THE IMPACT OF HOMEWORK TIME ON

STUDENT LEARNING

A CASE STUDY OF STUDENTS AROUND KIBINGE SUB-

COUNTY BUKOMANSIMBI DISTRICT

BY

MALE HENRY KENNETH

HDM/KUM/PGDE/107/13J

A RESEARCH PROPOSAL PAPER IN EDUCATION AS APARTIAL

FULFILLMENT FOR THE REQUIREMENT OF THE AWARD OF
THE POST-GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION
December 2013
 Declaration
I, MALE HENRY KENNETH hereby declare that the project proposal entitled the impact of homework
time on student learning is my original work, and has never been submitted before by any one.

Signed………………………………………………………

Name………………………………………………………

Date…………………………………………………………

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 Approval
This project proposal has been submitted to the faculty of education of Kampala University as partial
fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the Bachelor of Arts in education degree. For
examination of the final year research with the approval of:

Signed: …………………………………………

Date:……………………………………………

Supervisor: ………………………………………….

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 Dedication
I dedicate this proposal to the Almighty God for having enabled me to complete the One year course at
Kampala University. I also dedicate this hard work to my family members for the effort and support,
through financial, spiritual and material provision throughout my time at the university. May God bless
them.

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 Acknowledgement

I do acknowledge the efforts of my supervisor and advice he has given me throughout this work. I also
thank my friends for the support provided to see this success. Thank you .

iv
 Abstract
This study will investigate the impact of homework time on student achievement. The

participants in this study will include 20 students, 10 males and 10 females, in secondary school

class. Students in this study completed two units with homework and two units without

homework. Data will be collected via student and parent surveys, homework completion

checklists, quiz and test scores, and student interviews. Results indicated that homework had a

minimal effect on student achievement and that parental involvement had a positive impact on

homework completion rates. It is important to assign purposeful homework assignments and to

monitor the amount of homework assigned to ensure its quality and completion.

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 Table of content

Contents
Declaration .................................................................................................................................................... i
Approval ....................................................................................................................................................... ii
Dedication.................................................................................................................................................... iii
Acknowledgement ...................................................................................................................................... iv
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................ v
Table of content .......................................................................................................................................... vi
CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................................... 2
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................ 2
1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 2
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY............................................................................................................. 2
1.3 GENERAL OBJECTIVE ........................................................................................................................... 3
1.4 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES........................................................................................................................... 3
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................................. 3
1.6 THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY .................................................................................................................. 4
1.7 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK................................................................................................................ 4
1.8 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS ...................................................................................................................... 5
1.9 LIMITATIONS OF STUDY ...................................................................................................................... 5
CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................................................. 7
REVIEW OF LITERATURE ............................................................................................................................... 7
2.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 7
2.1 Impacts of homework on a student academic achievement .............................................................. 7
2.2 Impact of Parent Involvement ............................................................................................................ 8
2.3 Effective strategies teachers can use to ensure quality and completion when assigning homework.
.................................................................................................................................................................. 9
2.5 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 10
METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................... 11
3.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 11
3.1 Research Design ................................................................................................................................ 11
3.2 Population and Sample ..................................................................................................................... 11

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 3.3 Sampling ............................................................................................................................................ 11
3.4 Instrumentation ................................................................................................................................ 12
3.5 Data Collection .................................................................................................................................. 12
3.6 Data Analysis ..................................................................................................................................... 12
3.7 Reliability and Validity....................................................................................................................... 13
3.8 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 13
CHAPTERFOUR ............................................................................................................................................ 14
4.0 Research findings .............................................................................................................................. 14
4.1 Homework Completion ..................................................................................................................... 14
Figure 1. .............................................................................................................................................. 16
4.2 Quiz and Test Scores ......................................................................................................................... 16
Figure 2. .............................................................................................................................................. 17
4.3 Student Interviews ............................................................................................................................ 17
4.4 Limitations......................................................................................................................................... 18
CHAPTER FIVE ............................................................................................................................................. 19
5.0 Recommendations ............................................................................................................................ 19
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................... i
Appendices.................................................................................................................................................... ii
Appendice A: WORKPLAN ......................................................................................................................... ii
APPENDICE B: BUDGET............................................................................................................................. iii

