Homework – research and recommendations

As part of my role as a research lead, I spent time reading and reviewing research on homework. The purpose of this was to inform my own school’s needs analysis, decision making and implementation process. If anyone else is looking into homework and thinking updating their school’s practice I hope that this helps as a foundation and framework for that process in your context.

Given the nature of homework, its inherent variability and lack of direct control, the research is diverse, there aren’t randomised control trials and results vary depending on subject and phase. Yet, there is much research to peruse. In recent months I have seen lots of discussion on the purpose of homework and whether it genuinely adds value to education, or merely takes away from family time. This post is not designed to contribute to that debate. If homework is right for your context, you have valid reasons for incorporating it as part of your curriculum offer. However, even if homework is right for your students, we don’t always set it well.

Homework is right, the homework might not be.

Therefore, with a wealth of research available, we can set the conditions to maximise its efficacy and take advantage of its potential. If we are going to use our most precious resource -time- then it needs to be used wisely; as does that of our students.

What does the research say?

• There is extensive research available on the efficacy of homework within each education sector. It ranges from individual, small scale studies, to much larger meta-analyses.
• The biggest issue with research on homework is it is inconsistent and is yet to achieve a consensus. This is likely to be because of the inevitable and vast variables involved in setting, carry-out and assessing homework, and its impact on student learning and / or outcomes.  

• This is a meta-analysis of 43 studies – this is considered limited evidence.
• The data represents an average effect size (impact of those studies) which represent findings from both primary and secondary sector.
• The studies looked at homework in maths, reading and science.
• Homework is more beneficial to secondary aged students (compared to primary students).
• On average ‘homework’ provides secondary students with +5 months progress.
• 2 studies show an average negative effect size, both of which focused on flipped learning (learning new material outside of the classroom):
  • Freet, 2016: Flipping the classroom: an exploration of the effect of inverted learning on student achievement in a high school mathematics classroom
  • Howell, 2013: Effects of an inverted instructional delivery model on achievement of ninth-grade physical science honours students

EEF recommendations consist of:

What about other research?

Professor John Hattie et al

• “Five to 10 minutes has the same effect of one hour to two hours. The worst thing you can do with homework is give kids projects. The best thing you can do is to reinforce something you have already learnt.”
• Homework can be effective when it is the right type of homework and we should continue setting it.
• Teachers should not abandon homework, instead, they should improve its instructional quality.

Macbeath & Turner (1990)

Vatterott (2010)

Summary of research

• An overview of research and their recommendations would suggest that homework is likely to have a positive impact on student outcomes for secondary age students.
• However, the positive impact is heavily caveated.
• A common theme running through each study is that the quality of homework is far more important than quantity.

Recommendations

Any policy decisions should follow the EEF’s implementation guidance, and be considered in light of consultation with stakeholders. This should provide opportunity for adaptation or adoption of decisions through an evaluative process.

Classrooms and departments:

1. Bespoke departmental policies are more likely to be effective. There is limited research on subject specific homework. However, based on the available evidence across reading, science and maths, it is likely to look different in each subject.
2. Any homework set should be linked to classroom learning. The evidence indicates that consolidation of learning is an appropriate and effective activity.
3. Metacognitive strategies linked to independent learning should be explicitly taught.Of the research identified, a common theme is those with more adept independent learning skills are more likely to achieve a ‘better’ outcome as a result of homework interventions.
4. Homework should provide an opportunity for feedback, recognition and reward.However, this should not be onerous on teacher workload. Utilising self-assessment or self-assessing on line quizzes can provide the same benefit.
5. Homework tasks should be varied and manageable.The research utilised suggests that using a variety of tasks increases engagement, as does short, focused tasks. There appears to be no additional benefit to lengthy homework.

Whole school:

1. Remove barriers to homework. As we know, not all students will have access to the appropriate environment or equipment needed to complete homework and achieve the benefit it can provide. Therefore, providing access to technology, quiet work spaces and adults to support and supervise is likely to close the homework gap between them and their peers.
2. Utilise student voice to generate engagement with homework. Of the research utilised it indicated those students who had choice, or a sense of ownership over their homework were more likely to be successfully engaged in the process. A “you said, we did” approach could be effective in generating this engagement.

Frameworks to use with departments and leaders

In order to facilitate conversations and begin the process of implementation of homework policy and practice changes, these conversation scaffolds may be useful.