usefulness of homework in primary education

Browse Econ Literature

• Working papers
• Software components
• Book chapters
• JEL classification

More features

• Subscribe to new research

RePEc Biblio

Author registration.

• Economics Virtual Seminar Calendar NEW!

Quantitative Study on the Usefulness of Homework in Primary Education

In: new approaches in social and humanistic sciences.

• Author & abstract
• Related works & more

Corrections

(PhD. associate professor, Babes Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania, Mihail Kogălniceanu 1 Street, Cluj-Napoca 400084, Tel: 0040744790372)

(PhD. student, Babes Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania, Mihail Kogălniceanu 1 Street, Cluj-Napoca 400084, Tel: 0040745898083)

Suggested Citation

Download full text from publisher.

Follow serials, authors, keywords & more

Public profiles for Economics researchers

Various research rankings in Economics

RePEc Genealogy

Who was a student of whom, using RePEc

Curated articles & papers on economics topics

Upload your paper to be listed on RePEc and IDEAS

New papers by email

Subscribe to new additions to RePEc

EconAcademics

Blog aggregator for economics research

Cases of plagiarism in Economics

About RePEc

Initiative for open bibliographies in Economics

News about RePEc

Questions about IDEAS and RePEc

RePEc volunteers

Participating archives

Publishers indexing in RePEc

Privacy statement

Found an error or omission?

Opportunities to help RePEc

Get papers listed

Have your research listed on RePEc

Open a RePEc archive

Have your institution's/publisher's output listed on RePEc

Get RePEc data

Use data assembled by RePEc

How Beneficial Is Homework for Students in Primary School?

Do Primary School Students Need to Do Homework?

• First Online: 12 October 2016

Cite this chapter

• Natalie Dobell 4  

3449 Accesses

As I grew up I developed a positive view on the value of homework, thanks to regular support from my nanna, a retired primary school teacher, and from having cystic fibrosis, which made homework vital for me when I had to spend time in hospital. While I hated the homework, the transition back to class would have been difficult without it, and I am grateful that the teachers put in extra effort to keep me from falling behind. In my current practicum I had thus thought that homework would be beneficial, as a majority of this class were below average in reading and spelling. However, while my mentor teacher sometimes tried to assign homework, it was always completed by just the same few students and never by the others. When I investigated the issue further by asking many teachers about it, the majority thought that homework benefitted students’ reading, some stating that homework worksheets were particularly useful for upper primary students. Even so, from my practicum experiences, reading many articles, and discussions with teachers, parents and students, I have come to the conclusion that homework is not beneficial for all primary school students. There are many factors to consider, such as the socioeconomic levels of the class, the students’ academic abilities, and whether the students will require assistance and if that is available to them.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info
• Durable hardcover edition

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Baker, F. (n.d.). The great homework debate. http://www.kidspot.com.au/school/primary/homework/the-great-homework-debate . Accessed 29 Jan 2016.

MacGibbon, A. (2009, September 21). Life after school: All homework, no play. The Sydney Morning Hearald . http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life/life-after-school-all-homework-no-play-20090920-fwt2.html . Accessed 29 Jan 2016.

OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). (2009). Education at a glance 2009: OECD indicators . http://www.oecd.org/edu/skills-beyond-school/educationataglance2009oecdindicators.htm . Accessed 29 Jan 2016.

Paton, G. (2014, October 5). Homework ‘damages’ primary age pupils. The Telegraph . http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11140668/Homework-damagesprimary-age-pupils.html . Accessed 29 Jan 2016.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia

Natalie Dobell

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Natalie Dobell .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

School of Education, Charles Darwin University School of Education, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

Gretchen Geng

Pamela Smith

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this chapter

Dobell, N. (2017). How Beneficial Is Homework for Students in Primary School?. In: Geng, G., Smith, P., Black, P. (eds) The Challenge of Teaching. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2571-6_32

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2571-6_32

Published : 12 October 2016

Publisher Name : Springer, Singapore

Print ISBN : 978-981-10-2569-3

Online ISBN : 978-981-10-2571-6

eBook Packages : Education Education (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

Primary school children get little academic benefit from homework

Lecturer and Researcher in Education, University of Hull

Disclosure statement

Paul Hopkins is a member of the Labour Party

University of Hull provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

View all partners

Homework: a word that can cause despair not just in children, but also in parents and even teachers. And for primary school children at least, it may be that schools setting homework is more trouble than it’s worth.

There is evidence that homework can be useful at secondary school . It can be used to consolidate material learnt in class or to prepare for exams.

However, it is less clear that homework is useful for children at primary school (ages 5 to 11) or in early years education (ages 3 to 5).

What is homework for?

There are no current guidelines on how much homework primary school children in England should be set. In 2018 then education secretary Damien Hinds stated that “We trust individual school head teachers to decide what their policy on homework will be, and what happens if pupils don’t do what’s set”.

While there is not much data available on how much homework primary school pupils do, a 2018 survey of around 1,000 parents found that primary pupils were spending an average of 2.2 hours per week on homework.

The homework done by primary school children can include reading, practising spellings, or revising for tests. Charity the Education Endowment Foundation suggests that the uses for homework at primary school include reinforcing the skills that pupils learn in school, helping them get ready for tests and preparing them for future school lessons.

Homework can also act as a point of communication between home and school, helping parents feel part of their child’s schooling.