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 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Currently we live in a world where education is very vital and every home wishes to see
their children thrive in their education. Homework has been a controversial educational tool used
as an attempt to evaluate and enhance student learning for as long as it has been around. The
historical homework controversy has caused an ongoing debate in education and this debate is
what led me to explore research on the impact of homework on student achievement in
secondary school class. I believe that if I effectively teach a concept, given ample practice and
check student comprehension in class, students would evade learning or practicing a skill
incorrectly as can be done with homework. The overall purpose of this study was to determine
the impact of homework on student achievement.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Previous studies within the education production function literature have documented a
number of inputs that have an impact on students’ academic achievement.
These include school funding, class size, teacher characteristics and training, the amount of time
spent in class or in school, and the performance of a student’s peers. Certain characteristics of the
student and their family also are important, including parents’ permanent income as well as the
student’s sex.
The focus of this study was on another input: student time spent on homework. The
Theoretic literature predicts a positive impact of homework time on academic achievement
(Betts 1996; Neilson 2005). Almost all of the empirical studies on this topic find evidence that
homework time has a positive impact on academic achievement, although there was no
consensus on the magnitude of the impact. Finally, this paper will document that a policy of
increasing the amount of homework assigned to students is a cost-effective alternative to
traditional policy interventions, and that this policy would disproportionately aid low-performing
students and those in low-performing schools in KIBINGE sub-county Bukomansimbi District.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

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 The most accurate predictor of the students’ achievement in school is not the income or
the social status, but the extent to which families are able to create a home environment that
supports doing of academic work, communicates high and reasonable expectations for their
children’s achievement and becomes involved in their children’s work.
However, in Kibinge, homework status in children’s education is still at the minimum
level. A lot of teachers place the responsibility to teach the children and ensure their children’s
education upon school time. Besides that, they think that by giving notes and tests to students is
enough to make them achieve their academic goals excellently.
Therefore, with regards to the mentioned matter, this research was to study whether the
homework assignment could be one of the contributing factors towards students’ academic
success in Bukomansimbi district

1.3 GENERAL OBJECTIVE

The main objective of the study was to establish the impact of home time in the student learning.

1.4 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

i. Establish the impact of homework on student academic achievement
ii. Establish the impact of parental involvement on homework doing
iii. Establish the effective strategies teachers can use to ensure quality and completion when
assigning homework.
Research questions
This study is going to be guided by the following research questions:
I. What are the impacts of homework on student academic achievement?
II. What is the impact of parental involvement on homework?
III. What are effective strategies teachers can use to ensure quality and completion when
assigning homework?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will be used to establish the impact of homework exercises in the student
ability to grasp and learn and this could help parents get involved in their children learning. The
study will be of importance to parents, teachers and basic education researchers. Teachers will
particularly know how to guide parents of Bukomansimbi on the impact of the homework
3
exercises that will facilitate the pupil’s faster grasp and learning. Furthermore, it might also help
in improving the awareness of the public about the importance of homework exercises on their
children learning.

1.6 THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study was only carried out within three secondary schools in Kibinge sub-county.
The participants in this study included 20 students, 10 males and 10 females, in secondary school
class. Students in this study completed two topics with homework and two topics without
homework. Data was collected via student and parent surveys, homework completion checklists,
quiz and test scores, and student interviews. This study was carried out between June 2014 and
July 2014.

1.7 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

INDEPENT VARIABLES DEPENDENT
 Home work

 Home background Improved academic

performance
 Parent love and care

 Home coaching

 Career guidance

 Government policy

 Socio-economic status

 Learner’s personality

 Level of intelligence

EXTRENEOUS VARIABLES

There are various factors that can influence a student in their academic performance
whether it is negative or positive Parent’s Motivation should be there to teach their children to
appreciate their hard work and guide them as they move along. A student must learn to devote

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their time and effort and exercise diligence and patience while studying; parents and their family
have a very strong influence that affects heavily their performance. The children’s personality
and strength in dealing with situations like when they are facing difficulty in school in many
activities gives them the strength and courage to persevere if their emotions are stable. Students
are likely to develop inner discipline to handle such situations mostly if family background is
fine. Some really good parents, do not only provide them with sufficient materials they need,
they even guide their children to aim high, develop their goals and objective and value their
studies as well as helping them with homework assignments.
On the contrary if they are neglected at home they will usually suffer such consequences of low
morality and attitude that includes the sense of worthlessness to appreciate school and their
studies, children in this situation are only forced to go to school but studying is not in their mind
and therefore their academic performance are usually low. Teachers may even regard them as
usually the problem in the class, it is a primary important to talk to children and discuss their
problems in schools in order to avoid the confusions and struggles that they are facing and
parents should be the one to initiate discussion and communication so that they can monitor their
progress. Children subconsciously need them and their attention.

