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Will On-line Homework Improve Completion Rates and By Extension, Improve Test Scores?

Lauren Nourse

July 2010Touro University California

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Overview of Today’s Presentation

Importance:

Purpose of Study:

Literature Review

Key Themes

Implications

Gaps

Importance and justification for your study

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ImportanceIncreasingly students and parent and even

administrators are asking to make homework more relevant.

Can we create a routine homework that satisfies the teacher assigning the work and the student for whom it is intended?

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Purpose of Study

Objectives or OutcomesTo find out if creating web based homework assignments will improve student homework completion rates in science at the middle school level.If homework completion rates improve, is there a corresponding increase in student scores on quizzes and chapter tests.

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Literature ReviewTheme 1Differing Opinions: What Makes Homework Bad.

Teachers students to overvalue work and increase a sense of competitionHomework is not designed wellInappropriate or poorly designed homework may even decrease student achievement.Some construe homework as a form of punishmentIf these skills assigned as homework are so critical then they should be being taught within the school day. Creates barriers for poor families.

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Theme 2

•Differing Opinions: What makes Homework Good?•Teachers assign homework to cement understanding, promote responsibility, provide for practice

•Plays a role in the development of children’s achievement motivation

•Homework has a positive influence on achievement.

Literature Review

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Literature Review

Theme 3: Student Engagement and Perception

• Should students have more of a voice in their homework?• Research seems to show that students have more interest

in completing homework if it has been done on the web.• While there is does not seem to be a significant increase

in scores on tests and quizzes, there is generally more attention and interest.

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Implications for the StudyThere have been studies showing homework is good

There have been studies showing homework is bad

There have been studies showing no improvement in test scores when homework is completed.

There have been studies showing great improvement in test scores when homework is completed.

While these seem very conflicting, there is still room for investigation looking at the impact of web based homework and its effect on student achievement.

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Gaps in the Literature

The majority of studies investigating web based homework have been at the college or upper high school level.

In addition, almost all the studies have involved math or physics or chemistry homework.

Almost all involve pre-packaged tutorial type programs – often necessitating a fee for participation.

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Importance and Justification for your study

Even though there are major disagreements on this issue, I feel there is room for a study at the middle school level using digital homework and its impact on student achievement.

Additionally, if homework completion rates are higher, are quiz and test scores higher?

Teachers must jump on board the digital bandwagon to keep ourselves relevant in the eyes of our students. These digital natives are becoming increasingly intolerant of teachers who do not demonstrate tech savvy.