However, the 2018 Ofsted Parents’ Panel – which surveyed the views of around 1,000 parents in England on educational issues – found that 36% of parents thought that homework was not helpful at all to their primary school children. The panel report found that, for many parents, homework was a significant source of stress and negatively affected family life.

Little academic benefit

Not much academic research has been carried out on the impact of homework for children in primary school. The available meta-studies – research that combines and analyses the findings of a number of studies – suggest that homework has little or no positive benefit for the academic achievement of children of primary school age . A central reason for this seems to be the inability of children to complete this homework without the support provided by teachers and the school.

Some research has suggested that primary pupils lack the independent study skills to do homework, and that they are not able to stay focused on the work.

What’s more, homework may actually have a negative effect if parents set unrealistic expectations, apply pressure or use methods that go counter to those used at school.

Homework may also increase inequalities between pupils. High achievers from economically privileged backgrounds may have greater parental support for homework, including more educated assistance, higher expectations and better settings and resources.

However, it is possible that setting homework for primary school children has benefits that cannot be easily measured, such as developing responsibility and independent problem-solving skills. It could also help children develop habits that will be useful in later school life.

A common task set for homework in primary schools is for children to read with their parents. There is some evidence that this has a positive impact as well as providing enjoyment, but the quality of interaction may be more important than the quantity.

If the purpose of homework is to develop the relationship between home and school and give parents more stake in the schooling of their children then this may well be a positive thing. If this is its purpose, though, it should not be used as a means to improve test scores or school performance metrics. For the youngest children, anything that takes time away from developmental play is a bad thing.

Rather, any homework should develop confidence and engagement in the process of schooling for both children and parents.

• Primary school

Assistant Editor - 1 year cadetship

Program Development Officer - Business Processes

Executive Dean, Faculty of Health

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, Earth System Science (School of Science)

Sydney Horizon Educators (Identified)

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

Quantitative Study on the Usefulness of Homework in Primary EducatioN

2018, LUMEN Proceedings

Related Papers

Vahit Ağa Yıldız

The study aimed to scrutinize the viewpoints of primary school teachers, students, and parents about homework in various parameters such as types, frequency, subject and functions of homework. In the study, the case study design based on the qualitative research method, was utilized. The participants comprised 32 teachers, 36 fourth-grade students and 28 parents from different primary schools in Erzurum, in the east of Turkey. The data were collected via semi-structured interview forms, and were processed using the content analysis method. The findings of the study released that although all participant students, most teachers and parents said homework increased the academic success, a closer look in to their responses to different interview questions illustrated that all of the participant groups also had some negative opinions about the homework in primary schools. The students reported that the most homework covered problem-solving tasks, and the least was practice with musical i...

Journal of education and training studies

sevil filiz

Thoidis, I. & Chaniotakis, N. (2010). Homework in Elementary School: Prac-tices and Perceptions of Teachers and Students. Proceedings of ICERI 2010 Conference. 15th-17th November 2010, Madrid, Spain (3677-368

NIKOS CHANIOTAKIS

By reviewing the literature about homework we come to realize that homework is very often the epicentre of interest in education science and educational policy, while also drawing attention of the mass media. This situation has led to the division of two “camps”: on the one side are those who believe in the value and importance of homework, while on the other, there are those who reject homework and propose its integration in everyday schoolwork. In this study we investigated the conditions under which elementary school teachers assign and appraise the homework of their students. We also tried to find the reasons and the consequences that (could) explain and influ-ence the attitude and practices of teachers and students in this field. Moving in this direction we used on the one side, the method of observation in the school classroom and on the other side we used the method of interviewing the pupils and handing out questionnaires to teachers, so that we could form a more complete picture. The obser-vation was conducted in 52 classrooms of elementary schools in Greece (in a total of 104 teaching hours) and the interviews took place with 260 pupils, while the ques-tionnaires were answered by all of the teachers of these classrooms. We conclude that the practices of teachers concerning homework are not in accordance with the modern pedagogic opinion and are rather moved in accordance to a traditional picture. The findings of this study do not differ a lot from other research on an international level and the problems seem common.

Volume V Issue I

Dr. Anila Fatima Shakil

Homework is the means by which the relationship between home and school is demonstrated and developed, leading to more consistent progress in all aspects of school life. The current research was carried out in Gilgit Baltistan to find out the impact of homework on the academic performance of students at secondary level. The research was observed by teachers of Gilgit Baltistan public schools while 100 teachers were chosen by a random sampling technique as a sample. Questionnaires were as a research instrument. The study found that homework impacts learning for learners, its impact differs with the age of students, and it plays an important role in student achievement. The study proposed that homework should be purposeful, i.e. it should include the introduction of new content, the practise of skills, the creation of any data and the ability for students to explore topics of their own interest.

Education Sciences

Iasmina Negru

Teachers and educational researchers explore various approaches to make homework more engaging and enjoyable, intending to improve the well-being and academic performance of primary school students. The study aimed to identify practices with positive and negative effects on students’ well-being when doing homework. The views of those involved in giving, doing, and assessing homework were captured from three perspectives, namely, teachers, students, and parents. In May–June 2022, six online focus groups were conducted with the participation of 13 teachers, 11 parents, and 16 primary school students from a Romanian school. The thematic analysis identified the homework that the children (do not) like; their reactions when they receive, do, and are assessed for such homework; and suggestions on how to improve the homework. The results revealed that homework assignments that make young schoolchildren feel capable, effective, appreciated, and rewarded; homework done in teams in the form o...

