HOMEWORK RESEARCHPart 2

A QUICK RECAP….

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

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)

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.

THIS WEEK…

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.

PARENTS , HOMEWORK AND ACHIEVEMENT

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.

Parents, Homework and Achievement

• It is not the extent of parental involvement that is important for achievement outcomes but how parents are involved.

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

PARENTS, HOMEWORK AND MOTIVATION

Parental involvement is associated with…

• Positive student motivation• Self-regulated learning• Beliefs about personal responsibility in relation to

academic outcomes

Parenting styles• authoritative• authoritarian• Laissez-faire

Authoritative parents• Warm emotional relationships• Firm authroity and control• Allow children a considerable degree of autonomy

Authoritarian parents• Emotionally distant• Exercise a high degree of control• Children allowed little or no autonomy

Laissez-faire parents• Warm relationships• Little or no authority or control• Few limits on children’s autonomy

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.

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

REFLECTION

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?

WHAT MAKES GOOD HOMEWORK?

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

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

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?