homework independent learning

Does Homework Really Help Students Learn?

A conversation with a Wheelock researcher, a BU student, and a fourth-grade teacher

“Quality homework is engaging and relevant to kids’ lives,” says Wheelock’s Janine Bempechat. “It gives them autonomy and engages them in the community and with their families. In some subjects, like math, worksheets can be very helpful. It has to do with the value of practicing over and over.” Photo by iStock/Glenn Cook Photography

Do your homework.

If only it were that simple.

Educators have debated the merits of homework since the late 19th century. In recent years, amid concerns of some parents and teachers that children are being stressed out by too much homework, things have only gotten more fraught.

“Homework is complicated,” says developmental psychologist Janine Bempechat, a Wheelock College of Education & Human Development clinical professor. The author of the essay “ The Case for (Quality) Homework—Why It Improves Learning and How Parents Can Help ” in the winter 2019 issue of Education Next , Bempechat has studied how the debate about homework is influencing teacher preparation, parent and student beliefs about learning, and school policies.

She worries especially about socioeconomically disadvantaged students from low-performing schools who, according to research by Bempechat and others, get little or no homework.

BU Today  sat down with Bempechat and Erin Bruce (Wheelock’17,’18), a new fourth-grade teacher at a suburban Boston school, and future teacher freshman Emma Ardizzone (Wheelock) to talk about what quality homework looks like, how it can help children learn, and how schools can equip teachers to design it, evaluate it, and facilitate parents’ role in it.

BU Today: Parents and educators who are against homework in elementary school say there is no research definitively linking it to academic performance for kids in the early grades. You’ve said that they’re missing the point.

Bempechat : I think teachers assign homework in elementary school as a way to help kids develop skills they’ll need when they’re older—to begin to instill a sense of responsibility and to learn planning and organizational skills. That’s what I think is the greatest value of homework—in cultivating beliefs about learning and skills associated with academic success. If we greatly reduce or eliminate homework in elementary school, we deprive kids and parents of opportunities to instill these important learning habits and skills.

We do know that beginning in late middle school, and continuing through high school, there is a strong and positive correlation between homework completion and academic success.

That’s what I think is the greatest value of homework—in cultivating beliefs about learning and skills associated with academic success.

You talk about the importance of quality homework. What is that?

Quality homework is engaging and relevant to kids’ lives. It gives them autonomy and engages them in the community and with their families. In some subjects, like math, worksheets can be very helpful. It has to do with the value of practicing over and over.

What are your concerns about homework and low-income children?

The argument that some people make—that homework “punishes the poor” because lower-income parents may not be as well-equipped as affluent parents to help their children with homework—is very troubling to me. There are no parents who don’t care about their children’s learning. Parents don’t actually have to help with homework completion in order for kids to do well. They can help in other ways—by helping children organize a study space, providing snacks, being there as a support, helping children work in groups with siblings or friends.

Isn’t the discussion about getting rid of homework happening mostly in affluent communities?

Yes, and the stories we hear of kids being stressed out from too much homework—four or five hours of homework a night—are real. That’s problematic for physical and mental health and overall well-being. But the research shows that higher-income students get a lot more homework than lower-income kids.

Teachers may not have as high expectations for lower-income children. Schools should bear responsibility for providing supports for kids to be able to get their homework done—after-school clubs, community support, peer group support. It does kids a disservice when our expectations are lower for them.

The conversation around homework is to some extent a social class and social justice issue. If we eliminate homework for all children because affluent children have too much, we’re really doing a disservice to low-income children. They need the challenge, and every student can rise to the challenge with enough supports in place.

What did you learn by studying how education schools are preparing future teachers to handle homework?

My colleague, Margarita Jimenez-Silva, at the University of California, Davis, School of Education, and I interviewed faculty members at education schools, as well as supervising teachers, to find out how students are being prepared. And it seemed that they weren’t. There didn’t seem to be any readings on the research, or conversations on what high-quality homework is and how to design it.

Erin, what kind of training did you get in handling homework?

Bruce : I had phenomenal professors at Wheelock, but homework just didn’t come up. I did lots of student teaching. I’ve been in classrooms where the teachers didn’t assign any homework, and I’ve been in rooms where they assigned hours of homework a night. But I never even considered homework as something that was my decision. I just thought it was something I’d pull out of a book and it’d be done.

I started giving homework on the first night of school this year. My first assignment was to go home and draw a picture of the room where you do your homework. I want to know if it’s at a table and if there are chairs around it and if mom’s cooking dinner while you’re doing homework.

The second night I asked them to talk to a grown-up about how are you going to be able to get your homework done during the week. The kids really enjoyed it. There’s a running joke that I’m teaching life skills.

Friday nights, I read all my kids’ responses to me on their homework from the week and it’s wonderful. They pour their hearts out. It’s like we’re having a conversation on my couch Friday night.

It matters to know that the teacher cares about you and that what you think matters to the teacher. Homework is a vehicle to connect home and school…for parents to know teachers are welcoming to them and their families.

Bempechat : I can’t imagine that most new teachers would have the intuition Erin had in designing homework the way she did.

Ardizzone : Conversations with kids about homework, feeling you’re being listened to—that’s such a big part of wanting to do homework….I grew up in Westchester County. It was a pretty demanding school district. My junior year English teacher—I loved her—she would give us feedback, have meetings with all of us. She’d say, “If you have any questions, if you have anything you want to talk about, you can talk to me, here are my office hours.” It felt like she actually cared.

Bempechat : It matters to know that the teacher cares about you and that what you think matters to the teacher. Homework is a vehicle to connect home and school…for parents to know teachers are welcoming to them and their families.

Ardizzone : But can’t it lead to parents being overbearing and too involved in their children’s lives as students?

Bempechat : There’s good help and there’s bad help. The bad help is what you’re describing—when parents hover inappropriately, when they micromanage, when they see their children confused and struggling and tell them what to do.

Good help is when parents recognize there’s a struggle going on and instead ask informative questions: “Where do you think you went wrong?” They give hints, or pointers, rather than saying, “You missed this,” or “You didn’t read that.”

Bruce : I hope something comes of this. I hope BU or Wheelock can think of some way to make this a more pressing issue. As a first-year teacher, it was not something I even thought about on the first day of school—until a kid raised his hand and said, “Do we have homework?” It would have been wonderful if I’d had a plan from day one.

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Senior Contributing Editor

Sara Rimer A journalist for more than three decades, Sara Rimer worked at the Miami Herald , Washington Post and, for 26 years, the New York Times , where she was the New England bureau chief, and a national reporter covering education, aging, immigration, and other social justice issues. Her stories on the death penalty’s inequities were nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and cited in the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision outlawing the execution of people with intellectual disabilities. Her journalism honors include Columbia University’s Meyer Berger award for in-depth human interest reporting. She holds a BA degree in American Studies from the University of Michigan. Profile

She can be reached at [email protected] .

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There are 81 comments on Does Homework Really Help Students Learn?

Insightful! The values about homework in elementary schools are well aligned with my intuition as a parent.

when i finish my work i do my homework and i sometimes forget what to do because i did not get enough sleep

same omg it does not help me it is stressful and if I have it in more than one class I hate it.

Same I think my parent wants to help me but, she doesn’t care if I get bad grades so I just try my best and my grades are great.

I think that last question about Good help from parents is not know to all parents, we do as our parents did or how we best think it can be done, so maybe coaching parents or giving them resources on how to help with homework would be very beneficial for the parent on how to help and for the teacher to have consistency and improve homework results, and of course for the child. I do see how homework helps reaffirm the knowledge obtained in the classroom, I also have the ability to see progress and it is a time I share with my kids

The answer to the headline question is a no-brainer – a more pressing problem is why there is a difference in how students from different cultures succeed. Perfect example is the student population at BU – why is there a majority population of Asian students and only about 3% black students at BU? In fact at some universities there are law suits by Asians to stop discrimination and quotas against admitting Asian students because the real truth is that as a group they are demonstrating better qualifications for admittance, while at the same time there are quotas and reduced requirements for black students to boost their portion of the student population because as a group they do more poorly in meeting admissions standards – and it is not about the Benjamins. The real problem is that in our PC society no one has the gazuntas to explore this issue as it may reveal that all people are not created equal after all. Or is it just environmental cultural differences??????

I get you have a concern about the issue but that is not even what the point of this article is about. If you have an issue please take this to the site we have and only post your opinion about the actual topic

This is not at all what the article is talking about.

This literally has nothing to do with the article brought up. You should really take your opinions somewhere else before you speak about something that doesn’t make sense.

we have the same name

so they have the same name what of it?

lol you tell her

totally agree

What does that have to do with homework, that is not what the article talks about AT ALL.