Social Psychology of Education

Jim LIndsay

Four explanations were tested for why the correlation between homework and achievement is weaker in elementary school than secondary school. Eighty-two teachers answered questions about their homework practices, and their responses were related to their students' achievement test scores. No evidence was found to suggest the weaker correlation in elementary school associated with a restricted variation in amounts of homework in early grades nor that teachers assigned more homework to poor-performing classes. Evidence did suggest that teachers in early grades assigned homework more often to develop young students' management of time, a skill rarely measured on standardized achievement tests. Also consistent with this hypothesis, elementary school teachers were more likely to use homework to review class material and to go over homework in class, while secondary school teachers more often used homework to prepare for and enrich class lessons. Finally, there was weak evidence ...

Adem Turanlı

British Educational Research Journal

Peter Tymms

International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation

Lamyae Amchich

This study replicates Matei and Ciasca’s (2015) article about teachers’ perceptions concerning assignments. The purpose of this study is to examine the similarities and differences between the opinions of Math and Romanian primary teachers and primary English teachers, and the main aim of this study is to determine if teachers in this study would focus solely on the efficacy of homework and neglect its negative side as did the teachers in the original study. The data were collected using the original study questionnaire with some slight adaptations. The participants were 71 primary English teachers in Turkey. After the data was collected and analyzed, the results indicated a significant number of similarities between the teachers’ opinions. It was revealed that most teachers have positive perceptions about homework, but compared to the original study, the opinions about homework efficacy and students’ achievement varied and were different. Teachers in the present study have shown so...

Ellián Tuero

The goal of this research was to study the weight of student variables related to homework (intrinsic homework motivation, perceived homework instrumentality, homework attitude, time spent on homework, and homework time management) and context (teacher feedback on homework and parental homework support) in the prediction of approaches to homework. 535 students of the last three courses of primary education participated in the study. Data were analyzed with hierarchical regression models and path analysis. The results obtained suggest that students’ homework engagement (high or low) is related to students´ level of intrinsic motivation and positive attitude towards homework. Furthermore, it was also observed that students who manage their homework time well (and not necessarily those who spend more time) are more likely to show the deepest approach to homework. Parental support and teacher feedback on homework affect student homework engagement through their effect on the...

RELATED PAPERS

Jurnal Sains Riset

Djoko Subagyo

Astronomy and …

Swadesh Mahajan

Chizimuzo Okoli

Physical Review B

Peter Wochner

Journal of Biological Chemistry

Patricia M.-j. Lievens

Journal of Immunology

Iman Motlagh Arani

Brachytherapy

Juanita Crook

Proceedings of the 4th Annual International Seminar on Transformative Education and Educational Leadership (AISTEEL 2019)

Mufti Sudibyo

International journal of physical education, sports and health

muslimin muslimin

Retrovirology

Benoît Kabamba

Population and Development Review

Yves Charbit

International journal of health sciences

yuniar soeli

Jurnal Kimia dan Kemasan

kendri wahyuningsih

Hue University Journal of Science: Economics and Development

Revista Colombiana de Educación

Aydee Luisa Robayo

LICERE - Revista do Programa de Pós-graduação Interdisciplinar em Estudos do Lazer

Sílvia Amaral

Praxis & Saber

Vanessa Solano

Footy Almanac

philip Mendes

Michele Petrone

International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics

Land Use Policy

Frank Lorne

Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas

Behzad Aminzadeh

Annals of Anthropological Practice

SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine

Amit Salaria

RELATED TOPICS

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

Quick links

Our courses

Sorry, we couldn't find any courses that match your search. Try searching for something else.

Our research

Search our website

Popular searches

Your search term has returned 0 results

NEWS • 13 May 2022

Primary school children get little academic benefit from homework

Paul Hopkins , Lecturer and Researcher in Education, on the usefulness of homework for primary school pupils.

Homework: a word that can cause despair not just in children, but also in parents and even teachers. And for primary school children at least, it may be that schools setting homework is more trouble than it’s worth.

There is evidence that homework can be useful at secondary school. It can be used to consolidate material learnt in class or to prepare for exams.

However, it is less clear that homework is useful for children at primary school (ages 5 to 11) or in early years education (ages 3 to 5).

What is homework for?

There are no current guidelines on how much homework primary school children in England should be set. In 2018 then education secretary Damien Hinds stated that “We trust individual school head teachers to decide what their policy on homework will be, and what happens if pupils don’t do what’s set”.

While there is not much data available on how much homework primary school pupils do, a 2018 survey of around 1,000 parents found that primary pupils were spending an average of 2.2 hours per week on homework.

The homework done by primary school children can include reading, practising spellings, or revising for tests. Charity the Education Endowment Foundation suggests that the uses for homework at primary school include reinforcing the skills that pupils learn in school, helping them get ready for tests and preparing them for future school lessons.

Homework can also act as a point of communication between home and school, helping parents feel part of their child’s schooling.

However, the 2018 Ofsted Parents’ Panel – which surveyed the views of around 1,000 parents in England on educational issues – found that 36% of parents thought that homework was not helpful at all to their primary school children. The panel report found that, for many parents, homework was a significant source of stress and negatively affected family life.

Little academic benefit

Not much academic research has been carried out on the impact of homework for children in primary school. The available meta-studies – research that combines and analyses the findings of a number of studies – suggest that homework has little or no positive benefit for the academic achievement of children of primary school age. A central reason for this seems to be the inability of children to complete this homework without the support provided by teachers and the school.

