela y que mejoren las relaciones familia-escuela. Para ello se ha recurrido a la propuesta de Epstein sobre deberes escolares interactivos (TIPS). Estas tareas dan la oportunidad de compartir con los miembros de la familia aspectos interesantes de lo trabajado y aprendido en la escuela. El objetivo de esta propuesta de investigación-acción, ha sido el de crear y revisar 3 tareas TIPS para el segundo y tercer ciclo (alumnado de 9 a 12 años) contando con el apoyo de una investigadora externa. La información cualitativa (observación y entrevista en la escuela) se ha recogido a través de las dos tutoras mientras que la cuantitativa (cuestionario en casa) ha sido aportada por las 24 familias implicadas. Teniendo en cuenta la diversidad familiar, los resultados señalan mayores grados de satisfacción en los tres colectivos: disponibilidad de información relevante para los tutores, percepción en la relación familia-escuela, interacción con los hijos y motivación del alumnado con este tipo de deberes escolares.

Flipping theClassroom; Developing listening Material

Flipped classroom is an approach to teach listening in which students participate in online learning in place of traditional homework and then attend school for face-to-face, teacher-guided practice or projects. It is a part of larger education system called blended learning. In this approach, students could learn new content on their own by watching video lectures or other online sources and assigned problems (traditional “homework”) are completed in class with teachers offering personalized guidance instead of lectures. The paper here examined an ESL listening class. Listening skill is much more than hearing. Unfortunately, in students’ opinion, listening is an uninteresting activity. Many students feel very bored in listening class. That is why teachers should know about how to make the students more interested in listening. The aim of this paper is discuss best practices and challenges of implementing the flipped classroom in teaching and learning listening. By using this approach, it is expected that students will develop their listening skills as well as have a lot of fun. The main findings of the study indicate that the students enjoyed learning listening in a flipped classroom environment. They can practice not only listening but also all language skills in listening class.

Digital homework for kinematics and dynamics of machinery

A digital homework program applicable to the study of kinematics and dynamics of machinery has been developed and successfully incorporated into an ongoing kinematics and dynamics of machinery course providing students with regulated self-practice, formative feedback, and partial credit scoring. The use of digital homework in upper-level engineering courses is sparsely documented in the literature but can provide homework assignments that give immediate feedback for self-assessment of learning while significantly reducing the time required of the instructor for grading. This paper presents a procedure for creating a digital homework set generally applicable to engineering courses using a commercially available course management tool. The paper then documents a specific implementation into a junior-level kinematics and dynamics of machinery course. This implementation is assessed over four semesters based on its comparison with traditional homework as perceived by students. The responses indicate that students were acquainted with digital homework from pre-engineering courses and did not regard the digital format as a hindrance. However, students perceived no benefit to the immediate feedback and, therefore, preferred the traditional format of upper-level courses. This perception is attributed to students’ tendency to make use of the homework feedback much later after the assignment and primarily at the point of exam preparation. However, this seems to be counter to the role of homework as a formative feedback tool that students use in real time to gauge and regulate learning activities. The authors conclude that the presented digital homework is both efficient and appropriate as a teaching supplement to an upper-level kinematics and dynamics of machinery course in the light of the role of homework as a tool to regulate learning of course material. Examples of the implemented digital homework problems are provided to serve as a resource for other instructors.

Improving Students' Conceptual Reasoning by Prompting Cognitive Operations

AbstractBackgroundWe tested the effects of an intervention on the learning of introductory thermodynamics principles. This intervention, OEM‐Thermo, is designed to prompt the cognitive operations of meaningful learning: organization, elaboration, and monitoring. We also sought evidence to show that execution of these operations was associated with learning gains and that cognitive operations are influenced by different intervention exercises.Purpose/HypothesisStudy 1: Students who complete OEM‐Thermo will gain more conceptual knowledge than students who complete traditional problems. Study 2: First, elaboration and monitoring contribute to learning with OEM‐Thermo. Second, students engage in elaboration and monitoring at a higher rate when answering elaboration questions than when completing matrix exercises.Design/MethodStudy 1: A two‐group, pre‐ and post‐test experimental design tested OEM‐Thermo effectiveness. Study 2: A one‐group, pre‐ and post‐test design where participants thought aloud while completing OEM‐Thermo tested deep and surface reasoning as well as the frequency of elaboration and monitoring events.ResultsStudy 1: A significant interaction between test time (pre‐ and post‐test) and condition shows that OEM‐Thermo promoted development of conceptual reasoning more effectively than did traditional homework problems. Study 2: Significant partial correlations were found between post‐test scores on one of two deep reasoning categories and the frequency of elaboration and monitoring events in the think‐aloud protocols. Differences were also found in the rate of elaboration across intervention exercises.ConclusionsAn intervention that includes tasks designed to stimulate the cognitive operations of meaningful learning improves students' conceptual reasoning.