Yes, I think homework plays an important role in the development of student life. Through homework, students have to face challenges on a daily basis and they try to solve them quickly.I am an intense online tutor at 24x7homeworkhelp and I give homework to my students at that level in which they handle it easily.

More than two-thirds of students said they used alcohol and drugs, primarily marijuana, to cope with stress.

You know what’s funny? I got this assignment to write an argument for homework about homework and this article was really helpful and understandable, and I also agree with this article’s point of view.

I also got the same task as you! I was looking for some good resources and I found this! I really found this article useful and easy to understand, just like you! ^^

i think that homework is the best thing that a child can have on the school because it help them with their thinking and memory.

I am a child myself and i think homework is a terrific pass time because i can’t play video games during the week. It also helps me set goals.

Homework is not harmful ,but it will if there is too much

I feel like, from a minors point of view that we shouldn’t get homework. Not only is the homework stressful, but it takes us away from relaxing and being social. For example, me and my friends was supposed to hang at the mall last week but we had to postpone it since we all had some sort of work to do. Our minds shouldn’t be focused on finishing an assignment that in realty, doesn’t matter. I completely understand that we should have homework. I have to write a paper on the unimportance of homework so thanks.

homework isn’t that bad

Are you a student? if not then i don’t really think you know how much and how severe todays homework really is

i am a student and i do not enjoy homework because i practice my sport 4 out of the five days we have school for 4 hours and that’s not even counting the commute time or the fact i still have to shower and eat dinner when i get home. its draining!

i totally agree with you. these people are such boomers

why just why

they do make a really good point, i think that there should be a limit though. hours and hours of homework can be really stressful, and the extra work isn’t making a difference to our learning, but i do believe homework should be optional and extra credit. that would make it for students to not have the leaning stress of a assignment and if you have a low grade you you can catch up.

Studies show that homework improves student achievement in terms of improved grades, test results, and the likelihood to attend college. Research published in the High School Journal indicates that students who spent between 31 and 90 minutes each day on homework “scored about 40 points higher on the SAT-Mathematics subtest than their peers, who reported spending no time on homework each day, on average.” On both standardized tests and grades, students in classes that were assigned homework outperformed 69% of students who didn’t have homework. A majority of studies on homework’s impact – 64% in one meta-study and 72% in another – showed that take home assignments were effective at improving academic achievement. Research by the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) concluded that increased homework led to better GPAs and higher probability of college attendance for high school boys. In fact, boys who attended college did more than three hours of additional homework per week in high school.

So how are your measuring student achievement? That’s the real question. The argument that doing homework is simply a tool for teaching responsibility isn’t enough for me. We can teach responsibility in a number of ways. Also the poor argument that parents don’t need to help with homework, and that students can do it on their own, is wishful thinking at best. It completely ignores neurodiverse students. Students in poverty aren’t magically going to find a space to do homework, a friend’s or siblings to help them do it, and snacks to eat. I feel like the author of this piece has never set foot in a classroom of students.

THIS. This article is pathetic coming from a university. So intellectually dishonest, refusing to address the havoc of capitalism and poverty plays on academic success in life. How can they in one sentence use poor kids in an argument and never once address that poor children have access to damn near 0 of the resources affluent kids have? Draw me a picture and let’s talk about feelings lmao what a joke is that gonna put food in their belly so they can have the calories to burn in order to use their brain to study? What about quiet their 7 other siblings that they share a single bedroom with for hours? Is it gonna force the single mom to magically be at home and at work at the same time to cook food while you study and be there to throw an encouraging word?

Also the “parents don’t need to be a parent and be able to guide their kid at all academically they just need to exist in the next room” is wild. Its one thing if a parent straight up is not equipped but to say kids can just figured it out is…. wow coming from an educator What’s next the teacher doesn’t need to teach cause the kid can just follow the packet and figure it out?

Well then get a tutor right? Oh wait you are poor only affluent kids can afford a tutor for their hours of homework a day were they on average have none of the worries a poor child does. Does this address that poor children are more likely to also suffer abuse and mental illness? Like mentioned what about kids that can’t learn or comprehend the forced standardized way? Just let em fail? These children regularly are not in “special education”(some of those are a joke in their own and full of neglect and abuse) programs cause most aren’t even acknowledged as having disabilities or disorders.

But yes all and all those pesky poor kids just aren’t being worked hard enough lol pretty sure poor children’s existence just in childhood is more work, stress, and responsibility alone than an affluent child’s entire life cycle. Love they never once talked about the quality of education in the classroom being so bad between the poor and affluent it can qualify as segregation, just basically blamed poor people for being lazy, good job capitalism for failing us once again!

why the hell?

you should feel bad for saying this, this article can be helpful for people who has to write a essay about it

This is more of a political rant than it is about homework

I know a teacher who has told his students their homework is to find something they are interested in, pursue it and then come share what they learn. The student responses are quite compelling. One girl taught herself German so she could talk to her grandfather. One boy did a research project on Nelson Mandela because the teacher had mentioned him in class. Another boy, a both on the autism spectrum, fixed his family’s computer. The list goes on. This is fourth grade. I think students are highly motivated to learn, when we step aside and encourage them.

The whole point of homework is to give the students a chance to use the material that they have been presented with in class. If they never have the opportunity to use that information, and discover that it is actually useful, it will be in one ear and out the other. As a science teacher, it is critical that the students are challenged to use the material they have been presented with, which gives them the opportunity to actually think about it rather than regurgitate “facts”. Well designed homework forces the student to think conceptually, as opposed to regurgitation, which is never a pretty sight

Wonderful discussion. and yes, homework helps in learning and building skills in students.

not true it just causes kids to stress

Homework can be both beneficial and unuseful, if you will. There are students who are gifted in all subjects in school and ones with disabilities. Why should the students who are gifted get the lucky break, whereas the people who have disabilities suffer? The people who were born with this “gift” go through school with ease whereas people with disabilities struggle with the work given to them. I speak from experience because I am one of those students: the ones with disabilities. Homework doesn’t benefit “us”, it only tears us down and put us in an abyss of confusion and stress and hopelessness because we can’t learn as fast as others. Or we can’t handle the amount of work given whereas the gifted students go through it with ease. It just brings us down and makes us feel lost; because no mater what, it feels like we are destined to fail. It feels like we weren’t “cut out” for success.

homework does help

here is the thing though, if a child is shoved in the face with a whole ton of homework that isn’t really even considered homework it is assignments, it’s not helpful. the teacher should make homework more of a fun learning experience rather than something that is dreaded

This article was wonderful, I am going to ask my teachers about extra, or at all giving homework.

I agree. Especially when you have homework before an exam. Which is distasteful as you’ll need that time to study. It doesn’t make any sense, nor does us doing homework really matters as It’s just facts thrown at us.

Homework is too severe and is just too much for students, schools need to decrease the amount of homework. When teachers assign homework they forget that the students have other classes that give them the same amount of homework each day. Students need to work on social skills and life skills.

I disagree.

Beyond achievement, proponents of homework argue that it can have many other beneficial effects. They claim it can help students develop good study habits so they are ready to grow as their cognitive capacities mature. It can help students recognize that learning can occur at home as well as at school. Homework can foster independent learning and responsible character traits. And it can give parents an opportunity to see what’s going on at school and let them express positive attitudes toward achievement.

Homework is helpful because homework helps us by teaching us how to learn a specific topic.

As a student myself, I can say that I have almost never gotten the full 9 hours of recommended sleep time, because of homework. (Now I’m writing an essay on it in the middle of the night D=)

I am a 10 year old kid doing a report about “Is homework good or bad” for homework before i was going to do homework is bad but the sources from this site changed my mind!

Homeowkr is god for stusenrs

I agree with hunter because homework can be so stressful especially with this whole covid thing no one has time for homework and every one just wants to get back to there normal lives it is especially stressful when you go on a 2 week vaca 3 weeks into the new school year and and then less then a week after you come back from the vaca you are out for over a month because of covid and you have no way to get the assignment done and turned in

As great as homework is said to be in the is article, I feel like the viewpoint of the students was left out. Every where I go on the internet researching about this topic it almost always has interviews from teachers, professors, and the like. However isn’t that a little biased? Of course teachers are going to be for homework, they’re not the ones that have to stay up past midnight completing the homework from not just one class, but all of them. I just feel like this site is one-sided and you should include what the students of today think of spending four hours every night completing 6-8 classes worth of work.

Are we talking about homework or practice? Those are two very different things and can result in different outcomes.

Homework is a graded assignment. I do not know of research showing the benefits of graded assignments going home.