Some research has suggested that primary pupils lack the independent study skills to do homework, and that they are not able to stay focused on the work.

What’s more, homework may actually have a negative effect if parents set unrealistic expectations, apply pressure or use methods that go counter to those used at school.

Homework may also increase inequalities between pupils. High achievers from economically privileged backgrounds may have greater parental support for homework, including more educated assistance, higher expectations and better settings and resources.

However, it is possible that setting homework for primary school children has benefits that cannot be easily measured, such as developing responsibility and independent problem-solving skills. It could also help children develop habits that will be useful in later school life.

A common task set for homework in primary schools is for children to read with their parents. There is some evidence that this has a positive impact as well as providing enjoyment, but the quality of interaction may be more important than the quantity.

If the purpose of homework is to develop the relationship between home and school and give parents more stake in the schooling of their children then this may well be a positive thing. If this is its purpose, though, it should not be used as a means to improve test scores or school performance metrics. For the youngest children, anything that takes time away from developmental play is a bad thing.

Rather, any homework should develop confidence and engagement in the process of schooling for both children and parents.

Last updated

Browser does not support script.

Headteacher-Trusted Tutoring

"This is one of the most effective interventions I have come across in my 27 years of teaching."

Free CPD and leadership support

All the latest guides, articles and news to help primary, secondary and trust leaders support your staff and pupils

The Great British Homework Debate 2024 – Is It Necessary At Primary School?

Alexander Athienitis

The homework debate is never much out of the news. Should homework be banned? Is homework at primary school a waste of time? Do our children get too much homework?

Not long ago, UK-based US comedian Rob Delaney set the world alight with a tweet giving his own personal view of homework at primary school. We thought, as an organisation that provides maths homework support on a weekly basis, it was time to look at the facts around the homework debate in primary schools as well as, of course, reflecting the views of celebrities and those perhaps more qualified to offer an opinion!

Here’s how Rob Delaney kicked things off

Gary Lineker leant his support with the following soundbite:

And even Piers Morgan weighed in, with his usual balance of tact and sensitivity:

A very experienced and knowledgeable Headteacher, Simon Smith, who has a well-earned following on Twitter (for someone working in education, not hosting Match of the Day) also put his neck on the line and, some might think controversially, agreed with the golden-heeled Crisp King of Leicester…

Fortunately Katharine Birbalsingh, Conservative Party Conference keynote speaker and Founding Headteacher of the Michaela School, was on hand to provide the alternative view on the importance of homework. Her op-ed piece in the Sun gave plenty of reasons why homework should not be banned.

She was informative and firm in her article stating: “Homework is essential for a child’s education because revisiting the day’s learning is what helps to make it stick.”

KS2 Maths Games and Activities Pack

A FREE downloadable games and activity pack, including 20 home learning maths activities for KS2 children to complete on their own or with a partner.

How much homework do UK primary school children get?

Sadly, there’s little data comparing how much homework primary school-aged children in the UK and across the globe complete on a weekly basis. A study of teenagers used by The Telegraph shows that American high-schoolers spend an average of 6.1 hours per week compared with 4.9 hours per week of homework each week for UK-based teens.

Up until 2012, the Department of Education recommended an hour of homework a week for primary school Key Stage 1 children (aged 4 to 7) and half an hour a day for primary school Key Stage 2 children (aged 7-11). Many primary schools still use this as a guideline.

Teachers, parents and children in many schools across the land have seen more changes of homework policy than numbers of terms in some school years.

A ‘no-homework’ policy pleases only a few; a grid of creative tasks crowd-sourced from the three teachers bothered to give their input infuriates many (parents, teachers and children alike). For some parents, no matter how much homework is set, it’s never enough; for others, even asking them to fill in their child’s reading record once a week can be a struggle due to a busy working life.

Homework is very different around the world

We’d suggest that Piers Morgan’s argument for homework in comparing the UK’s economic and social progress with China’s in recent years based on total weekly homework hours is somewhat misguided – we can’t put their emergence as the world’s (if not already, soon to be) leading superpower exclusively down to having their young people endure almost triple the number of hours spent completing homework as their Western counterparts.

Nonetheless, there’s certainly a finer balance to strike between the 14 hours a week suffered by Shanghainese school-attendees and none whatsoever. Certainly parents in the UK spend less time each week helping their children than parents in emerging economies such as India, Vietnam and Colombia (Source: Varkey Foundation Report).

Disadvantages of homework at primary school

Delaney, whose son attends a London state primary school, has made it plain that he thinks his kids get given too much homework and he’d rather have them following more active or creative pursuits: drawing or playing football. A father of four sons and a retired professional footballer Gary Linaker was quick to defend this but he also has the resources to send his children to top boarding schools which generally provide very structured homework or ‘prep’ routines.

As parents Rob and Gary are not alone. According to the 2018 Ofsted annual report on Parents Views  more than a third of parents do not think homework in primary school is helpful to their children. They cite the battles and arguments it causes not to mention the specific challenges it presents to families with SEND children many of whom report serious damage to health and self-esteem as a result of too much or inappropriate homework.

It’s a truism among teachers that some types of homework tells you very little about what the child can achieve and much more about a parent’s own approach to the work. How low does your heart sink when your child comes back with a D & T project to create Stonehenge and you realise it’s either an all-nighter with glue, cardboard and crayons for you, or an uncompleted homework project for your child!

Speaking with our teacher hats on, we can tell you that homework is often cited in academic studies looking at academic progress in primary school-aged children as showing minimal to no impact.

