This document discusses research on the effects of homework at different school levels and the role of parents in supporting homework. The main points are:
1) There is little evidence that homework benefits learning at the primary school level, but more support for benefits at the middle and high school levels.
2) Parental involvement is most effective when it encourages student autonomy rather than being overly controlling and focuses on the learning process rather than just outcomes.
3) An authoritative parenting style with warmth and reasonable control tends to benefit student motivation and learning, while authoritarian or laissez-faire styles do not.
4. Experimental and Correlational Research
“While there is support for the achievement benefits of
homework at the senior high school level, and to a
considerably lesser extent a the middle school level, there
is almost no support for benefits at the primary school
level.”
M Horsely and R Walker (2013), Reforming Homework: practices learning and policy,
Palgrave Macmillan p24
5. There is clear evidence that:
• self-regulated learning skills can be taught
• Approriate and explicit classroom teaching can develop
self-regulated learning skills in primary school children
• Limited support for view that homework develops self-
regulatory skills and sense or responsibility – Warton
(1997)
6. Conclusions from review of studies into
self-regulation and homework
• Quality of homework is associated with quantity of
homework completed
• Older students more capable of self-regulation but may
engage less with homework ahs motivation decreases.
• Older students may consider costs of doing homework
outweigh the benefits.
8. Today we will look at:
• How parents help or hinder the success of a homework
program
• Evidence for effective models of homework
• Implications for our homework programs – developing
quality homework tasks.
10. Parents, Homework and Achievement
• While research findings suggest that parental involvement
at school has beneficial effects on student achievement,
Pomerantz et al. (2007) report that the results for parental
involvement at home are less consistent.
11. Parents, Homework and Achievement
• It is not the extent of parental involvement that is
important for achievement outcomes but how parents are
involved.
12. Parental involvement is more beneficial
when…
• Parents’ interactions with their children promote autonomy
rather than when parents’ actions are controlling.
• Parents focus on understanding not achievement
outcomes
• Parents focus on learning process not ability or
intelligence.
• Parents convey positive emotions in relation to academic
activities
• Parents have positive beliefs about their children’s
potential
14. Parental involvement is associated with…
• Positive student motivation
• Self-regulated learning
• Beliefs about personal responsibility in relation to
academic outcomes
18. Laissez-faire parents
• Warm relationships
• Little or no authority or control
• Few limits on children’s autonomy
19. Parenting styles and effects on learning
• Research into parenting styles supported the view that
authoritative was beneficial for student learning and
motivation.
• High use of controlling behaviours by parents and
surveillance were associated with extrinsic motivational
orientations
• Children subjected to controlling behaviours more likely to
react positively to directive patterns and negatively to
autonomy-supportive patterns.
20. Intrinsic Motivation
• Students’ perception of their parents’ values concerning
achievement had the strongest association with
motivation and competence.
• Students showed less initiative, autonomy, motivation,
persistence and satisfaction when exposed to controlling
behaviours.
• Parental encouragement and praise associated with
higher intrinsic motivation
• Parental rewards for homework completion/achievement
led to higher levels of extrinsic motivation
22. Think about
• What are the implications of this research for our school
policy and homework practices?
• What are some practical steps we might need to take?
24. Some key homework principles
• Homework tasks should be considered from the learner’s
perspective
• Consolidation, practice and repetition tasks should be in
the learner’s zone of actual development
• Challenging tasks in the zone of proximal development
promote conceptual growth
• Homework tasks should be guided by the provision of
scaffolding in the learner’s zone of proximal development
25. Some key homework principles
• Homework practices should promote self-regulated
learning skills
• Homework practices should use family and community
resources
• Homework practices should promote equity
26. Key issues for Teachers
• What should be the balance between drill and practice and
cognitive growth tasks in the homework program.
• What are the key issues in creating a homework program with
a balance between drill and practice and cognitive growth
tasks?
• How can teachers assign homework tasks that are interesting,
involve some degree of student choice and autonomy and take
individual differences into account?
• How can teachers assign homework tasks that are challenging
and promote student responsibility and self-regulation?
• How can teachers ensure that students are provided with the
different types of assistance they need to complete homework
tasks?
