AbstractsEducation Research & Administration

Most Effective Types of Homework to Assist in Student Mastery

by Jennifer Jenkins




Institution: Utah Valley University
Department:
Year: 2015
Keywords: Homework; Education, Secondary; Dissertations, Academic;
Record ID: 2062610
Full text PDF: http://contentdm.uvu.edu:81/u?/UVUTheses,662


Abstract

Previous research indicates that homework has a positive influence on student achievement, i.e. students’ grades and test scores. However, there is little research as to what type of homework helps students the most. This study investigates five types of homework to determine which type leads to the highest level of mastery for students in a social studies class. Five classes, over the course of two units, were given common pre assessments, formative assessments, and summative assessments (in conjunction with one of the randomly assigned homework types). The scores were analyzed to determine that among the five homework types, only teaching homework provided statistical growth. Students were also surveyed after each summative assessment to determine if students’ attitude toward homework, as well as what homework type they thought was most effective. The students expressed that practice homework was most effective. Finally, eight interviews were conducted to try to gain greater understanding regarding student perception of homework’s helpfulness. These interviews were inconclusive and did not further clarify the survey results. Statistically significant results came from teaching homework with Unit One, but not with Unit Two. The students’ preferences were contradictory to these results: they preferred practice homework to any other and reported mixed attitudes about homework in general. 89 p.; 22 cm.;