Treasa O’Loughlin, a mother based in Cashel, Co Tipperary, experienced a week so chaotic with work that she was unable to assist her six-year-old daughter with her homework. As a result, she informed the teacher about their situation through a note. Meanwhile, in Kildare, Karen O’Shea, who has two sons aged 11 and 13, observed the extensive efforts made by her elder son not to lag in his studies due to illness. O’Shea noticed the heavy burden of daily homework, volume, deadlines, and alert from Teams her oldest son deals with.
In Whitehall, Dublin, Lynda Coogan witnessed the toll immense schoolwork was exerting on her son, a second-year student. He often felt overwhelmed and exhausted, especially when their homework involved topics they had not yet explored in class. Cases like these happen every day in different parts of the country, with stress becoming a familiar evening ritual. These instances alarm certain parents, leading them to question the effectiveness of homework, viewing its negative impacts outweighing potential benefits.
On the other hand, others steadfastly believe that homework is a crucial tool bridging the gap between homes and schools, supporting quality evaluation and feedback. It offers students a chance to polish their skills at a pace comfortable to them, thereby enhancing what they learn at school.
Despite opposing standpoints, homework remains an inadequately researched area in Ireland, until now. The focus shifted when scholars from Maynooth University opted to investigate the influence of homework on students’ performance in mathematics and science.
They embarked on this endeavour by analysing the homework habits of over 4,000 fourteen-year-old students in the country participating in a global study of mathematics and science performance known as Timss (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study). Unveiled on Thursday, the results are unequivocal: homework, even short-term tasks that last up to 15 minutes, positively contributes to students’ performance.
According to a study, the frequency of assigned homework holds more significance over its length. For instance, daily homework has proved to be most beneficial for boosting maths skills, whereas the performance in science is noticeably improved when homework is given three to four times a week. The study also contradicts previous research, claiming that students from different socioeconomic backgrounds alike are benefitted by consistent homework, promoting equal benefits throughout diverse student groups.
Nathan McJames, the primary author of the study, endorses the idea that regular, bite-sized homework significantly uplifts student performance. He also suggests that setting shorter tasks not only enables students to balance their studies with other extracurricular activities but also emerges as a disappointment for those aiming to abolish homework.
Interestingly, Professor Andrew Parnell, a member of the research team and a personal disbeliever of the homework concept, confessed his disappointment as he had expected the study to prove otherwise. Nonetheless, he acknowledged the fact that though small, homework does provide some benefits.
One of the key observations from the study mentioned by Parnell was how students spending one and a half hours on maths homework daily didn’t show significantly better results than those who invested just 15 minutes. Parnell, however, cautioned that this ‘small yet consistent’ advantage mainly holds for second-year post-primary students, and other strategies may be more suited to other age groups.
O’Loughlin, a secondary schoolteacher in home economics and a mother of three, supported the findings. She observed a shift away from lengthy assignments towards short-duration homework, asserting that the latter is not only more effective but also more engaging for students. She also mentioned the transition from traditional exam-style questions and rote-learning to a greater emphasis on in-depth understanding and skills such as teamwork and collaboration, thanks to recent educational reforms.
“My year three students have embarked on an interior design project which they will present orally,” she discloses. “The presentation will comprise the narrative behind the entire project.
Previously, they would have offered written responses and wouldn’t have had the opportunity to share their work with their classmates. Additionally, there will be a session for queries amongst peers followed by ratings and feedback, which is excellent. This exercise has boosted their confidence tremendously,” she states.
Nevertheless, she admits that many teachers still adhere to orthodox teaching methods focusing on preparing students to ace exams.
She elucidates that Junior Cycle is certainly not about that. It’s supposed to be more task-oriented, project-based and centered on honing skills, as it allows students to breathe by reducing unnecessary pressure.
Progressive modifications have been initiated in the early years of secondary school. However, the senior cycle persists as a separate entity with massive demand to balance homework and revisions in the backdrop of the struggle for CAO points for university admissions.
“Until universities opt for a distinct application process, we would have to contend with the current system,” she says. “The ultimate goal is what really matters – it needs to be systematically achieved.”
Coogan, on the other hand, interrogates the merit of homework. Though she concedes that minor assignments have their place, the workload can accumulate to a challenging 90 minutes per night, or sometimes even more, as observed in the case of her second-year son.
She is amenable to additional tasks that align with what is being taught in class, such as algebra but doesn’t advocate for additional work. Her son already feels the strain to finish his work while trying to keep the teachers satisfied, and even contemplates hiring tutors in his second year to maintain his lead.
Karen O’Shea perceives merit in quality homework tasks that reinforce the concepts learned in school, for her boys. “Homework should essentially echo the lessons from school,” she says. “However, I don’t view homework as a stand-in for new learnings or as an attempt to wrap up the curriculum … We just can’t substitute a teacher at home. Whilst students may have endless queries, parents can’t always attend to them. Life is too fast-paced for everyone.”