1.8 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

In doing this research, there are several key words which are being used by the researcher:
“Homework” is defined as out-of-class tasks assigned to students as an extension or
elaboration of classroom work. There are three types of homework: practice, preparation, and
extension.
“Parental involvement” Parental involvement refers to the participation of parents in
regular, two way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other
school activities.

1.9 LIMITATIONS OF STUDY

Several limiting factors pertaining to the study require consideration. The first limitation was
the demographic factors in which the respondents for this research were living in villages where
their culture would affect the upbringing of their children, which might be different from other
places especially compared to the urban area. The second limitation is that this research was

5
based on only one case study, that is, three schools around Kibinge sub-county. This might not
meet conclusive results for generalizing the findings of this research.
1.10 Conclusion
This chapter has provided an outline of the study which includes statement of the
problems, objectives and research questions. Significance of the study is also presented to show
its relevance to the teaching discipline. Definition of terms and limitations of the study are
explained to highlight the focus of the study.

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 CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

2.0 Introduction
Prior to implementing this study, a review of existing literature will be conducted. The
following questions are to guide my literature review: What are the impacts of homework on
student academic achievement? What is the impact of parental involvement on homework?
What are effective strategies teachers can use to ensure quality and completion when
assigning homework?

2.1 Impacts of homework on a student academic achievement

Research provides mixed results from the studies of the effects of homework on student
achievement. Before discussing these effects, it is important to understand that most of the
homework research falls into one of two designs: experimental or correlational. The homework
design examined first is experimental. Experimental research typically compares groups of
students who receive homework to groups of students who do not receive homework (Vatterott,
2009).
Two meta-analyses by Cooper and colleagues are the most comprehensive and rigorous studies
that have been done which reveal mixed results on the effects of homework versus no homework
on student achievement. Cooper (2001b) did a meta-analysis in 1989 that dates back to the 1930s
which included seventeen research reports that contained a total of 48 comparisons between
students who did and did not do homework. About 70% of these comparisons found that
homework was associated with higher achievement while 30% found no effect or lower
achievement (Cooper, 2001b).
Numerous studies have reported little correlation between homework and academic achievement
at the elementary level, whereas homework appears to have increasing benefits as students’
progress through the grade levels (Cooper, 2001b). The average effect of homework was twice as
large for high school as for junior high students and twice as large again for junior high as for
elementary school students (Cooper, 2001a).

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The second type of research design is correlational, which examines the relationship between
time spent on homework and achievement (Cooper, 2007). There is no conclusive evidence that
states that more time spent on homework results in higher student achievement. The research
provides mixed results from various surveys. According to Cooper (2001b), forty-three of fifty
correlations were positive, although the overall effect was quite minimal. Kohn (2006) adds that
homework accounted for less than four percent of the differences in students’ scores.
There are varied amounts of time that students should spend on homework to improve
achievement for middle and high school students. For middle school students in grades six
through nine, research shows that achievement improves slightly with less than one hour of
homework per night. In other words, even a small amount of reinforcement of classroom
learning seems beneficial. Achievement continues to improve when assignments last between
one and two hours a night. Homework requiring more time than that is no longer associated with
high achievement. For high school students in grades 10 through 12, achievement appears to
improve when students are doing from one-and-a-half up to two-and-a-half hours of homework a
night. When students do more than two-and-a-half hours per night, achievement begins to
decline (Cooper et al., 2006).