Practice; however, can be extremely beneficial, especially if there is some sort of feedback (not a grade but feedback). That feedback can come from the teacher, another student or even an automated grading program.

As a former band director, I assigned daily practice. I never once thought it would be appropriate for me to require the students to turn in a recording of their practice for me to grade. Instead, I had in-class assignments/assessments that were graded and directly related to the practice assigned.

I would really like to read articles on “homework” that truly distinguish between the two.

oof i feel bad good luck!

thank you guys for the artical because I have to finish an assingment. yes i did cite it but just thanks

thx for the article guys.

Homework is good

I think homework is helpful AND harmful. Sometimes u can’t get sleep bc of homework but it helps u practice for school too so idk.

I agree with this Article. And does anyone know when this was published. I would like to know.

It was published FEb 19, 2019.

Studies have shown that homework improved student achievement in terms of improved grades, test results, and the likelihood to attend college.

i think homework can help kids but at the same time not help kids

This article is so out of touch with majority of homes it would be laughable if it wasn’t so incredibly sad.

There is no value to homework all it does is add stress to already stressed homes. Parents or adults magically having the time or energy to shepherd kids through homework is dome sort of 1950’s fantasy.

What lala land do these teachers live in?

Homework gives noting to the kid

Homework is Bad

homework is bad.

why do kids even have homework?

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Does Homework Improve Academic Achievement?

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Educators should be thrilled by these numbers. Pleasing a majority of parents regarding homework and having equal numbers of dissenters shouting "too much!" and "too little!" is about as good as they can hope for.

But opinions cannot tell us whether homework works; only research can, which is why my colleagues and I have conducted a combined analysis of dozens of homework studies to examine whether homework is beneficial and what amount of homework is appropriate for our children.

The homework question is best answered by comparing students who are assigned homework with students assigned no homework but who are similar in other ways. The results of such studies suggest that homework can improve students' scores on the class tests that come at the end of a topic. Students assigned homework in 2nd grade did better on math, 3rd and 4th graders did better on English skills and vocabulary, 5th graders on social studies, 9th through 12th graders on American history, and 12th graders on Shakespeare.

Less authoritative are 12 studies that link the amount of homework to achievement, but control for lots of other factors that might influence this connection. These types of studies, often based on national samples of students, also find a positive link between time on homework and achievement.

Yet other studies simply correlate homework and achievement with no attempt to control for student differences. In 35 such studies, about 77 percent find the link between homework and achievement is positive. Most interesting, though, is these results suggest little or no relationship between homework and achievement for elementary school students.

Why might that be? Younger children have less developed study habits and are less able to tune out distractions at home. Studies also suggest that young students who are struggling in school take more time to complete homework assignments simply because these assignments are more difficult for them.

These recommendations are consistent with the conclusions reached by our analysis. Practice assignments do improve scores on class tests at all grade levels. A little amount of homework may help elementary school students build study habits. Homework for junior high students appears to reach the point of diminishing returns after about 90 minutes a night. For high school students, the positive line continues to climb until between 90 minutes and 2½ hours of homework a night, after which returns diminish.

Beyond achievement, proponents of homework argue that it can have many other beneficial effects. They claim it can help students develop good study habits so they are ready to grow as their cognitive capacities mature. It can help students recognize that learning can occur at home as well as at school. Homework can foster independent learning and responsible character traits. And it can give parents an opportunity to see what's going on at school and let them express positive attitudes toward achievement.

Opponents of homework counter that it can also have negative effects. They argue it can lead to boredom with schoolwork, since all activities remain interesting only for so long. Homework can deny students access to leisure activities that also teach important life skills. Parents can get too involved in homework -- pressuring their child and confusing him by using different instructional techniques than the teacher.

My feeling is that homework policies should prescribe amounts of homework consistent with the research evidence, but which also give individual schools and teachers some flexibility to take into account the unique needs and circumstances of their students and families. In general, teachers should avoid either extreme.

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Home > Blog > Tips for Online Students > The Pros and Cons of Homework

School Life Balance , Tips for Online Students

The Pros and Cons of Homework

Updated: July 16, 2024

Published: January 23, 2020

Remember those nights when you’d find yourself staring at a mountain of homework, eyes drooping, wondering if you’d ever see the light at the end of the tunnel? The debate over homework’s role in education is as old as time. Is it a crucial tool for reinforcing learning or just an unnecessary burden?

For college students, this question takes on new dimensions. Juggling homework with the endless amount of classes, part-time jobs, and social lives can feel like walking on thin ice. The pressure to maintain grades, meet deadlines, and still find time for friends and relaxation can be overwhelming. So, is homework a friend or foe?

Photo by  energepic.com  from  Pexels

The homework dilemma.

A large amount of college students report feeling overwhelmed by their academic workload, leading to high levels of stress and anxiety. According to Research.com , 45% of college students in the U.S. experience “more than average” stress, with 36.5% citing stress as a major impediment to their academic performance. This stress often stems directly from the homework load, leading to symptoms like headaches, exhaustion, and difficulty sleeping. The intense pressure to manage homework alongside other responsibilities makes us question the true impact of homework on students’ overall well-being.

And then there’s the digital twist. A whopping 89% of students confessed to using AI tools like ChatGPT for their assignments. While these tools can be a godsend for quick answers and assistance, they can also undermine the personal effort and critical thinking necessary to truly understand the material.

On the brighter side, homework can be a powerful ally. According to Inside Higher Ed , structured assignments can actually help reduce stress by providing a clear learning roadmap and keeping students engaged with the material. But where’s the balance between helpful and harmful? 

With these perspectives in mind, let’s dive into the pros and cons of homework for college students. By understanding both sides, we can find a middle ground that maximizes learning while keeping stress at bay.

The Pros of Homework

When thoughtfully assigned, homework can be a valuable tool in a student’s educational journey . Let’s explore how homework can be a beneficial companion to your studies:

Enhances Critical Thinking

Homework isn’t just busywork; it’s an opportunity to stretch your mental muscles. Those late-night problem sets and essays can actually encourage deeper understanding and application of concepts. Think of homework as a mental gym; each assignment is a new exercise, pushing you to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information in ways that strengthen your critical thinking skills .

Time Management Skills

Do you ever juggle multiple deadlines and wonder how to keep it all together? Regular homework assignments can be a crash course in time management . They teach you to prioritize tasks, manage your schedule, and balance academic responsibilities with personal commitments. The ability to juggle various tasks is a skill that will serve you well beyond your college years.

Reinforcement of Learning

There’s a reason why practice makes perfect. Homework reinforces what you’ve learned in class, helping to cement concepts and theories in your mind. Understanding a concept during a lecture is one thing, but applying it through homework can deepen your comprehension and retention. 

Preparation for Exams

Think of homework as a sound check and warm-up for exams. Regular assignments keep you engaged with the material, making it easier to review and prepare when exam time rolls around. By consistently working through problems and writing essays, you build a solid foundation that can make the difference between cramming and confident exam performance.

Encourages Independent Learning

Homework promotes a sense of responsibility and independence. It pushes you to tackle assignments on your own, encouraging problem-solving and self-discipline. This independence prepares you for the academic challenges ahead and the autonomy required in your professional and personal life.

The Cons of Homework

Despite its potential benefits, homework can also have significant downsides. Let’s examine the challenges and drawbacks of homework:

Impact on Mental Health

Homework can be a double-edged sword when it comes to mental health . While it’s meant to reinforce learning, the sheer volume of assignments can lead to stress and anxiety. The constant pressure to meet deadlines and the fear of falling behind can create a relentless cycle of stress. Many students become overwhelmed, leading to burnout and negatively impacting their overall well-being. 

Limited Time for Other Activities

College isn’t just about hitting the books. It’s also a time for personal growth, exploring new interests, and building social connections. Excessive homework can eat into the time you might otherwise spend on extracurricular activities, hobbies, or simply hanging out with friends. This lack of balance can lead to a less fulfilling college experience. Shouldn’t education be about more than just academics?

Quality Over Quantity

When it comes to homework, more isn’t always better. Piling on assignments can lead to diminished returns on learning. Instead of diving deep into a subject and gaining a thorough understanding, students might rush through tasks just to get them done. This focus on quantity over quality can undermine the educational value of homework. 

Inequity in Education

Homework can sometimes exacerbate educational inequalities. Not all students can access the same resources and support systems at home. While some might have a quiet space and access to the internet, others might struggle with distractions and lack of resources. This disparity can put certain students at a disadvantage, making homework more of a burden than a learning tool. 

Dependence on AI Tools

With the advent of AI tools like ChatGPT , homework has taken on a new dimension. While these tools can provide quick answers and assistance, they also pose the risk of students becoming overly reliant on technology. This dependence can take away from the actual learning process, as students might bypass the critical thinking and effort needed to truly understand the material. Is convenience worth the potential loss in learning?