Back on Twitter, a fellow teacher was able to weigh-in with that point:

Benefits of homework at primary school

So what are the benefits of homework at primary school? According to the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) (the key research organisations dedicated to breaking the link between family income and educational achievement) the impact of homework at primary is low, but it also doesn’t cost much.

They put it at a “+2 months” impact against a control of doing nothing. To put this into context, 1-to-1 tuition is generally seen as a +5 months impact but it’s usually considered to be expensive.

“There is some evidence that when homework is used as a short and focused intervention it can be effective in improving students’ attainment … overall the general benefits are likely to be modest if homework is more routinely set.”

Key to the benefit you’ll see from homework is that the task is appropriate and of good quality. The quantity of homework a pupil does is not so important. In this matter Katharine Birbalsingh is on the money. Short focused tasks which relate directly to what is being taught, and which are built upon in school, are likely to be more effective than regular daily homework.

In our view it’s about consolidation. So focusing on a few times tables that you find tricky or working through questions similar to what you’ve done in class that day or week often can be beneficial. 2 hours of worksheets on a Saturday when your child could be outside having fun and making friends probably isn’t. If you really want them to be doing maths, then do some outdoor maths with them instead of homework !

At Third Space Learning we believe it’s all about balance. Give the right sort of homework and the right amount at primary school and there will be improvements, but much of it comes down to parental engagement.

One of our favourite ways to practise maths at home without it become too onerous is by using educational games. Here are our favourite fun maths games , some brilliant KS2 maths games , KS1 maths games and KS3 maths games for all maths topics and then a set of 35 times tables games which are ideal for interspersing with your regular times tables practice. And best of all, most of them require no more equipment than a pen and paper or perhaps a pack of cards.

Homework and parents

One of the key benefits cited by EEF is in regard to parental engagement. Time after time, the greatest differentiator between children who make great progress at school – and those, frankly – who don’t is due to the same factor in the same studies: parental engagement .

It is a fair assumption that if a parent is engaged in their child’s learning, they’re probably going to be the same parents who encourage and support their child when they’re completing their homework.

Whereas parents who are disengaged with their child’s school and schooling – for whatever reason (sorry, Piers, it’s rarely due to laziness), are highly unlikely to be aware of what homework gets set each week, let alone to be mucking in with making sure it gets handed in completed and on time.

We also encounter time and again, the issue of parents’ own lack of confidence in maths. A survey by Pearson found that:

• 30 percent of parents “don’t feel confident enough in their own maths skills to help their children with their primary school maths homework”
• 53 per cent insisted they struggled to understand the new maths teaching methods used in modern classrooms. Fortunately that’s what we’re here to address.

Setting the right homework at primary school can be tricky

Although we disagree with Piers, we can see what he may be driving at in terms of setting appropriate homework.

The question quickly becomes what would Piers think of as being ‘interesting’ homework, and if all four of his children would agree upon the same thing being ‘interesting’.

That’s the problem.

One would imagine Piers would find it hard enough finding one task to satisfy the interest of all of his four children – it’s almost impossible to find a task that will engage the interest of 30 or more children in their out of school hours.

Each with different emotional, behavioural and learning needs, then sprinkle in the varying levels of poverty each family suffers (be it financial or in terms of time), and you can see how it isn’t just about being a good or bad teacher – whatever that means – in regards to being able to set Morgan-approved homework tasks.

What does this mean for my child?

Ultimately, the question at the top of mind whenever a parent thinks about homework is a more general one – am I doing the best for my child?

Although the world is changing at a faster pace than ever before in human history, what’s best for children hasn’t changed that much (if at all).

One-to-one support is best, and young people benefit most from adult-child conversations where they acquire new vocabulary and language structures to form and share their thoughts and opinions.

These insights – that one-to-one support is best and that regular, structured adult-child conversations are life-changing within a child’s development – are what inspired us to create Third Space Learning.

A platform where children can engage with a community of specialist tutors in a safe, structured learning environment where they are able to engage in one-to-one conversations that enable them to progress in their learning with confidence.

• How to help your child with their maths homework – A parents guide
• The Best Homework Hacks: 18 Tips And Tricks To Help Busy Parents Get It Done Faster!
• The 20 Most Recommended Teaching Blogs for UK Teachers and School Leaders

DO YOU HAVE STUDENTS WHO NEED MORE SUPPORT IN MATHS?

Every week Third Space Learning’s maths specialist tutors support thousands of students across hundreds of schools with weekly one to one tuition designed to plug gaps and boost progress.

Since 2013 these personalised one to one lessons have helped over 150,000 primary and secondary students become more confident, able mathematicians.

Learn about our experience with schools or request a personalised quote for your school to speak to us about your school’s needs and how we can help.

Related articles

Teacher Workload Reduction: 7 Strategies School Leaders Can Implement Today

Has Teaching Post-Covid Lockdown Felt Different? You Are Not Alone

Making The Transition From Primary To Secondary School During Lockdown

SLT School Leadership Toolkit for Headteachers and Subject Leaders

The Ultimate Guide to Effective Maths Interventions [FREE]

Find out how to plan, manage, and teach one to one (and small group) maths interventions in primary and secondary schools.

Includes a 20 point checklist of techniques to improve your one to one teaching.