2.2 Impact of Parent Involvement

Although the research is limited, there have been some studies that show that parental
involvement with homework has a positive impact on students’ homework completion rates.
Cooper (2001b) described a study that analyzed nearly 22,000 eighth-grade students and parents
in which they measured parent involvement that included how often parents checked homework.
They also measured parental involvement in the students’ lives in general. In the study, they
found positive relationships in all subject areas, and it appeared that this positive relationship
resulted from an increase in the amount of homework completed by students with involved
parents.
Van Voorhis (2003) conducted another study to determine if parents’ involvement in science
homework had a positive impact on homework completion rates and science achievement at the
middle school level. The research group consisted of students in the Teachers Involve Parents in
Schoolwork (TIPS) program. TIPS encourage parents to be interested in and responsive to their
children’s homework, but they are not asked to teach specific skills. The control group received
similar content homework but without instructions to involve parents. Results indicated that
8
students in the research group were more likely to complete and return assignments and that their
assignments were more likely to be accurate when parents were involved.
When assigning homework teachers must remember that although parental involvement in
homework has shown to have a positive effect on completion rates, there can also be negative
consequences. Cooper (2001b) warns that parents may create pressure to complete homework
assignments or to do them with unrealistic rigor. Parents may also create confusion if they are
unfamiliar with the material or if they have a different approach to learning than the teacher.

Furthermore, we must keep in mind that parental involvement can go beyond simple tutoring or
helping. According to Vatterott (2009), some parents often micromanage homework and will not
hesitate to do homework for the child to ensure a good grade. Kralovec and Buell (2000)
conducted a survey that found 80 percent of high-achieving high school students admitted to
cheating by copying other students’ homework, downloading material from the Internet, or
having their parents complete their homework. Since homework is not completed under a
teacher’s guidance, they are often unaware of mistakes students make when tackling assignments
and have no control over who actually completes the work (Kralovec & Buell, 2001).

2.3 Effective strategies teachers can use to ensure quality and completion
when assigning homework.
Teachers assigning homework must be aware of effective homework practices and how
to utilize them in their classroom. Strong evidence in research proves that, when used
appropriately, homework benefits student achievement. To enhance student achievement,
teachers should follow these guidelines: assign purposeful homework, monitor the amount of
homework assigned, check and provide feedback on homework, and involve parents in
appropriate ways (Marzano & Pickering, 2007).
Legitimate purposes for homework include the following: introducing new material, practicing a
skill that students can do independently but not fluently, elaborating on information that has been
addressed in class to expand students’ knowledge, and providing opportunities for students to
explore topics of their own interest (Marzano & Pickering, 2007). Teachers may use the
introduction of new material as a means to stimulate interest in a concept (Vatterott, 2009). In
addition to using homework for pre-learning, teachers can use homework to practice newly

9
learned skills. Homework tasks should be designed not only to support classroom learning but
also to instill a sense of competence in the mind of the learner (Sagor, 2008).

Teachers must also carefully monitor the amount of homework assigned so that it is
appropriate to students’ age levels and does not take too much time away from other out of
school activities. At the secondary level, teachers should coordinate with other teachers to ensure
that the amount of homework assigned is reasonable and that students are not overwhelmed with
long assignments for multiple classes on one night (Simplicio, 2005). After assigning an
appropriate amount of purposeful homework, teachers must then look at how they are going to
evaluate student understanding or growth. Teachers must also explain the role parents are
expected to play in students’ homework completion (Brewster & Fager, 2000). Lastly, teachers
must ensure their expectations are realistic, given parents’ skills and schedules (Battle-Bailey,
2003).

2.5 Conclusion
Homework is a controversial educational tool that has been debated for several decades.
In general, research on homework has historically produced conflicting results. There is no
conclusive evidence that homework increases student achievement. Some studies have found
homework has a positive impact under certain conditions and for certain students; some have
found homework has minimal effects on student achievement; and others have found homework
has a negative effect on achievement. Homework has consistently been found to have a greater
impact on the academic achievement of students at the higher grade levels. Although research
shows that parent involvement has a positive impact on homework completion rates, there can be
several negative consequences as well. Due to the inconsistent results in the various studies and
the overreliance on Cooper’s work, more research is needed to better define the impacts of
homework on student achievement. Therefore, I decided to embark on conducting my own
research. The following three questions guide my study: When given homework in the in class,
what are the impacts of homework on student academic achievement? What is the impact of
parental involvement on homework? What are effective strategies teachers can use to ensure
quality and completion when assigning homework?

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 CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.0 Introduction
This chapter will explain in detail about the research design, population and sample of the
study, methods of data collection, research procedures as well as data analysis that was applied
throughout the research.