Finding the Balance

Finding the right balance with homework means tackling assignments that challenge and support you. Instead of drowning in a sea of tasks, focus on quality over quantity. Choose projects that spark your critical thinking and connect to real-world situations. Flexibility is key here. Recognize that your circumstances are unique, and adjusting your approach can help reduce stress and create a more inclusive learning environment. Constructive feedback makes homework more than just a chore; it turns it into a tool for growth and improvement.

It’s also about living a well-rounded college life. Don’t let homework overshadow other important parts of your life, like extracurricular activities or personal downtime. Emphasize independent learning and use technology wisely to prepare for future challenges. By balancing thoughtful assignments with your personal needs, homework can shift from being a burden to becoming a helpful companion on your educational journey, enriching your academic and personal growth.

Homework has its pros and cons, especially for college students. It can enhance critical thinking, time management, and learning, but it also brings stress, impacts mental health, and can become overwhelming. Finding the right balance is key. 

Focus on quality assignments, maintain flexibility, and make sure your homework complements rather than dominates your life. With a thoughtful approach, homework can support your educational journey, fostering both academic success and personal growth.

How can I manage my time effectively to balance homework and other activities?

Create a schedule that allocates specific times for homework, classes, and personal activities. Use planners or digital calendars to keep track of deadlines and prioritize tasks. Don’t forget to include breaks to avoid burnout.

How can I reduce the stress associated with homework?

To manage stress, practice mindfulness techniques like meditation or deep breathing exercises. Break assignments into smaller, manageable tasks and tackle them one at a time. If needed, seek support from classmates, tutors, or mental health professionals.

Is using AI tools for homework cheating?

While AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful for quick assistance, relying on them too much can hinder your learning process. Use them as a supplement rather than a replacement for your own effort and critical thinking.

How can teachers make homework more equitable?

Teachers can offer flexible deadlines, provide resources for students who lack them, and design assignments that account for different learning styles and home environments. Open communication between students and teachers can also help address individual challenges.

What are some strategies to make homework more meaningful?

Focus on quality over quantity by designing assignments that encourage deep thinking and application of knowledge. Integrate real-world problems to make homework more relevant and engaging. Provide constructive feedback to help students learn and grow from their assignments.

In this article

At UoPeople, our blog writers are thinkers, researchers, and experts dedicated to curating articles relevant to our mission: making higher education accessible to everyone. Read More

Is Homework Good for Kids? Here’s What the Research Says

A s kids return to school, debate is heating up once again over how they should spend their time after they leave the classroom for the day.

The no-homework policy of a second-grade teacher in Texas went viral last week , earning praise from parents across the country who lament the heavy workload often assigned to young students. Brandy Young told parents she would not formally assign any homework this year, asking students instead to eat dinner with their families, play outside and go to bed early.

But the question of how much work children should be doing outside of school remains controversial, and plenty of parents take issue with no-homework policies, worried their kids are losing a potential academic advantage. Here’s what you need to know:

For decades, the homework standard has been a “10-minute rule,” which recommends a daily maximum of 10 minutes of homework per grade level. Second graders, for example, should do about 20 minutes of homework each night. High school seniors should complete about two hours of homework each night. The National PTA and the National Education Association both support that guideline.

But some schools have begun to give their youngest students a break. A Massachusetts elementary school has announced a no-homework pilot program for the coming school year, lengthening the school day by two hours to provide more in-class instruction. “We really want kids to go home at 4 o’clock, tired. We want their brain to be tired,” Kelly Elementary School Principal Jackie Glasheen said in an interview with a local TV station . “We want them to enjoy their families. We want them to go to soccer practice or football practice, and we want them to go to bed. And that’s it.”

A New York City public elementary school implemented a similar policy last year, eliminating traditional homework assignments in favor of family time. The change was quickly met with outrage from some parents, though it earned support from other education leaders.

New solutions and approaches to homework differ by community, and these local debates are complicated by the fact that even education experts disagree about what’s best for kids.

The research

The most comprehensive research on homework to date comes from a 2006 meta-analysis by Duke University psychology professor Harris Cooper, who found evidence of a positive correlation between homework and student achievement, meaning students who did homework performed better in school. The correlation was stronger for older students—in seventh through 12th grade—than for those in younger grades, for whom there was a weak relationship between homework and performance.

Cooper’s analysis focused on how homework impacts academic achievement—test scores, for example. His report noted that homework is also thought to improve study habits, attitudes toward school, self-discipline, inquisitiveness and independent problem solving skills. On the other hand, some studies he examined showed that homework can cause physical and emotional fatigue, fuel negative attitudes about learning and limit leisure time for children. At the end of his analysis, Cooper recommended further study of such potential effects of homework.

Despite the weak correlation between homework and performance for young children, Cooper argues that a small amount of homework is useful for all students. Second-graders should not be doing two hours of homework each night, he said, but they also shouldn’t be doing no homework.

Not all education experts agree entirely with Cooper’s assessment.

Cathy Vatterott, an education professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, supports the “10-minute rule” as a maximum, but she thinks there is not sufficient proof that homework is helpful for students in elementary school.

“Correlation is not causation,” she said. “Does homework cause achievement, or do high achievers do more homework?”

Vatterott, the author of Rethinking Homework: Best Practices That Support Diverse Needs , thinks there should be more emphasis on improving the quality of homework tasks, and she supports efforts to eliminate homework for younger kids.

“I have no concerns about students not starting homework until fourth grade or fifth grade,” she said, noting that while the debate over homework will undoubtedly continue, she has noticed a trend toward limiting, if not eliminating, homework in elementary school.

The issue has been debated for decades. A TIME cover in 1999 read: “Too much homework! How it’s hurting our kids, and what parents should do about it.” The accompanying story noted that the launch of Sputnik in 1957 led to a push for better math and science education in the U.S. The ensuing pressure to be competitive on a global scale, plus the increasingly demanding college admissions process, fueled the practice of assigning homework.

“The complaints are cyclical, and we’re in the part of the cycle now where the concern is for too much,” Cooper said. “You can go back to the 1970s, when you’ll find there were concerns that there was too little, when we were concerned about our global competitiveness.”

Cooper acknowledged that some students really are bringing home too much homework, and their parents are right to be concerned.

“A good way to think about homework is the way you think about medications or dietary supplements,” he said. “If you take too little, they’ll have no effect. If you take too much, they can kill you. If you take the right amount, you’ll get better.”

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Guiding Students to Be Independent Learners

Three strategies for helping students become self-motivating and take charge of their learning.

It’s estimated that students in the U.S. spend nearly 20,000 hours experiencing classroom education by the age of 18, and that much of what is taught is forgotten within a short time. And there’s little evidence that they know how to apply effective learning strategies when they arrive at college.

In essence, many students have not learned how to retain and apply knowledge. Fortunately, current research offers fascinating insights about the brain’s capacity to learn at higher levels when effective learning strategies are used.

In the quickly evolving workplace and at a time when graduates are competing for jobs and careers with others around the world, the capacity to change rapidly and apply new skills is paramount. Bottom line: Learning how to learn is a game changer in the global knowledge economy, and it’s never too early to teach students how to begin to learn more independently.

Cultivating Independent Learners

Inspire student motivation for learning: Motivation to learn is key to success in school, after graduation in the global job market, and for life in a world of constant changes in technology.

Use the power of your relationship with students to show a passion for learning. When you embody passion for learning, your students are more likely to have a powerful, positive emotional connection to learning that will inspire their motivation to continue to learn. With teachers who release their passion for learning, students across all grades are free to learn new ways of learning with motivation and joy. Over time, expect self-motivation rather than compliance.

Guide students to imagine how they will feel when they learn something new. Allow volunteers to describe their feelings after they learned something. When appropriate, ask students to visualize what a finished project will look like.

Encourage students to tell a friend their learning goal and get their support. This allows students to verbalize their goal, which will help them internalize it. Students of all ages are inherently social, and getting support from a peer can be very motivating.

Coach students to set goals and develop a plan for learning: Support students in developing their own learning goals that are realistic yet challenging. Often the most motivating goals are those that allow us to use our personal strengths. Yet students often have goals set for them based on a one-size-fits-all curriculum or on their personal learning deficits—think individualized education program—which can be discouraging.

If you have students who currently lack motivation to learn, consider helping them to develop learning goals based on their personal learning strengths. For example, a personalized goal for some learners might be to design movement breaks for the class. Another student might set a goal to complete his or her appreciation or gratitude journal with photographs or illustrations. For another student, Pinterest offers ideas that might aid them in becoming curious about new topics to learn about. Teachers can support students in becoming aware of their strengths and figuring out how to set personal goals.

