Research School Network: What is the point of homework? A look into the findings of systeatic reviews regarding the value of homework

It is an old age question that seems to come around time and time again in the world of education; is homework worth it? Homework is an important part of student’s daily routine, with over 75% of 13 – 17 years olds claiming to do some every day, and 37% of 13 years olds spending a minimum of 1 hour per day on homework (Cooper et al, 2006). When enrolling in school most parents and students expect homework to be a factor of their daily lives. However the value of homework has always been questioned, with the setting of it generally being a controversial and polarising issue (CCoL, 2009). Homework can often be a source of friction between home and school, with teachers demanding greater support from parents in ensuring completion/​quality, and parents’ concerns ranging from too much to too little, impacts on home life and the vagueness of some assignments (Cooper et al, 2006). Kouzma and Kennedy (2002) meanwhile note that for many students, homework is their chief source of stress, and subsequently some (especially those in the popular media) have argued that homework may be linked to pupil disengagement with school.

The question(s) over homework are not new. In their systematic review of literature examining the impact of homework on academic achievement, the Canadian Council of Learning (CCoL) note that the popularity and support of homework has historically swung from side to side. Focusing on attitudes to homework within North America, the review notes that between 1890 and 1940 the prevailing view was anti-homework with the overriding consensus that ​“the less of it the better” (Gill and Schlossman, 2004), before the 1950’s saw a swell of support for homework in attempt to promote greater academic performance. By the 1960’s and 1970’s opposition to homework had regrown, probably as a part of backlash against the authority and rigidity of institutional structures, with homework branded as an added and unnecessary pressure.
When faced with such a controversial issue, the need to turn to research evidence and proven practice is even more important. Cooper’s (1989) definition of homework is the most commonly used and states that homework is any task given to students to be completed outside of usual school hours. This may come in many forms such as lesson task completion, preparing for future tasks or assessment revision. The EEF toolkit on homework clearly states that ​“the evidence shows that the impact of homework, on average, is five months’ additional progress.” Additionally there is a pretty consistent picture that pupils in schools which give more homework perform better. However beneath this positive figure are much deeper layers of varying impact dependant on the type, quality and amount of homework set, and the students completing the homework. In addition where homework setting and academic achievement seem to have been linked in schools, much of the research has had to concede a lack of proof for causal relationships and have been unable to rule out the impacts of other school factors.
The research evidence is in agreement that setting homework for the sake of setting homework is unsupportable, and that homework that relates to learning during normal school time is important to ensure students perceive homework as an integral part of learning. Homework as a bolt on is unlikely to have a significant positive impact. The purpose of homework must be made clear for students if they are to fully engage and benefit from it. While the broader evidence base also suggests that quality over quantity is important, and that students should receive some form of feedback on their homework if its impact is to be maximised.
In their review of 18 empirical studies completed between 2003 and 2007, the CCoL (2009) found that homework that demands active engagement by students is most likely to boost achievement, and recommend that this may be done by incorporating a metacognitive component into homework tasks, where students have to think about their thinking. Metacognition is one of the active ingredients we recommend departments at DHS to consider incorporating into their homework – for more information in what we consider to be our active ingredients for effective homework see Chris Runeckles blog. The systematic review also found that the impact of homework seemed to vary from student to student, with older students and low attaining pupils benefitting the most.
In regards to quantity there is still much research to be done and discussion to be had. However, according to the EEF, some studies indicate that 1 – 2 hours per day is the optimum amount for a secondary school student.

I started this piece with the question ​“What is the point of homework?”, I would argue that while the research evidence makes this question redundant, in light of the research base we should perhaps be asking ourselves ​“what is the point of the homework I am setting?”. Homework has been proven to be successful so it is not going anywhere, but what we do with it can add (or detract) to its value.