Remedying Education with Personalized Learning: Evidence from Randomized Field Experiment in India

Can Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enabled personalization remedy the educational production in resource-strapped schooling systems? We conduct a randomized field experiment on a group of residential schools in Hyderabad India to examine this question. In a school setting, students first learn concepts through class room instructions and then reinforce their learning by doing homework. In our experiment, students were first taught different topics in mathematics through classroom instructions, and then a randomly selected one half of them were assigned computer-generated adaptive homework (CGAHW) and the other half were offered paper-based traditional homework (PBTHW). In a PBTHW, a pre-decided fixed number of easy and hard questions were offered from different topics. In a CGAHW, first half of the total questions were offered in the easy category, and based on a student’s performance on these questions, later questions were adaptively generated such that: (1) more questions were offered on the topics in which student incorrectly answered questions and (2) hard questions on a topic were offered when the student correctly answered easy questions on that topic. Thus, while all PBTHW students received the same number of easy and hard questions on different topics, CGAHW students received different numbers and difficulty levels of questions on different topics based on their individual learning needs. A total of 50 homework in each category were offered to students between October 2014 and April 2015, and their learning was assessed in two standardized exams offered in this period.We found that CGAHW students on average obtained lower homework scores than PBTHW students, but they obtained 4.28 percent higher scores in exams than PBTHW students. Lower homework scores could be attributed to students receiving more questions in their weak areas in CGAHW. However, by doing more questions in their weak areas and less in their strong areas, students achieved personalized learning in CGAHW, and hence obtained higher exam scores. To provide evidence that personalized learning in CGAHW resulted in improvement in their exam scores, we show that students that were offered higher levels of personalization in CGAHW, obtained higher exam scores. To further understand the differential effect of CGAHW on students of different abilities, we categorized students in low, medium, and high categories of ability based on their mathematics scores in standardized exams at the beginning of experiment. We found that personalized learning through CGAHW helped the students in low and medium ability categories but not in high ability category. Overall, we developed and deployed an adaptive homework generation application in a field set up to show how ICT-enabled personalized learning could improve educational production with existing school resources.

The Impact of Flipped Classroom Model and Learner Self-Regulation on Perceived Experience, Sense of Community and E-Learning Projects Performance

Abstract: The flipped or inverted classroom model is one in which the time and place for traditional lecture and homework are reversed. Traditional lecture is replaced by online videos assigned as homework. This frees up time in class to be spent with more student centered activities such as discussion based concept questions and group problem solving. While growing in popularity, research on the effectiveness of this format is mixed and inconsistent. The present study was designed to investigate the impact of the flipped classroom model on learner experience with the classroom environment, perceived sense of community and e-learning projects performance. Learner self-regulation was also investigated as a moderate variable. 97 male students, between the ages of 18-21, from the Faculty of Education Albaha University, participated in the study assigned to either a flipped classroom environment (N=51) or a traditional classroom environment (N=46). Before assignments to the conditions, learners were asked to respond to a 55-item self-regulation questionnaire. Furthermore, after the experiment, students received three measurements to assess their experience with the environments (40-item questionnaire type scale), sense of community (43-items scale) and e-learning projects performance (3 e-learning performance rubrics). Data were analyzed using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). The analysis revealed several significant differences: 1) there was a main effect of the classroom environment on student experience with the environment, perceived sense of community and e-learning projects performance, with the flipped classroom group showing more positive experience and a highsense of community as well as better e-learning projects performance; 2) learner self-regulation was found to have a moderating effect with respect to experience in the learning environment, sense of community and e-learning projects performance. The results of the study were discussed in terms of their implications for designing better and effective classroom learning environment that promote student engagements and learning.