Privacy Overview

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Don't Miss a Post! Subscribe

• Guest Posts

• Educational AI
• Edtech Tools
• Edtech Apps
• Teacher Resources
• Special Education
• Edtech for Kids
• Buying Guides for Teachers

Educators Technology

Innovative EdTech for teachers, educators, parents, and students

Is Homework Bad? Here Is What Research Says

By Med Kharbach, PhD | Last Update: April 30, 2024

Homework is a controversial topic and the object of differing opinions among teachers, parents, and educators . While some highly value it considering it key in scholarly achievement and academic performance, others view it as a nuisance to students’ independence and a cause for unwarranted emotional and physical stress for kids. 

The controversy surrounding homework does not only revolve around its value, but also around questions such as: How much homework is enough homework? How much time should be allotted to homework? How frequent should homework be assigned? Does help from others (e.g., parents or other students) undermine the value of homework? Should homework be banned? Should kids be assigned homework? and many more.

However, as the research cited in this article demonstrates, homework, controversial as it is, has some benefits for students although these benefits differ according to various factors including students age, skill and grade level, students socio-economic status, purpose behind homework, duration of the homework, among other considerations. In this article, I cover some of the key issues related to homework and provide research resources to help teachers and parents learn more about homework.

What Does Homework Mean? 

According to Cooper (1989), homework is defined as “tasks assigned to students by school teachers that are meant to be carried out during non-school hours”. Cooper’s definition is similar to the one found in Cambridge Dictionary which defines homework as “work that teachers give their students to do at home” or as “studying that students do at home to prepare for school”.

There is way more to homework than what these general definitions outline. Homework assignments are not equal and there are various variables that can affect the value and effectiveness of homework.

Some of these variables, according to Blazer (2009) , include difficulty level of assigned tasks, skill and subject areas covered, completion timeframe (short or long term), degree of autonomy and individualization, social context (done independently or with the help of others), obligatory or voluntary, whether it will be submitted for grading or not, among other variables.

Is Homework Bad?

Going through the scholarly literature and regardless of the disagreement and controversies the topic of homework raises, there is a growing consensus that homework has some benefits , especially for students in middle and high school ( National Education Association ).

One of the most comprehensive research studies on homework is a meta-analysis done by professor Harris Cooper and his colleagues (2006) and published in the journal Review of Educational Research .

In this study, Cooper et al analyzed a large pool of research studies on homework conducted in the United States between between 1987 and 2003. Their findings indicate the existence of ‘a positive influence of homework on achievement’.

The influence is mainly noticed in students in grades 7-12 and less in students grades K-6. However, even though kids benefit less from homework, Cooper et al. confirm the importance of some form of homework for students of all ages.

What Is The Purpose of Homework? 

There are several reasons for assigning homework. Some of these reasons according to Blazer include:

– Review and reinforce materials learned in class – Check students understanding and assess their skills and knowledge – Enhance students study skills – Provide students with learning opportunities where they can use their newly acquired skills to explore new insights. – Enable students to hone in their search skills and apply them to find resources on an assigned topic – Help students develop social emotional learning skills – Enable students to develop functional study habits and life skills. These include time management and organization skills, problem solving skills, self-discipline, accountability, self-confidence, communication skills, critical thinking skills, inquisitiveness, among others.

Drawbacks of Homework  

Critics of homework argue that it has less value and can result in negative consequences. In her literature review, Blazer (2009) summarized some of these drawbacks in the following points:

– Homework can cause emotional and physical fatigue – Homework takes away from kids’ leisure time and interferes with their natural development. – Homework can drive students to develop negative attitudes towards school and learning. – Assigned homework prevents students from engaging in self-directed and independent learning. – Homework can interfere with students’ engagement in social activities including sports and community involvement. – Excessive homework can create tension and stress and lead to friction between parents and kids. – Homework may encourage a culture of cheating – Homework “can widen social inequalities. Compared to their higher income peers, students from lower income homes are more likely to work after school and less likely to have an environment conducive to studying”.

How Much Homework Should Students Have? 

According to Fernández-Alonso, Suárez-Álvarez and Muñiz ( 2015 ), spending 60 minutes per day doing homework is considered a reasonably effective time. However, the study also added that the amount of help and effort needed to do homework is key in this equation because “when it comes to homework”, as the authors concluded, “how is more important than how much”. 

This conclusion is congruent with several other studies (e.g., Farrow et al. (1999), that emphasize the idea that when doing homework, quality is more important than quantity. When the variables of time and effort are taken into account, the question of how much homework should students have becomes statistically irrelevant.

Catty Vatterott, author of Rethinking Homework: Best Practices that Support Diverse Needs , also advocates for quality over quantity when assigning homework tasks.She argues that instead of banning homework altogether, we can embrace a more open approach to homework; one that deemphasizes grading and differentiates tasks.

Along similar lines, studies have also confirmed the correlation between autonomy and positive performance. Autonomous students, that is those who can do homework on their own, are more likely to perform better academically (Fernández-Alonso, 2015; Dettmers et al.,2010, 2011; Trautwein & Lüdtke, 2007, (Xu, 2010a). Findings from these studies indicate that “students who need frequent or constant help with homework have worse academic results.” (Fernández-Alonso, 2015)

Besides the 60 minutes per day recommendation for older students, there is also the 10 minutes rule which, according to Harris Cooper , works by multiplying a kid’s grade by 10 to determine how much time they need for homework per day.

According to the 10 minute rule, first graders require 10 minutes per day of homework, second graders 20 minutes, and for each subsequent year you add another 10 minutes so that at the last year of high school, grade 12 students will have 2 hours of daily homework. As Cooper argues, “when you assign more than these levels, the law of diminishing returns or even negative effects – stress especially – begin to appear”.