3.1 Research Design

Falk and Blumenreich (2005) stressed the importance of triangulating data when
conducting research rather than simply relying on one source. With this in mind, I collected
several sources of data throughout the course of this study. Data collection tools were designed
to measure the effects of homework on student achievement. Data collection tools that I used as
part of this research study included (a) student and parent surveys (b) homework completion
check lists, (c) quiz and test scores, and (d) student interviews.

3.2 Population and Sample

The study was only carried out within three secondary schools in Kibinge sub-county.
The participants in this study included 20 students, 10 males and 10 females, in secondary school
class.

3.3 Sampling
This research conducted through purposive sampling which involved one group of
students with excellent results and one group of students with poor Exam results. In conducting
this research, the researcher distributed a set of questionnaires to students from schools in
Kibinge in order to get the data needed for this research.

11
3.4 Instrumentation
The first instrument that was used in this research is method of survey through
questionnaires as the researcher believes that in order to measure perceptions, this approach is
the most appropriate research instrument to get the pertinent data. The questionnaire was
designed with multiple choice questions and also two different Like-type scales.
Upon completion of the first unit of study, students completed a survey in class with
questions about how much time they spent on homework and factors that affected their homework
completion (see Appendix A).
Parents also completed a different survey with similar questions about how much time their
child spent on homework and factors at home that affected homework completion (see Appendix B).
At the end of the data collection phase, student interviews were conducted in class (see
Appendix C). All participants were interviewed individually to gather information about how
prepared they felt for tests and quizzes during the units when there was homework and during the
units when there was no homework.

3.5 Data Collection

The researcher, at first, will saw for permission from the school administration to get
students to answer the questionnaires. The researcher then requested cooperation from the school
in carrying out the study and distributing the questionnaire to the students. In addition, the
researcher personally went to schools to hand in the questionnaire to the teacher that had been
assigned to be in charge and discus if there is any problem that arose. The students were
informed about the confidentiality of their responses and that the data will only be utilized for the
purpose of the study. In collecting the questionnaires, the researcher went to the respective
schools to collect the completed questionnaires.
The researcher also selected some of the respondents and asked their cooperation to meet
outside of the school to do some interviews with them. The interviews were recorded, transcribed
and analyzed.

3.6 Data Analysis

According to Holmes, Hazadiah, and Ashari, (2005) when a researcher is conducting a

quantitative research, it is recommended that he or she to utilize the Statistical Package for the

12
Social Sciences (SPSS) programme to analyze the data. Since this research is quantitative in
nature; SPSS was used in analyzing the data which was gathered. Since most of the questionnaire
for this research used the Like Scale, the data become nominal data. The researcher calculated
the percentage, mean, standard deviation (SD) in the process of analyzing the data. As for the
qualitative data, the researcher analyzed the data and interpreted the respondents’ responds. The
researcher triangulated the data from the questionnaires with the data from the interviews.

3.7 Reliability and Validity

In order to ensure validity and reliability of the questionnaires for the research, the
researcher conducted a pilot study involving the students. 15 participants were selected to answer
the questionnaires. Amendments were made based on the ten questionnaires distributed.

3.8 Conclusion
In chapter three, the research design and methodology that were used are clearly
explained in the way of how to collect the data, the target population, and how to analyze the
data. The selected research design and methodology is suitable with the researcher’s study.

13
CHAPTERFOUR

4.0 Research findings

Upon completion of the first unit of study, students completed a survey to help determine how
parental involvement with homework affected homework completion. All 20 students completed
the survey. Sixteen students (80%) indicated that they either agreed or strongly agreed that their
parents helped them with homework when needed, while just four students (20%) disagreed that
their parents helped them with homework when needed. Seventeen students (85%) reported that
they had a quiet place at home where they could go to concentrate on homework. All 20 students
reported that they had other activities, jobs, or chores that interfered with completing homework.
Eighteen students (90%) either agreed or strongly agreed that they always completed their
homework assignments while just two students (10%) reported that they disagreed with this
statement.
Parents also completed a survey to help determine how parental involvement with homework
affected homework completion. Eighteen of the 20 parents (90%) completed the survey. All
eighteen parents reported that their child could complete homework without their help or
supervision. Four parents (22%) stated that their child had many responsibilities at home, while
another nine parents (50%) reported that their child was involved in many outside activities that
left little time for homework. At the same time, 10 parents (56%) reported that their child always
completed his/her homework.
When asked about resources that parents had at home to assist their child in doing homework, 15
parents (83%) stated that there was a quiet, well-lit place for them to work. Thirteen parents
(72%) said that they provided a computer with internet access. While 12 parents (67%) reported
that there was an adult at home with time to help, five parents (27%) said that they did not get
involved in their child’s homework. Another eight parents (44%) said that they checked to see
that their child’s work was done. Ten parents (56%) reported that they had trouble helping their
child because they did not understand the material.