Teach students how to best structure their independent learning time. Our brains did not evolve to do several hours of physics without a break. We encourage students to plan a shift in focus after every 20 minutes of independent study. At least every hour or so, they should get up and move. When learning new material, they should utilize different locations. For example, we use an outside patio table, a particularly comfortable chair, an inside office desk, and different local cafes as places to work. Because memory for locations is powerful, using several locations for learning aids memory.

Encourage students to become self-disciplined learners. Support them in making a commitment to themselves to get started on achieving their goals. Assist them in affirming their commitment to organize themselves, manage their focus over time, and limit time-wasting distractions. Help students learn to consistently define themselves as people who commit to and achieve their goals. It will probably be necessary to remind them time and again that along the learning pathway, successful people forgive themselves when they make mistakes and then continue on.

Teach students to self-assess: Ask students to write a letter to a student who will be in the class the next year. Upon completion of a project, unit, or chapter, ask students to summarize what they have learned and tell the future student how they have overcome any learning challenges. This strategy provides an opportunity for student reflection on virtually any topic.

Have students pair up and take turns sharing what they have learned. This activity—we call it “brain buddies”—gives students opportunities to learn from each other. For example, each partner may remember different aspects of a lesson. And they may have different points of view, so when they share, each partner can learn to better understand a variety of perspectives.

As your students practice independent learning, encourage them to notice changes. For example, when we asked students to discuss changes in achievement, one student said, “Now I get assignments turned in on time, and my grades have improved.” Another said, “I enjoy school now because I know how to make better grades.” Over time, statements like these become a part of students’ positive identity for school success.

Evaluating the Role of Homework

Winter 2022

By Alison Baran

Doing Our Homework

A sign of the times, through the pandemic lens.

• Homework was never intended to make up for “learning loss”; it is a tool for reinforcement and enrichment.
• Caregivers are more overwhelmed than ever before. Many are not in the position to support children with their homework.
• Students have the right to socialize with their peers and engage in extracurricular activities that bring them happiness. During the height of the pandemic, children and teens had limited, if any, opportunities to socialize.
• More than a third (37%) of teens surveyed say their mental health has worsened throughout the pandemic, according to a study done by the Morgan Stanley Alliance for Children’s Mental Health (2021). It is important that all constituents—faculty, administrators, caregivers—have a clear understanding and shared language about the expectations around giving and receiving homework. More than ever, we need to be working together in our schools with the express purpose of putting the mental health needs of our students first.
• Children have the right to playtime, extracurricular activities, downtime, and adequate sleep.
• Teachers should assign homework with a clear sense of why it is being given.
• The purpose of the homework assignment should be articulated to the students, including the fact that a certain task might be a challenge. Research shows that when children know why they are doing the homework, they are more engaged and inspired.
• Tasks should be personally relevant to students and should allow for choices. Children are motivated when they have ownership in their learning.
• Over the course of time, the kinds of homework should vary depending on what is happening in class.
• Homework assignments better serve students when they feel competent and confident with the material being assigned.
• Children deserve feedback about the homework that they have completed.
• Teachers should differentiate for individual needs across all grade levels. This might mean adjusting number of math facts, amount of reading, etc.
• Parents have the right to control their child’s time outside of school without being judged.
• If you have doubts about whether the assignment will further learning, consider that the default might be to have no homework, or think about conducting an experiment of not doing homework for a set period of time.

Readings and Resources

• The Battle Over Homework: Common Ground for Administrators, Teachers, and Parents by Harris Cooper
• The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing by Alfie Kohn
• Rethinking Homework: Best Practices that Support Diverse Needs by Cathy Vatterott
• “ The Case for (Quality) Homework ,” by Janine Bempechat, Education Next , Winter 2019
• “ The Lost Cause of Homework Reform ,” by Brian Gill and Steven Schlossman, American Journal of Education , November 2000
• “ New York School District Weighs Banning Homework ,” by Alexa Lardieri, U.S. News & World Report , May 31, 2018
• “ Why this superintendent is banning homework—and asking kids to read instead ,” by Valerie Strauss, The Washington Post , July 17, 2017

Alison Baran is a fourth grade teacher at The Park School of Baltimore in Maryland. She’s also the lower school new faculty coordinator.

Reexamining the Tradition of “Donuts with Dad” for Inclusion

A DEI practitioner remembers how a school event during his childhood had a devastating impact and what it means for him today. .

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Helping Your Child Gain Independence with Homework

Fostering independence is accomplished by moving your child from dependence on you to dependence on homework buddies and material resources (e.g., references, lists, reminders). Remember that focusing on what is right about your child is the best way to help him or her strengthen and develop homework completion skills.

Although young children require your close observation, support, and your ability to identify their work style and preferences, eventually you must provide your child with opportunities for decision making, planning, and goal setting. This is particularly important to achieve prior to the adolescent years when there is a more delicate balance between assistance and interference. As we have written in previous columns, during the elementary years, perhaps even more important than the goal of practice and rehearsal, homework helps your child develop the skills necessary to become an independent learner. Independent learning is a critically important skill for middle, high school and college success.

By laying this important foundation you and your teen will be prepared when he or she expresses a preference to work alone and your assistance may be perceived as an intrusion. Many teenagers find parent help with homework an unwelcome offer. By the late elementary school years your involvement may be most effective when it is defined as awareness and monitoring, rather than direct assistance or physical supervision. By the middle school years homework should be completed independently. You should act as a consultant and information source rather than a task master or supervisor. Forcing your assistance on your child at any age will only result in conflict and reduced motivation.

Authors: Dr. Sam Goldstein and Dr. Sydney Zentall

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• Encouraging effective identification and intervention,
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How Is Homework Helping Students Learn?

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Practice, or reinforcement of a skill, is part of the educational process. Practice in classwork and homework is an important part of guaranteeing students are learning what is being taught. Skilled, targeted practice is what is planned but the art of practice is both complex and simple.

In sports, theatre, and music programs, a model for how to develop expertise lives right in front of us. To acquire a skill, practice is necessary. Yet, when practice is unsupervised and lacks immediate feedback, frustration can arise, motivation can wane, and bad form can be embedded. Learning is either limited or non-existent without the practice feedback loop ongoing. In sports, a targeted skill is focused on and the coach gives consistent feedback as the player practices that one skill. In the arts the same is true. Skills are identified, modeled, and the students or players or actors, or musicians are given feedback on the skill(s) identified so that practice becomes both targeted and informed. Feedback is key. Encouragement is essential.

Homework is the best example of how educators can improve the use of practice. No matter whether as an educator or a parent, homework as practice remains a standard that might serves many purposes. Teachers use homework to offer students a chance to reinforce what they have learned and what they complete contributes, most often, to a grade. Parents use homework to see what their children are learning and some use it to become partners in the learning experience. Interesting, if it happens that way. Homework has the intention of reinforcement but often lacks the narrow focus for practice. In addition it sends children home without the teacher’s knowledge or confidence that the practice is based on knowledge attained. It can become reinforcement of doubt, frustration, or worse, reinforcement of incorrect information or skills. Doing something over and over is good if it is targeted and informed; if feedback is timely and consistent.

How Teachers Are Taught

After teachers gain their degrees and certification, they rely on professional development opportunities throughout their careers to continue their learning. Often these opportunities have been what has become known as ‘one and done’ professional development opportunities. These were usually selected to impact the broadest sweep of faculty at once. However, the follow-up, reinforcement, and support varies depending on the amount of attention school leaders give following the ‘one and done’. Other ways teachers continue learning is individual. They apply to go to a conference or training, are approved, attend, and return. Whether what is learned is embedded in their future practice is often left up to the teacher. After all, how many new things can a leader keep track of, follow up, and support?

Ericcson and Pool argue that “deliberate practice requires a teacher who can provide practice activities designed to help a student improve his or her performance” (p.98). Deliberate practice is informed practice, guided by “the best performers’ accomplishments and by understanding of what these expert performers do to excel” (p.98).

How do we know for certain, that all homework, particularly in the early grades, teaches what we want it to and what Ericcson and Pool describe? Some might say it teaches responsibility. But for those students who left the classroom without an adequate grasp of the material, it may undermine its intention. Instead it develops frustration and kills motivation. It has the potential of reinforcing the wrong way to do something, or even a belief that ‘I can’t do this’. These happening in the early years can stop students from pushing forward, developing grit, and finding success.

