Is Homework important? If it is, should it be graded? These and various questions are to be answered for formulating a good educational policy.
Do your homework – or else your grade will suffer. A similar cry is heard at every household with school-going children. Homework is as old as School and its significance has been debated ever since the beginning. Most individuals feel it is an important extension of school learning.
Importance of Homework in Learning Process
Even though homework is given credit as a successful tool, questions are raised as to its importance. The debate more often than not surrounds grading homework and using it as a centralized or district-wide policy.
Some Educationalists suggest sampling rather than grading all homework assignments. They also suggest that standards should be established based on the individual student’s grasp on the subject and summative assessments in forms of quiz and tests.
Studies Conducted on the Important of Homework For Students
Studies on Schools and Teachers in different parts of US have been conducted. Here are a few of them:
- Studies Carried Out in 1986, in 142 Schools in North Carolina
This study reflects a positive correlation between homework and students positive grades. Some findings/features of this study:
- Homework was found as an inexpensive format of assessing a student.
- Most schools had specific policies, determining homework quality emphasizing on creativity
- Flexible evaluation was ensured
- The school expected students to come up with creative and meaningful homework
- Homework was seen as a means of practicing what was taught in school
Other educationalists feel that feedback like homework is necessary, but, it should not be graded. They feel the students may feel peer pressure or may not concentrate on the syllabus which is more important.
- Another Study, This Time With 900 Teachers Was Made In Richmond Virginia.
The study concluded that much importance was not placed on homework grading, but, homework was found to have a positive correlation with the improvement of grades in students. Some teachers gave importance to the efforts and ability of students even as the academic performance was the first priority.
This survey felt that feedback (homework) was important in formative assessment periods while the grading should be done at the end through Summative assessments like tests and quizzes. This is the stage where the students have grasped the total syllabus of the term or year.
There arises a question; will students be motivated to do homework if it is not graded? Will students have the necessary motivation to complete their homework?
There is also a need to check if the student has done their homework or taken the help of family or private tutors as the homework will form the basis for grading.
In Conclusion
The role of homework is a necessary debate that’s been raging for ages. Many paragraphs on the importance of homework have been written.
Homework results may not accurately measure a student’s grasp of the curriculum during the term. Still, there arises a need for a flexible homework policy at school or district levels, as established by various studies that were surveyed.