4.1 Homework Completion

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Homework completion rates were compared with parent and student surveys to determine how
parental involvement with homework affected homework completion rates. Eight students (40%)
out of 20 did not complete all of their homework assignments. Amongst those eight students, two
students (25%) indicated that they did not have a quiet place at home where they could
concentrate on homework. Three (37.5%) of the eight students indicated that their parent or
guardian did not help them with homework when needed. All eight students either strongly
agreed or agreed that they had other activities, jobs, or chores that interfered with completing
homework.
Of the remaining 12 students who completed all homework assignments, 11 students (91.67%)
indicated that they had a quiet place at home where they could concentrate on homework. Eleven
(91.67%) out of the 12 students also indicated that their parents helped them with homework
assignments when needed. All 12 students indicated that they had other activities, jobs, or chores
that interfered with completing homework.
Homework completion rates were also compared with students’ quiz and test scores to determine
if there was a correlation between the percentages of homework assignments completed and quiz
and test scores. Results showed that there was no correlation between the number of homework
assignments completed and students’ quiz and test scores (see Figure 1). The class average for
quiz and test scores during the two units with homework was a 92.36%. Three students (15%)
out of 20 did not complete all homework assignments and scored lower than the class average on
quizzes and tests. Five students (25%) did not complete all homework assignments and scored
higher than the class average. Among those five students, one only completed 60% of homework
assignments and still scored more than four percentage points higher than the class average. Six
students (30%) completed all homework assignments and scored lower than the class average.
Conversely, another six students (30%) completed all homework assignments and scored higher
than the class average.

15
 Quiz and Test Scores Compared to Homework Completion Rates

Figure 1. Average Quiz and Test Scores Compared to Homework Completion Rates

4.2 Quiz and Test Scores

Quiz and test scores revealed that there was a minimal increase in student achievement when
students received homework compared to when they did not (see Figure 2). The overall class
average during the first two units with homework was a 91.36%, whereas the class average
during the second two units without homework was a 91.2%. Of the 20 students, ten (50%)
performed better during the units with homework and the other ten (50%) performed better
during the units without homework. During the units with homework, two students’ (10%) quiz
and test score averages increased by five or more percentage when compared to the units without
homework. One student’s (5%) average was four percentage points higher with homework.
Conversely, one student’s (5%) average was more than five percentage point higher during the
units without homework.

16
 Average Quiz and Test Scores

Figure 2. Quiz and Test Scores Comparison

4.3 Student Interviews

The researcher conducted student interviews at the end of the study to determine students’
perceptions on the effectiveness of homework on student achievement. All 20 students were
interviewed. When asked about preparedness for quizzes and tests during the first six weeks with
homework, six students (30%) stated that they felt really prepared, 13 students (65%) felt
prepared, and just one student (5%) said that they did not feel prepared. Three students (15%)
further commented that they liked having the daily check-up to see how they were doing.
When asked about preparedness for quizzes and tests during the second six weeks without
homework, two students (10%) stated that they felt more prepared, and five students (25%) said
they felt good, but not as prepared. Nine students (45%) felt the same as when they had
homework. Three students (15%) stated that they did not feel very prepared, and one student
(5%) did not feel prepared at all. One student further commented that it was easier to focus on
just learning the information without the pressure of having to complete the homework.
When asked whether or not more studying took place during the second six weeks without
homework, 10 students (50%) remarked that they studied just five to 10 minutes more. Eight

17
students (40%) stated that they studied the same as when we had homework. One of those eight
students further commented that she always studied a lot. On the contrary, another one of those
students commented that he never studied because what we did in class prepared him well
enough for the quizzes and tests. Two students (10%) said that they studied more when there was
homework because they were used to the routine of taking something home.