Change the Environment for Teachers’ Learning

Change how we work with teachers so they can change the way they work with their students. No matter the behavior or skill targeted, might we be able to change the environment to be one of learning, continuous learning, for the adults in which targeted practice and feedback are valued and excellence is recognized? The shift in thinking that this can put in motion requires that the leader remain constant in their role that focuses on the agreed upon skills and behaviors that are being practiced. It required consistency and dedication. It invites the development of professional collegiality where those learning new skills practice together and give feedback to each other.

Before shifting the manner in which teachers plan for practice for their students, consider implementing it with the teachers first. Teaching and learning is not an exact science, like playing an instrument or playing tennis. However, we, in education do know the complicated factors that affect learning. Taking that into consideration, isn’t there a way to use deliberate practice where it applies? Rather than assigning independent work because we always have, assign it with the knowledge that the practice will be correct and effective and supported with immediate feedback. Discussions and feedback about what is being implemented and how it will affect the practice of the teacher are essential. Changing the way teachers receive feedback and are asked to practice new, targeted skills offers the model for what you ask them to do with their students. Consider being a model of the change.

A nn Myers and Jill Berkowicz are the authors of The STEM Shift (2015, Corwin) a book about leading the shift into 21st century schools. Ann and Jill welcome connecting through Twitter & Email .

Resource: Ericsson, A. & Pool, R. (2016). Peak: Secrets from the new science of expertise. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

The opinions expressed in Leadership 360 are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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Independent Learning: A teacher's guide

March 10, 2022

We all desire our learners to develop into independent students who can think for themselves but how exactly can schools work towards this ambitious goal?

Main, P (2022, March 10). Independent Learning: A teacher's guide. Retrieved from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/independent-learning-a-teachers-guide

What is Independent Learning?

Independent learning is a way or process of learning in which learners have control and ownership of their learning. They regulate , direct, and evaluate their learning and learn due to their actions. The independent learner can make informed choices, set goals, and make decisions about how to fulfil his learning needs . Also, the independent learner takes responsibility for building and performing their learning, monitoring their progress toward accomplishing their learning goals and self-assess the outcomes of the learning process.

At Structural Learning, we have a particular interest in equipping disadvantaged students with the skills and techniques to move their learning forward. When children turn into adults, they will have to manage their studies independently. The demands of exams sometimes mean that schools focus their preparation on exam technique instead of the affective skills essential to becoming a lifelong learner.

Owning the right resources is one thing but having educational experiences that nurture these abilities is another paradigm altogether. In this article, we will argue that schools don't have to choose between a progressive or traditional approach to learning. Metacognitive practice including the skills of reflection and exam technique can be embedded into a rich educational experience. Society often sees education in terms of exam success but activities such as ' learning to learn ' should be very much built into the day to day school life of a child. We are not talking about separate skills courses but rather incremental steps that are embedded into subjects that lead the student to take more ownership of their education.

How can we encourage students to become independent learners?

Below are the tips for encouraging students to become independent learners:

• Students' Self-monitoring: Self-monitoring relies on two processes of setting objectives and getting feedback from oneself and others. Teachers may encourage their pupils to self-monitor by assisting them in self and peer assessment to check whether the techniques they were using were beneficial for accomplishing learning goals.
• Scaffolding to independent learning through Questioning : The main purpose is a shift in responsibility from the educator to the student in a gradual, step-by-step process. The educator must create effective questioning and classroom strategies, ask open-ended, higher-order questions, answer flexibly to pupils’ responses to stimulate deeper understanding, problem-solving and critical thinking skills .
• Offering behaviour models: Teachers can encourage students to model their behaviour. For example, teachers can show how categorising the data can make it easier for the students to remember information.
• Communication must be focused on learning: When teachers' communication is focused on learning, it allows students to understand their learning style, become more familiar with the steps of learning and allows them to share their thinking .
• Oral or/and written feedback on homework and classwork: It is a good technique to enhance students’ confidence to work independently. Instead of using scores and attainment grades teachers must give grades for the extent of effort .
• Giving choices and enabling students to make their learning objectives: This will allow students to take ownership of their learning and they would reflect on their preferences and interests. Also, students will feel empowered and in control of their study habits.
• Involve students in lesson planning: When teachers take advice from students, it makes them feel responsible for their learning. Students will involve in their academic studies, they will show more motivation and help teachers in creating a better lesson plan.
• Encouraging collaboration: It is suggested to give regular opportunities to the students to work in small group tasks and encourage them to learn from one another and come up with their ideas, rather than looking at the lecture notes for answers.
• Encourage students to be reflective: Teachers may give advice for students to keep a ‘learning diary’ for monitoring their progress and keeping track of their action of learning. This will make a student an active learner, increase students' confidence as they look back and allow them to check what they have learnt during the school year.

Benefits of Promoting Independent Learning for Students

Independent learning is a vital educational approach that offers numerous benefits for students, particularly in compulsory education. This method not only enhances personal development and academic performance but also proves to be a cost-effective strategy to boost educational progress. Below, we outline the major benefits of fostering independent learning among students, backed by research and practical evidence:

1. Increased Confidence and Motivation :

Students who engage in independent learning often develop greater self-confidence. This stems from their achievements and the autonomy they experience in managing their learning processes. As they navigate through learning challenges independently, their intrinsic motivation to learn and succeed increases.

2. Enhanced Academic Performance :

Research consistently shows that students who learn how to learn independently often achieve higher academic outcomes. This is due to their ability to understand and apply learning strategies that work best for them, leading to better comprehension and retention of information.

3. Social Inclusion and Peer Relationships :

Independent learning helps counteract alienation among peers by fostering a sense of community . When students are encouraged to work independently yet share their learning experiences with peers, it promotes a supportive learning environment that enhances social inclusion .

4. Opportunities for Differentiated Learning :

Independent learning facilitates the completion of differentiated tasks tailored to the learning needs and paces of individual students. This personalized approach allows students to explore subjects at their own speed, increasing educational effectiveness.

5. Intellectual Creativity :

When students are given the freedom to explore topics independently , they have more opportunities to engage in intellectually creative processes. They can connect diverse ideas, think critically, and innovate, which are essential skills in today’s global society.

How video reflections can be helpful in independent learning?

It can be challenging for the teachers to support the development of independent learners during physical activity in a classroom. Professor John Hattie states that educators only hear and see 20% of what is the progress of learning in any given lesson, making it hard for educators to understand exactly what must be changed and how to better support their pupils. Through video a lesson and then reflecting on it, teachers may effectively identify the involvement level of compulsory school age students in academic studies, it may allow teachers to analyse - lectures and recognize areas that need improvement. Education providers may use Video reflections to improve their teaching skills , which then help them to develop independent learners and eventually enhance students' learning outcomes .

How much help should be provided to an Independent Learning Child?

While encouraging a learner to learn with more autonomy in learning, it can be a little tricky to maintain a balance, when teachers should offer help and when they must leave the student to try and solve the problem by themselves. For example, there is no problem in helping a doctoral student if he has been stuck on a problem for some time. Teachers' reasoning and explanation in a particular task, will guide the doctoral student's action of learning and how to find the right answer next time.

During the pandemic , one concern for teachers is to make sure that students complete their tasks in ' self-study ' time, without teachers' supervision. Developing a sense of independence not only position students to achieve success in a traditional classroom setting but also does while learning online. Students, who are independent learners have been more successful in the shift to distance learning . In short, independent learning is a crucial skill to develop because it promotes intellectual curiosity and creativity.

The students should be active rather than passive students. Independent learners do not wait to be told what they must do, they take ownership of their learning. This naturally develops flexibility for learners with different cognitive levels and learning styles. Also, it enables students to focus on the all-inclusive process of learning, and not just concentrate on learning a single skill at a time. By supporting students to learn independently, teachers are preparing them for future success as life-long learners .

Encouraging Autonomy in Children with Learning-Specific Needs

Fostering autonomy in children with specific learning needs such as dyslexia and dyspraxia is a crucial endeavor. This task, while challenging, can be approached through a series of strategies, each designed to empower students and enhance their independent learning skills.

• Individualized Learning Plans : Tailor the learning experiences to the unique needs and abilities of each student. This approach acknowledges that a one-size-fits-all method is ineffective, especially for students with specific learning needs.
• Inclusive Classroom Environment : Create an independent learning environment that is inclusive and supportive. This setting encourages students to make active choices in their learning process, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility.
• Multi-sensory Teaching Techniques : Utilize a range of skills and teaching methods that cater to different learning styles . This strategy is particularly beneficial for students with dyslexia who may struggle with traditional teaching methods.
• Positive Reinforcement : Use positive reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors and increase the response rate. This technique aligns with the principles of behavioral psychology and can be particularly effective in promoting overt behavior.
• Assistive Technology : Leverage technology to support learning. Tools like text-to-speech software can be invaluable for students with dyslexia, helping them to better understand and engage with the material.
• Collaboration with Specialists : Collaborate with specialists who can provide additional support and resources. This collaboration can help to ensure that the needs of all students are met.
• Continuous Professional Development : Encourage teachers to engage in continuous professional development . This commitment to learning can help teachers to better understand and support their students.

