“Study Assigns Value to Math, Science Homework”
Article written by: Max Green
Study conducted by: American Psychological Association’s Journal of Educational Society
EDC 448 Presentation by: Sabrina Pereira
Overview
 Although homework is universally known as a tool to reinforce what students are taught in school,
what homework sessions should look like has been under recent debate.
 A new study published March 16 by the American Psychological Association’s Journal of
Educational Psychology analyzed the math and science homework habits of more than 7,000
Spanish students to determine the frequency, time and effort dedicated to homework, as well as
how often students required help to complete the work.
 The study concluded that how homework is done is a much more critical factor in academic
performance than how much homework is assigned.
Results of Study
 The relationship between homework and academic performance is not linear.
 Students who spent 60–70 minutes on mathematics and science homework experienced the most
benefit.
o Although more time spent did result in better performance, the returns diminished
exponentially after 90 minutes.
 Co-author of the paper Suárez said, “Although more time spent did result in better performance,
the returns diminished exponentially after 90 minutes.”
 The difficulty level involved and whether or not students require help tackling the assignments is a
much more important factor in academic success.
o The tendency was that students who worked independently with minimal help from parents
or teachers to complete their assignments scored in a higher percentile on standardized
tests.
 This means the homework being assigned must rest somewhere between being challenging
enough to keep students engaged and motivated to complete it, yet not too difficult that they are
stumped and cannot reach the answers without consistently asking for help.
Relation to Math Classes
 People tend to think of mathematics and science education as eternal and unchanging
o Textbooks and curricula need to incorporate the latest findings in order to be the most
effective
 Diane Briars, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics said, “Students need
to be engaged in making sense of the mathematics. They need to be solving problems, not
listening to somebody lecture. They need to be building procedures out of conceptual
understanding so it’s not only showing the steps, it’s understanding why the steps work.”
Citation (MLA): Green, Max. "Study Assigns Value to Math, Science Homework." The Columbia
Chronicle. 6 Apr. 2015. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
http://www.columbiachronicle.com/health_and_tech/article_992577bc-da6a-11e4-a655d7efc1f2aa4f.html?mode=print.
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