4.4 Limitations
There were some notable limitations present in this study. First, the amount of time to conduct
the study was only twelve weeks. Data was collected for only two units with homework and two
units without homework. Increasing the duration of the study could impact the results. Ideally the
research would be conducted for an entire school year or over several school years to determine
accurate results. Second, the sample group utilized was comprised of just 20 students. In order to
achieve more accurate results, the participants would be greater in number. The final limitation
to this study included the fact that the material covered during the first two units with homework
differed from the material covered in the second two units without homework. While the number
of days spent on a unit, the number of tests and quizzes, and the sequence of events remained
relatively constant, it is impossible to gauge whether or not the material during the first two units
was equal in difficulty to the material in the second two units.

18
CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 Recommendations
In view of the finding of this study, the following recommendations are here presented

Three questions were sought to be answered by completing this study: When given homework in
the Spanish I class, what are the effects on student achievement? When not given homework in
the Spanish I class, what are the effects on student achievement? How does parental involvement
with homework affect homework completion? Upon completion of this study, it was found that
homework had a minimal effect on student achievement as a whole. However, individually the
effects of homework yield mixed results. Homework increased some students’ academic
achievement while decreasing others’. When not given homework, some students’ academic
performance increased, while others’ decreased. However, parental involvement did increase
homework completion.
The results of this study echo the findings of the multitude of researchers that previously
examined the effects of homework on student achievement. The findings of this study further
validate that homework is beneficial for some students and not helpful for others. With the
demanding schedules and extracurricular activities that students participate in, not to mention the
other seven courses they take, it is important to limit the amount of homework assigned. By
checking curricular schedules and discussing homework loads with other teachers it can help
ensure that students will not be overwhelmed or oversaturated. By teachers using class time more
effectively, students learn the important concepts in class and have ample time to practice them.
By spending less time in class going over homework that some students did not even do, students
spend more time perfecting the material and progressing. Therefore, more time after school can
be utilized to participate in other events that can also produce world-ready citizens.

On a final note, for the benefits of home involvement to be realized, it is critical that efforts
are guided by the best available evidence. This report has expressed the key messages from the
existing evidence in practical terms that can be used by parents, teachers, schools and
government to guide home involvement strategies. Translating this best evidence in policy,
practices and programs is the greater challenge, and will require resourcing and commitment by

19
all parties. Thus the home involvement is of beneficial to students learning and success, therefore
homes should be encouraged to get involved in their students learning.
Given the clear benefits of positive home contribution in student learning, by way of
improved academic achievement, wellbeing and productivity, the report concludes that
resourcing and effectively progressing home involvement initiatives is warranted, if not essential
to education reform and the future of Kibinge sub county in Bukomansimbi district.

20
 REFERENCES
Cushman, K. (2010). Show us what homework's for: Students sound off on why homework
doesn't work- and how that might change. Educational Leadership, 68(1), 74-78.
Falk, B., & Blumenreich, M. (2005). The power of questions: A guide to teacher and student
research. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Gill, B. P., & Schlossman, S. L. (2004). Villain or savior? The American discourse on
homework, 1850-2003. Theory into Practice, 43(3), 174-181.
Kohn, A. (2006). The homework myth: Why our kids get too much of a bad thing. Cambridge,
MA: Da Capo Press.
Kralovec, E., & Buell, J. (2000). The end of homework: How homework disrupts families,
overburdens children, and limits learning. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
Kralovec, E., & Buell, J. (2001). End homework now. Educational Leadership, 58(7), 39-42.
Marzano, R. J., & Pickering, D. J. (2007). Special topic/The case for and against homework.
Educational Leadership, 64(6), 74-79.
Sagor, R. (2008). Cultivating optimism in the classroom. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 26-31.

Marzano, R. J., & Pickering, D. J. (2007). Special topic/The case for and against homework.
Educational Leadership, 64(6), 74-79.

Sagor, R. (2008). Cultivating optimism in the classroom. Educational Leadership, 65(6),

26-31.

Simplicio, J. S.C. (2005). Homework in the 21st century: The antiquated and ineffectual
implementation of a time honored educational strategy. Education, 126(1), 138-142.

Van Voorhis, F. L. (2003). Interactive homework in middle school: Effects on family involvement and
science achievement. The Journal of Educational Research, 96(6), 323-338.