For instance, consider a secondary school student with dyspraxia , a condition that affects physical coordination. This student might struggle with handwriting, a skill that is often crucial for traditional classroom activities. By providing this student with access to a laptop or tablet, the teacher can help to level the playing field, allowing the student to participate fully in classroom activities.

As education philosopher John Dewey once said, "If we teach today's students as we taught yesterday's, we rob them of tomorrow." This quote underscores the importance of adapting our teaching methods to meet the needs of all students, including those with specific learning needs 1 .

Encouraging autonomy in children with specific learning needs is not a straightforward task. It requires a thoughtful, individualized approach that acknowledges the unique abilities and challenges of each student.

By implementing these strategies, teachers can help to foster a sense of independence and confidence in their students, preparing them for success both inside and outside the classroom.

Key Insights:

• Tailoring learning experiences to the unique needs and abilities of each student can foster a sense of independence and ownership.
• Creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment encourages students to make active choices in their learning process .
• Utilizing a range of teaching methods can cater to different learning styles, particularly beneficial for students with specific learning needs.
• Positive reinforcement can encourage desired behaviors and increase the response rate.
• Leveraging technology can support learning and help students to better engage with the material.

Key Papers Exploring Independent Learning

Here are five key studies that explore the concept of independent learning and how it can be promoted in classrooms:

• Si-geng, Y. (2002) : Discusses the independent classroom model, promoting both teacher's independent teaching and learner's independent learning. It emphasizes managing independent learning and communication , essential for effective learning and academic development (Si-geng, 2002).
• Singh, S., Kaur, B., & Kaur, K. (2023) : This paper explores integrating independent and collaborative learning to optimize educational outcomes, highlighting independent learning as key to fostering self-reliance and critical thinking, crucial for lifelong learning (Singh et al., 2023).
• Marshall, G. (2008) : Evaluates a curriculum designed to promote independent learning , finding it successful based on student contributions to professional arenas as indicators of independent learning skills (Marshall, 2008).
• Gow, L., & Kember, D. (1990) : Analyzes how higher education structures affect the promotion of independent learning , suggesting a shift towards deep learning approaches to enhance lifelong learning capacities (Gow & Kember, 1990).
• Hockings, C., Thomas, L., Ottaway, J., & Jones, R. C. (2018) : Investigates UK higher education's approach to independent learning , suggesting that more explicit support and collaboration among students enhance independent learning abilities, crucial for effective and lifelong learning (Hockings et al., 2018).

These studies highlight the significance of independent learning in fostering effective learning, academic development, and lifelong learning skills through various educational strategies and structural supports.

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Using LbQ at home

Homework with Learning by Questions is less 'work for at home' and more 'lessons without limits'.

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Why use LbQ for homework?

All the superpowers of LbQ expanded way beyond the walls of your classroom.

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Don't be limited by a lack of tech in school - send Learning by Questions home and they can take part on any internet-connected device, including smartphones.

You'll get all the data; they still get all the learning.

Is it possible to give every child their own learning journey without things becoming tangled and complex? Yes - absolutely.

LbQ can do all the marking and give you an immediate snap shot of everyone's strengths and weaknesses. You can adapt the learning, selecting different tasks for different children at the click of a button.

Perfect for targeted gap-filling beyond the lesson.

Set the challenge, check-in on progress, and know that they're getting to stretch those independent learning muscles away from your classroom.

The individualised feedback pupils get to every answer acts like a tiny teacher on their shoulder, guiding them towards success.

Just because it's independent doesn't mean they have to start off alone.

How do I use LbQ for independent study?

Start by creating your class., simple to share.

Once you've created a class, there's a button that prints out a label for every pupil - no tricky templates to wrangle.

This has their unique QR code that allows them to access the homework or independent study tasks really easily.

No need for oodles of spreadsheets; classes can be created in moments with LbQ when the first lesson begins. What's more, you can track your class's progress over a period of time, be that a lesson, a term, or even the whole academic year.

Set the homework.

Jump right in.

Pupils use the QR codes to jump straight in to the homework - no email addresses or passwords needed.

Pick a deadline

Choose a date and time for completion. Add any notes for the pupils.

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LbQ allows you to select which pupils in the class receive the work. This means you can set different tasks for different pupils, adapting the learning to maximise individual progress.

Set an independent study task

To set an independent study task, simply choose a Question Set and hit the 'Independent Study' button.

See how they're getting on.

Giving guidance where required.

This gives you insights into that pupils metacognitive abilities. Do they need more guidance or modelling in order to work well by themselves?

Identify pupils' independent answers

Hollow squares denote that the question was answered for homework, solid squares show that the answer was given in the lesson.

Monitor progress

See how your pupils are progressing through a question-level analysis.

See the progress of individual pupils and the class as a whole.

Lessons without limits.

Pick up in the lesson.

The inverse is also true. Ask pupils to cover the basics at home, then tackle the more challenging questions when they are back in school and where they have your additional support.

Continue at home

The traditional length of a lesson can be too short for all pupils to reach their stretch zone. With LbQ, you can thoroughly cover the basic understanding in the lesson and then ask pupils to complete the more challenging questions at home at the click of a button.

With an LbQ trial you could:

• feel the benefit, not the burden, of homework.
• build independent learning muscles.
• banish the stop-start feeling to your lessons.
• watch pupils flourish with individual learning journeys.
• get everybody into the learning stretch zone.
• connect learning at home with learning in the lesson.

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Independent Study

Physical Address: Blake House 1150 Blake Ave. Rooms 205, 206 and 207 Moscow, ID 83844-3081

Independent Study in Idaho University of Idaho 875 Perimeter Drive MS 3081 Moscow, ID 83844-3081

Toll-free: 877-464-3246

Phone: 208-885-6641

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Take College Classes Online at Your Own Pace

Whether you're a working professional seeking to advance your career, a busy parent juggling multiple responsibilities or a student looking for a flexible way to earn college credits, Independent Study in Idaho (ISI) accommodates the diverse needs of all learners.

We understand the importance of flexibility in higher education. That's why the online ISI program enables you to take up to a year to complete a course, providing ample time to master the material. Under the guidance of experienced instructors, you have the freedom to explore coursework from any location on your own timeline. These opportunities empower you to stay on track to achieve your academic goals and graduate on time.

• Idaho residency is not required 
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• Leverage ISI courses to finish your degree earlier and save on course fees. See an example  here .

Open Enrollment. Register Anytime. Start Anytime.

Flexibility is fundamental to the Independent Study in Idaho program. With open enrollment, you can register and start your course whenever you're ready. Designed for completion in one year or less, ISI courses cater to your schedule and commitments, allowing you to complete coursework at your own pace. The credits you earn upon completing ISI courses can be used toward earning your college degree and are also widely transferable to many colleges and universities.

ISI courses serve as a versatile tool, helping you complete your studies and prepare for a successful career. Whether you’re starting a college program ahead of schedule, ensuring timely graduation, resolving scheduling conflicts, meeting prerequisites or pursuing professional development and personal enrichment, ISI offers a tailored pathway to reach your goals.

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Key program highlights include:

• Online courses sponsored by four regionally accredited institutions . No need for admission to cooperating institutions.
• Over 100 course options in more than 25 subject areas.
• Uniform registration fees and no residency requirements for both in-state and out-of-state students.
• Faster degree completion. See an example of this cost-saving approach .
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In today’s educational landscape, students face many challenges that can make homework feel overwhelming. You might often find yourself needing help but struggling to get personalized support.

That’s where AI homework helpers come in. Among them, HIX Tutor is changing the game for students worldwide. This guide is here to help you explore HIX Tutor, a top AI question solver known for its accuracy and student-friendly approach.

With HIX Tutor, you’ll find the support you need to tackle your homework with confidence.

What is the Role of a Homework AI?

Before exploring how HIX Tutor can improve your study routine, it’s important to understand what a homework AI is and how it can benefit you. Homework AIs are smart programs designed to help you with your schoolwork.

These tools use advanced technology to give you quick answers and clear explanations across many subjects. Their real strength lies in making difficult concepts easier to grasp, giving you the support you need when you need it most.

The Rise of Question AI in Learning

At the center of any homework AI is something called question AI technology. This feature lets you ask questions and get instant, easy-to-understand answers.

