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Homework

Provides print and electronic resources on the topic of homework.

About Homework

A mother helps her daughter with homework in Kunming.

Homework consists of school assignments that students complete outside of class time, ranging from worksheets and practice exercises to long-term projects that extend over an entire semester or year. It also includes time spent studying for tests as well as reading and writing to prepare for upcoming class discussions.

Homework can serve several purposes. Most teachers intend it to reinforce and extend understanding of material taught in class. Educators also emphasize that doing homework regularly helps students develop habits of self-discipline and time management.

Since the late nineteenth century, debates over the amounts and types of homework assigned have occurred periodically, usually around the concern that schools expect students to complete too much or too little homework. Scholars continue to...(Opposing Viewpoints)

Narrow the Topic

  • Is homework beneficial?
  • At what age should homework be assigned?
  • How much time should be devoted to homework?
  • Should parents help with homework?
  • Should the amount of homework vary when a child has a learning disability?
  • When it comes to assigning homework, a rule of thumb is to use the ten-minute rule--what is it and how effective is it? 
  • Increasingly, more educational resources are available online. What is the impact for low-income students or students in rural areas with limited access to the Internet?
  • In relation to homework, compare the methods of "rote learning" to "meaningful learning"-- what are the pros and cons?