Development of a comprehensive assessment technique to invigorate students' problem-solving skills and deter cheating

It is a long-standing belief of most instructors that the assignment of graded homework to students is very useful in the process of teaching fundamental engineering courses. Results of several studies have also revealed that working on homework assignments with a significant independent effort enables students to develop higher cognitive level creative problem solving skills that they need in school (for example, to perform better in exams) and as practicing engineers. However, the availability and use of textbook solution manuals and other unapproved outside sources have hindered students from achieving the skills. Previous studies indicated that almost 90% of students used text book solution manuals at least once without permission and students with no access to solution manuals performed better than those who have. These two findings indicate that there is a need for developing alternative techniques that can possibly enhance homework assignments in order to stimulate the independent creative problem-solving skills of students. In this project, readily available and new alternate techniques to enhance traditional homework assignments have been identified, and a novel comprehensive assessment technique has been developed and implemented. The impact and effectiveness of the technique has been studied via conducting a survey and the comparison of exam averages of three semesters with and without the implementation of the technique. The results indicate that the technique helps deter cheating enhances critical thinking and problem solving skills of students and improve their performance in exams. Furthermore, the implementation of the technique is believed to have boosted students learning of the material of an undergraduate Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics course given at a large public university.

Sales and operations planning spreadsheet homework

This paper describes an Excel-based application that help teach students the aggregate operations planning portion of the sales and operations planning (S&OP) process. Randomly generated problems allow students as much practice as they need to master the material while reducing their ability to share their answers. The delayed feedback associated with traditional homework is eliminated because of the application's interactive nature. Under the application's guided direction, students can more easily practice calculations related to inventory, capacity, and production and explore the relationship between cost parameters and the relative attractiveness of chase and level production strategies. Instead of delving into individual calculations while grading homework done by hand, faculty can look at special verification information on the worksheets to quickly confirm that each student correctly completed his or her unique assignment. The various learning styles supported by the application are discussed.

Mixed-Methods Study of Online and Written Organic Chemistry Homework

Connect for organic chemistry is an online learning tool that gives students the opportunity to learn about all aspects of organic chemistry through the ease of the digital world. This research project consisted of two fundamental questions. The first was to discover whether there was a difference in undergraduate organic chemistry content knowledge between students at a public institution who complete homework assignments online and those who complete homework assignments on paper. The second was to determine what kind of effect online homework had on student learning. Courses were designated at random to perform either online homework or traditional homework. At the end of the semester, students were asked to fill out a survey regarding their thoughts on the homework method used for their course. Students’ exam grades were then analyzed. Students who utilized the Connect homework program did significantly better than those who completed traditional homework (p < 0.006, n = 112). The ACS average exam per...

Inverted Teaching: Applying a New Pedagogy to a University Organic Chemistry Class

Inverted teaching, not to be confused with hybrid learning, is a relatively new pedagogy in which lecture is shifted outside of class and traditional homework is done in class. Though some inverted teaching (IT) designs have been published in different fields, peer-reviewed reports in university chemistry remain quite rare. To that end, herein is disclosed a sophomore organic chemistry course design in which two groups of students were each taught by one of two methods: Group 1 through traditional lecture (TL) and Group 2 through IT. Design rationale and objectives are discussed. Academic performances are compared, along with anonymous student feedback contrasting the two techniques (TL vs IT). Student attendance and viewership, instructor prep time, and total lecture time are also presented for both styles.

Studying the Effectiveness of Online Homework for Different Skill Levels in a College Algebra Course

A comparison of the performance on the final exam for subpopulations of students in College Algebra was used to assess the effectiveness of online homework. Data was collected for two small groups of students, one with traditional paper homework and the other with online homework. The groups of students were further classified by incoming skill level measured by a departmental placement test. The data suggests that online homework was beneficial to the incoming higher-skilled group, whereas, the lower-skilled students did not benefit from online homework.

Online Homework vs. Traditional Homework: Statistics Anxiety and Self-Efficacy in an Educational Statistics Course

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether online homework benefits students over traditional homework in the areas of statistics self-efficacy, statistics anxiety, and grades. Using a nonequivalent control-group design, one section of students was assigned traditional homework while the other section was assigned online homework. The two groups were then compared on measures of self-efficacy, statistics anxiety, and homework, test, and final grades. Results indicated that homework delivery method affected only student homework grades, but did not affect their other grades, self-efficacy, or anxiety.