Pros and Cons of Homework

Homework is one of the sacred cows of education (Conrath, 1992). According to Shultz (1995), students view it as a monster, and it is the bane of all parents.

In a review of research on homework, Cooper (1994) found these positive and negative effects:

Positive Effects		Negative Effects
§ Immediate effects on achievement and learning, including:		§ Satiation, which leads to loss of interest in academic material and physical and emotional fatigue.
	- Better retention of factual knowledge - Increased understanding - Better critical thinking concept formation - Better information processing - Curriculum enrichment
§ Long-term academic effects, including:		§ Denial of access to leisure time and community activities, as evidenced by parental interference, pressure to compete and perform well, and confusion on instructional techniques.
	- Learning encouraged during leisure time - Improved attitude toward school - Better study habits and skills
§ Nonacademic long-term effects, including:		§ Cheating through copying from other students or through having a tutor provide help beyond tutoring.
	- Greater self-direction - Greater self-discipline - Better time organization - More inquisitiveness - More independent problem solving

In looking at research studies that compare the achievement of students who receive homework with those who do not receive homework, Cooper also found these differences in achievement on standardized tests and grades:

	Level of Students Receiving Homework	How they Perform
	High School	§ Outperform those not receiving homework by 69% § Time spent on homework outside of school had greater effects than time spent studying at school § Achievement effects increased according to the amount of time spent on homework
	Junior High	§ Outperform those not receiving homework by 35% § Homework was more effective than in-school supervised study § Achievement effects increased as time spent on homework increased to two hours, but more than two hours spent on homework did not increase achievement
	Elementary School	§ Perform no differently than those not receiving homework § In-school supervised study had a greater impact on achievement than homework § Achievement did not increase with additional time spent on homework

Does this mean that elementary school students should not receive homework? No, according to Cooper. It means instead that parents should not expect homework to affect achievement. At the elementary school level, homework is important because it promotes good study habits and positive attitudes toward school. In addition, homework makes it clear to the student that learning can also take place outside of the school environment.

Clearly, homework is a complex issue that brings together the child, parent, and teacher in planned and unplanned ways, with positive and negative outcomes. Perhaps parents with concerns about homework can consider…[setting] up an appointment to talk with the teacher to discuss school policies. By getting involved, perhaps by forming parent/teacher committees to look at the reasons teachers assign homework and school policies for homework, parents can help schools develop more helpful and useful policies.

Conrath, Jerry. (1992). "Effective schools for discouraged and disadvantaged students: Rethinking some sacred cows of research." Contemporary Education, 63(2), 137-141.

Cooper, Harris. (1994). "Homework research and policy: A review of the literature." Research/Practice, 2(2) [Online]. Available: http://carei.coled.umn.edu/ResearchPractice/v2n2/homework.html [1997, October 20].

Shultz, Eileen. (1995). "Be an advocate for your child." PTA Today, 20(4), 10-11.

For more on homework, see these articles from the February 2004 issue of 2e:Twice-Exceptional Newsletter:

The Pros and Cons of Homework

Parent News (November, 1997), National Parent Information Network

February, 2004