Tasks that used to require a tutor, like tough math problems or complex essays, can now be solved quickly and accurately by AI. This makes learning faster and more accessible, helping you stay on top of your studies with confidence.

A Closer Look at HIX Tutor: The AI Homework Helper

HIX Tutor brings the power of AI technology into a platform that’s easy for students to use. Its strength as a question AI comes from its ability to deliver detailed answers across a wide range of academic subjects.

Delving into HIX Tutor’s Features

Accessibility and convenience.

HIX Tutor stands out by offering multiple ways for you to input questions. You’re not just limited to typing; you can also upload documents or images containing the problem you need help with. This flexibility means that no matter what format your study material is in, HIX Tutor is ready to assist.

Instant Study Help

Understanding the hectic schedule of a student, HIX Tutor provides instant answers. Whether you’re studying late at night or cramming for a test, this AI homework helper delivers quick and reliable support, making it a go-to resource when time is tight.

Adaptive Learning Solutions

HIX Tutor doesn’t just give you generic answers. It adapts its guidance to fit your needs, offering explanations that match your level of understanding. This personalized approach ensures that you get the help you need in a way that makes sense to you.

Does HIX Tutor Cover Your Subject?

A broad spectrum of knowledge.

HIX Tutor covers a vast array of academic fields. Whether you’re tackling complex calculus problems, exploring the laws of physics, understanding chemical reactions, studying biological processes, or analyzing literary texts, HIX Tutor’s AI question solver is equipped to help.

From Humanities to STEM

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How to Utilize HIX Tutor for Homework Assistance

To make the most of HIX Tutor, follow these simple steps:

• Question Input: Start by either typing your question or uploading an image of your homework problem. This flexibility allows you to easily ask for help in the way that suits you best.
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• Receiving The Answer: HIX Tutor then provides a detailed, step-by-step response. This not only helps you complete your homework but also deepens your understanding of the topic.

Enhancing Exam Preparation with HIX Tutor

As you prepare for exams, HIX Tutor becomes an invaluable resource. The AI Question Solver allows you to practice similar questions and strengthens your understanding with clear, logical explanations, helping you feel more confident and prepared.

The Precision of Answers with HIX Tutor

HIX Tutor is designed with a highly accurate algorithm, boasting about 98% precision. This level of reliability makes it an impressive tool for any student seeking dependable homework assistance.

Tackling Ethical Concerns: Is HIX Tutor a Form of Cheating?

While HIX Tutor provides meticulous academic assistance, it is designed as a supplement to your studies, not a replacement. It’s crucial to use this AI question solver in accordance with your institution’s academic integrity policies. HIX Tutor aids understanding rather than providing a shortcut to answers.

Personalized Learning Experience

One of the best things about HIX Tutor is how it adapts to your needs. It doesn’t just give you answers; it notices the patterns in your questions and adjusts its feedback to help you where you need it most. This makes HIX Tutor more than just a homework helper—it’s a personalized learning tool designed to support your growth.

Conclusion: Embracing AI for Educational Support

AI tools like HIX Tutor are changing the way you approach your homework. They offer a mix of reliability, accessibility, and personalized support, helping you not only finish your assignments but also truly understand the material.

By using this technology wisely, you can enhance your learning experience. As AI continues to grow, it’s important to keep discussing how it fits into education. 

HIX Tutor shows how technology can work alongside traditional learning methods, helping you gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for your studies.

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• HSE Faculty of Mathematics
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The “Math in Moscow” program was founded in 2001 as a math study abroad program. Over 400 students from 200 universities have participated in the program. Over 100 of them have already got their PhD degrees. In 2020 the program had to switch to online instruction. Now you can pick any courses from the list we offer for each semester.

“Math in Moscow” is a joint project of the Independent University of Moscow , the Higher School of Economics , and  the Moscow Center for Continuous Mathematical Education . You can now gain from the expertise of Moscow mathematicians without learning Russian: all courses are taught in English.

Our Mission

If you begin studying math, we will show you how a mathematical theory is constructed and what mathematicians mean by proof. All our courses are proof-based. And we encourage you not to memorize theorems and proofs but to discover mathematics yourself. We hope that after taking MiM courses, you can decide whether you feel excited to continue your journey in pure math.

If you are preparing to apply for PhD school, we will be thrilled to help you cover a possible gap between college courses and what you will face on a graduate level. Also, you might understand better what area you wish to specialize in.

That being said, we will be still happy to teach you if your goals differ from the ones we mentioned. Some of our participants need our courses for their work, and some take them a few years after graduating.

Groups in our courses are small. We guarantee that each group is not greater than six students. That allows you to be active, to ask questions, and to discuss problems with your peers. Our professors are also focused on an individual approach to every student. Math courses are taught with an emphasis on building the theory yourself rather than memorizing lecture notes. A mathematical theory is regarded as a set of problems that we happen to call theorems and propositions.

Because the groups are small, we usually succeed in arranging the timetable according to everybody’s preferences. If you do not mind studying on Saturday or Sunday, that will increase possible time slots.

Our Zoom classes are recorded by default. And you will have lifetime access to the corresponding unlisted playlist. But if the students prefer some classes (for example, homework problems discussion) to be unrecorded, we do not mind.

Online settings provide several benefits: you may study from the place you prefer, use convenient interactive boards, share links with your peers, and revise video recordings whenever you need. But we have noticed that sometimes our students become less engaged because of other commitments. Each course may require from you 3-6 hours of work in addition to 3 hours of classes. The main advantage is that you can bring all your questions from your home study to a professor or discuss them in class.

Most of our courses are original ones. Your professor may recommend more books in addition to the ones that are mentioned in our list of courses.

The prerequisites essential to almost all our courses are one semester of both Real Analysis and Linear Algebra. We recommend the following Linear Algebra textbooks: S.Axler, “Linear Algebra Done Right” and S.Friedberg, A.Insel, L.Spence, “Linear Algebra” (very thorough), and Real Analysis textbooks: S.Abbott, “Understanding Analysis” and T.Tao, “Analysis I”.

Credits & Transcripts

Please check with the Department of Mathematics of your college or university if you will get credits for the courses successfully completed in the “Math in Moscow” program. And we are glad to assist you in that communication. One “Math in Moscow” course transfers to four semester hours. The transcript will be issued by the Faculty of Mathematics of the National Research University Higher School of Economics (here is a copy of the translation of the state accreditation certificate of the National Research University Higher School of Economics ). Our office will send an official transcript of all completed courses to your home institution. We stay in touch with our students, and additional transcripts to other addresses are available upon your request for free, no matter when you need them.

If you are willing to study math, have good academic standing, and have completed at least one semester of Real Analysis and Linear Algebra, you are welcome to apply. The application is free. For details please click here .

Note that we consider all payments as final, and you will not be able to get a refund if you decide to withdraw from the program. To learn more about the program, feel free to ask our recent alumni and to read our alumni testimonials . Check out the videos in which the IUM and the HSE leaders speak about the MiM mission. A few years ago the “Math Horizons” magazine published a paper about MiM written by our alumnus. . Another good option is to email us at [email protected] .

Home Schools, Affiliated Programs

Since 2001 we have established good working relationships with a lot of universities . With some of them we have formal agreements, see the list of our affiliated programs.

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Ofsted Big Listen: supporting documents

Supporting documents for the Ofsted Big Listen response.

Applies to England

Findings of ofsted's big listen public consultation.

• Ofsted: public consultation data tables

ODS , 75 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

• Ofsted: public consultation data tables (sub-groups)

ODS , 92 KB

• Independent report, written by IFF Research, into the views of the professionals we work with

PDF , 1.22 MB , 63 pages

• IFF Research: provider survey data tables

ODS , 762 KB

• IFF Research: individual survey data tables

ODS , 742 KB

• Independent report, written by NatCen, into the views of the parents and carers we work for

PDF , 523 KB , 59 pages

• NatCen data tables: parents and carers

ODS , 241 KB

• NatCen data tables: panel survey of the general public

ODS , 52.6 KB

Findings from the children and young people strand of the Big Listen

• The internal Big Listen: responding to our people

Independent learning review for Ofsted by Dame Christine Gilbert

PDF , 485 KB , 34 pages

Ofsted's response to the independent learning review by Dame Christine Gilbert

The Ofsted Big Listen was launched in early March. It gave professionals, children and learners, parents, carers, and the public an opportunity to give their feedback on our work.

Our response to the Big Listen sets out the actions we will take to address what we heard.

This page provides the evidence from other activities that formed part of the Big Listen:

• Report detailing results of the public consultation
• Report detailing results of our children’s consultation
• Independent learning review led by Dame Christine Gilbert
• Ofsted’s response to Dame Christine Gilbert’s independent learning review

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