Cushman, K. (2010). Show us what homework's for: Students sound off on why homework doesn't
work- and how that might change. Educational Leadership, 68(1), 74-78.

i
Appendices
Appendice A: WORKPLAN

ACTIVITIES

APRIL 2014 MAY 2014 JUNE 2014

Research Topic And Title

Identification.

Writing concept paper

Proposal writing

Requirement Gathering

Requirement Analysis

REPORT WRITING

REPORT PRESENTATION

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APPENDICE B: BUDGET
Item Cost (ushs)

Printing of 30,000/=

Questionnaires, and interview guide

Transport 80,000/=

Food, drinks (refreshments) 50,000/=

Purchasing a laptop 700,000

Modem and servicing 160,000/=

Emergency 100,000/=

Total 1120,000/=

iii
 Appendix A
Student Survey: Homework
Please answer the following questions as honestly as possible.
1. On average, how much time do you spend on completing homework each night?

a) Less than 20 minutes.

b) Between 20-40 minutes.

c) Between 40-60 minutes.

d) More than an hour.

e) I usually don’t have any homework.

Strongly Agree Disagree Strongly
Agree Disagree

2 I have a quiet place at home where I

can go to concentrate on my
homework

3. It’s important to me to do well on

assignments,

4. My parents/guardians help me with

my homework when needed

5. I always complete my homework

assignment.

6. I understand my homework
assignment

7. I know when my assignments are

due

8 I have other activities, jobs that

interfere with completing
homework

Thank you for your time and cooperation

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 Appendix B
Parent Survey: Homework
The purpose of this survey is to learn more about homework practices in your home and to find
out your opinions about homework for my action research project. Your input is valued and
appreciated.
Time Spent on Homework:
1. On average, how much time does your child spend on completing homework each night?

a) Less than 20 minutes.

b) Between 20-40 minutes.

c) Between 40-60 minutes.

d) More than an hour.

e) I usually don’t have any homework.

2. What do you feel is an appropriate amount of homework each night for your child?

a) My child should not have any homework.

b) My child should have less than 20 minutes.

c) My child should have between 20-40 minutes.

d) My child should have between 40-60 minutes.

e) My child should have more than an hour each night.

Difficulty of homework/child’s work habits:

3. Can your child complete homework without your help or supervision?

_____ Yes, but doesn’t want to.

_____ Yes, usually.
_____ Yes, always.
_____ Not usually.
_____ Never.
_____ Other

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4. Does your child have special needs or special circumstances that influence the ability to
complete homework? (Check all that apply to your child.)

_____ My child takes medication for school that has worn off before homework is done.
__ My child needs a lot of downtime to relax after a hard day at school. Effects of homework 32
_____ My child has many responsibilities at home that leave little time for homework.
_____ My child is involved in many outside activities that leave little time for homework.
_____ My child spends little time at home.
_____ My child always completes his/her homework.
Appendix B (continued)
5. Does your child have organizational problems related to homework? (Check all that apply to
your child.)

_____ My child doesn’t realize there is a homework assignment.

_____ My child forgets to write the assignment down.
_____ My child forgets to bring home books or materials.
_____ My child completes homework but forgets to turn it in or loses track of it.
6. What resources do you have at home to assist your child in doing homework? (Check all that
apply.)

_____ A quiet, well-lit place to work.

_____ Dictionary
_____ Encyclopedia
_____ Computer with internet access
_____ An adult with time to help
7. How involved are you in your child’s homework? (Check all statements that apply to you.)

_____ I don’t get involved in my child’s homework.

_____ I check to see that my child’s homework is done.
_____ I have a set time each night that my child must complete homework.
_____ I have corrected my child’s mistakes on homework.

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_____ I have completed homework for my child just to get it done.
_____ I sometimes have trouble helping my child because I don’t understand the directions.
_____ I sometimes have trouble helping my child because I don’t understand the material.
_____ I’m not sure how much I should help my child with homework.
_____ I have occasionally prohibited my child from doing homework because it interfered with
home activities.

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 Appendix C
Student Interview: Homework
1. How prepared did you feel for quizzes and tests during the first six weeks with homework?

2. How prepared did you feel for quizzes and tests during the second six weeks without
homework?

3. Did you study outside of the classroom during the second six weeks without homework? If so,
how often?

viii