Frequency, not volume, key in improving grades for secondary students
Students who receive short, regular homework assignments perform better in tests than those who receive no homework or even longer assignments, according to a new study by the University of Limerick (UL).
The study found that students given homework three to five times a week, taking up to 30 minutes each time, achieved higher test scores than those given no homework.
Researchers Dr Darragh Flannery and Professor Dónal Palcic of UL’s Kemmy Business School, alongside Dr Jose G Clavel of the University of Murcia in Spain, found that frequent assignments may be more beneficial than occasionally setting longer pieces of work.
The group used data from a 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (Timss), comparing students’ test scores in subjects where they received more homework with their results in subjects where they received less.
The team found a “small, but significant relationship” between homework allocation and test scores. An additional hour of homework assigned each week was found to be roughly half as effective as an additional hour of classroom instruction, based on comparisons with previous studies.
Speaking to the Irish Independent, Prof Palcic said: “In Ireland in particular, we find a statistically significant impact for students in the middle only.
“This is easy enough to make sense of as higher-ability students may find the concepts being covered easier, be doing their own independent study around it and their scores will be high regardless of homework.
“Similarly, for lower-ability students, the concepts might be more difficult for them so they might struggle with homework and maybe not have the same home supports if they are from a lower socio-economic status.”
The researchers said frequent assignments seemed to help students retain information by encouraging them to recall and apply what they had learned over time.
However, a positive link between more homework was not observed among lower-performing students, suggesting that homework may not benefit all pupils equally.
The researchers said short, frequent assignments could help students retain information by encouraging them to recall and apply what they had learned over time.
They also found that the relationship between homework and test scores was stronger among students taught by more experienced teachers.
The association was weaker where teachers adopted more modern teaching styles, although the researchers said further investigation was needed to understand the relationship.
The findings could inform discussions about teaching practices and how schools approach homework.
The researchers also raised concerns about the growing reliance and use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools by students in their work. They said the benefits of frequent homework depend on pupils completing tasks independently, rather than relying on AI to generate answers.
Prof Palcic said: “Once new data is out, we will be able to examine how much of an impact AI might be having, but from looking at the impact of AI in the university setting that I work in, I would be worried that it is also having a big impact at secondary level.”
The researchers said further study would be carried out to establish how schools could preserve and design homework and assessments better in an environment increasingly shaped by AI.