The debate over homework is far from being settled and probably will never reach definitive conclusions. With that being said, l personally view homework as a heuristic for learning. It scaffolds classroom learning and helps students reinforce learned skills. For elementary students, homework should not be tied to any academic grades or achievement expectation.

In fact, kids’ homework assignments, if any, should align with the overall interests of kids in that it should support and include elements of play, fun, and exploration. Needless to mention that, once outside school, kids are to be given ample time to play, explore, and learn by doing.

As Cooper stated “A good way to think about homework is the way you think about medications or dietary supplements. 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.”

Research on Homework 

The topic of homework has been the subject of several academic research studies. The following is a sample of some of these research studies:

• Blazer, C. (2009). Literature review: Homework. Miami, FL: Miami Dade County Public Schools.
• Cooper, H. (1989). Synthesis of research on homework. Educational Leadership, 47, 85–91.
• Cooper, H., Robinson, J. C., & Patall, E. A. (2006). Does homework improve academic achievement? A synthesis of research, 1987–2003. Review of Educational Research, 76, 1– 62.
• Dettmers, S., Trautwein, U., Lüdtke, M., Kunter, M., & Baumert, J. (2010). Homework works if homework quality is high: Using multilevel modeling to predict the development of achievement in mathematics. Journal of Educational Psychology,
• Dettmers, S., Trautwein, U., & Lüdtke, O. (2009). The relationship between homework time and achievement is not universal: Evidence from multilevel analyses in 40 countries. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 20, 375– 405.
• Epstein, J. L., & van Voorhis, F. L. (2001). More than minutes: Teachers’ roles in designing homework. Educational Psychologist, 36, 181–193
• Farrow, S., Tymms, P., & Henderson, B. (1999). Homework and attainment in primary schools. British Educational Research Journal, 25, 323–341
• Goldstein, A. (1960). Does homework help? A review of research. The Elementary School Journal, 60, 212–224.
• Trautwein, U., & Köller, O. (2003). The relationship between homework and achievement: Still much of a mystery. Educational Psychology Review, 15, 115–145
• Warton, P. M. (2001). The forgotten voices in homework: Views of students. Educational Psychologist, 36, 155–165.
• Xu, J. (2013). Why do students have difficulties completing homework? The need for homework management. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 1, 98 –105.
• Zimmerman, B. J., & Kitsantas, A. (2005). Homework practices and academic achievement: The mediating role of self-efficacy and perceived responsibility beliefs. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 30, 397– 417.
• Kralovec, E., & Buell, J. (2001). End Homework Now. Educational Leadership, 58(7), 39-42.
• Krashen, S. (2005). The Hard Work Hypothesis: Is Doing Your Homework Enough to Overcome the Effects of Poverty? Multicultural Education, 12(4), 16-19.
• Lenard, W. (1997). The Homework Scam. Teacher Magazine, 9(1), 60-61.
• Marzano, R.J., & Pickering, D.J. (2007). The Case For and Against Homework. Educational Leadership, 64(6), 74-79.
• Skinner, D. (2004). The Homework Wars. Public Interest, 154, Winter, 49-60.
• Corno, L. (1996). Homework is a Complicated Thing. Educational Researcher, 25(8), 27-30.
• Forster, K. (2000). Homework: A Bridge Too Far? Issues in Educational Research, 10(1), 21-37.
• Hoover-Dempsey, K.V., Battiato, A.C., Walker, J.M., Reed, R.P., DeLong, J.M., & Jones, K.P. (2001). Parent Involvement in Homework. Educational Psychologist, 36(3), 195-209.

Books on Homework 

Here are some interesting books that profoundly explore the concept of homework:

1. The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing , by Kohn (2006)

• 2. Rethinking Homework: Best Practices that Support Diverse Needs , by Catty Vatterot
• 3. The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning , by Kralovec, E., & Buell, J. (2000)
• 4. The Case Against Homework: How Homework Is Hurting Children and What Parents Can Do About It , by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish

Join our mailing list

Never miss an EdTech beat! Subscribe now for exclusive insights and resources .

Meet Med Kharbach, PhD

Dr. Med Kharbach is an influential voice in the global educational technology landscape, with an extensive background in educational studies and a decade-long experience as a K-12 teacher. Holding a Ph.D. from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Canada, he brings a unique perspective to the educational world by integrating his profound academic knowledge with his hands-on teaching experience. Dr. Kharbach's academic pursuits encompass curriculum studies, discourse analysis, language learning/teaching, language and identity, emerging literacies, educational technology, and research methodologies. His work has been presented at numerous national and international conferences and published in various esteemed academic journals.

Join our email list for exclusive EdTech content.

More From Forbes

Rise of homeschooling is making a transformative impact on education.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

In recent years, homeschooling has experienced an unprecedented surge, largely driven by the pandemic-induced shift to the remote learning model. While the model worked well in some circumstances, it did face criticism and challenges.

One major challenge was that hands-on learning experiences, such as science experiments and art projects, became difficult to replicate in a virtual environment, impacting students' comprehension and engagement. The prolonged period of remote learning also took a toll on students' mental health, with increased stress, anxiety, and feelings of loneliness reported. Parents faced the additional burden of balancing their own work responsibilities with supervising their children's learning. Ultimately, these challenges served as a catalyst for some families to explore alternative education options.

In 2019, prior to remote learning, approximately 2.5 million students were homeschooled in the United States. This number has risen significantly, with estimates indicating that almost 4 million students are being homeschooled nationwide.

The homeschooling educational approach allows parents or guardians to educate their children at home rather than sending them to a traditional public or private school. Homeschooling families typically design their own curriculum or use pre-designed curricula tailored to their children's needs and interests. In many cases, homeschooling is a choice made by families seeking more flexibility, personalized instruction, or alignment with their values and beliefs about education.

Your Best Look Yet At The New iPhone 16

The richest person in every state 2024, trump media stock djt at risk of a new short selling plunge.

Surveys conducted by organizations such as the National Home Education Research Institute, which advocates for homeschooling families, shed light on the motivations driving this rise in homeschooling. Families cite concerns over the quality of education in traditional schools, dissatisfaction with the school environment, and a desire for customized learning experiences tailored to individual student needs.

A homeschooling father of two teen boys in Florida, shared his reasons for their family choosing the homeschool route. “My wife and I believe that the curriculum taught in public schools is outdated and fails to address the skills and knowledge necessary for success in the modern world,” said Simon, who declined to provide his last name to protect the privacy of his children. “By homeschooling, we can tailor our children's education to include subjects that we consider essential, such as artificial intelligence, travel, art, and other areas that are often overlooked in public schools. Additionally, we feel that requiring children to wake up at 6 a.m. to attend school is inhumane and can negatively impact their growth and health. By homeschooling, we can ensure that our children get the rest they need to thrive.”

These motivations are underscored by alarming data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, revealing that two-thirds of U.S. children struggle to read proficiently, with an astounding 40 percent essentially functioning as nonreaders.

Additionally, 2023 ACT data highlights a concerning lack of college preparedness among recent high school graduates, with only 1 in 5 students demonstrating that they are adequately equipped to succeed in introductory college courses. This data sometimes makes people question whether traditional schooling is the best approach when it comes to preparing children.

It’s not only education researchers who are paying attention. Alex Clark, a top pop-culture podcaster and commentator, recently dedicated an entire episode of The Spillover to homeschooling. Clark noted: “We have a reading crisis, a mental health crisis, less than half of public school kids are proficient in math. Long story short: the kids are not okay.” Clark observed that “while our public school kids seem to be falling through the cracks in America, homeschool kids seem to be soaring academically and socially.”

Clark’s guest on the podcast, Claire Denault , a homeschooling mom, shared her motivation for homeschooling her son. “I was homeschooled growing up and in my own journey, I discovered the importance of experiential learning and curiosity-driven exploration,” she said. “Now, I wish to cultivate a similar learning atmosphere for my son and encourage others to do the same along the way.”

Denault takes followers behind the scenes on her Live Leaf Learn Instagram account and advises: “There's no need to replicate the traditional school environment at home or adhere strictly to schedules. You can tailor homeschooling to fit your family's needs and time constraints. Generally, homeschoolers dedicate less time to formal studies compared to traditional school students, benefiting from more personalized tutoring and instruction.”

When choosing a homeschool curriculum, families often prioritize resources that resonate with their educational philosophy and values. One common misconception is that homeschooling materials are predominantly Christian-based. However, there is a wide array of secular curriculum options available for those seeking alternatives.

Websites like Homeschool Naturally offer extensive lists of secular homeschool curriculum resources, catering to families with diverse preferences. For those preferring flexibility and customization, platforms such as Time4Learning or Khan Academy provide online lessons and interactive activities.

“It is true that approximately 80% of homeschool families are Christian and cite religious beliefs as their primary reason for homeschooling,” Simon said. “We have discovered that the remaining 20% of homeschool families are not religious at all and have chosen to homeschool for the same reasons as us. Despite any differences in religious beliefs, the Christian families we have encountered have been nothing but welcoming and accepting of our family. As homeschoolers, we all understand that we are in this together, and our shared goal of prioritizing our children's well-being and education takes precedence over any differences in religious beliefs.”

Edtech platforms like Thinkwell support homeschooling families with curriculum, teaching, and flexible scheduling. Amy Bryant, cofounder of Thinkwell , emphasizes the platform's role in supporting students "in being the architects of their futures, carving out paths illuminated by their passions, curiosity, and the joyful pursuit of knowledge."

At Thinkwell, student success advisors offer personalized guidance to parents and students by crafting customized study schedules tailored to individual students. The Student Success Advisor assists families in navigating homeschooling effectively. Additionally, Thinkwell's instructors are committed to offering personalized assistance to homeschool students through Office Hours support.

To assess their homeschooling children's progress, parents use various methods, including portfolio reviews, state standardized testing, narrative evaluations, and project-based assessments. These multifaceted approaches offer comprehensive insights into a child's academic development, highlighting strengths, areas for improvement, and overall growth.

For parents who are concerned about lack of socialization, the growing homeschooling community can offer ample opportunities for socialization through co-op classes, community events, and extracurricular activities. Homeschooled children often develop strong social skills and meaningful relationships across diverse age groups.

When I asked Simon about this aspect of homeschooling, he added: “Our family is part of a local homeschool group that meets weekly at a nearby park. These meetups are focused entirely on play and socialization. In contrast to public schools, where children typically have only 10 to 15 minutes of free time and a 30-minute lunch break, our homeschool group meetups last four to five hours, allowing the children to engage in uninterrupted play. These gatherings have not only enabled our children to form friendships but have also provided an opportunity for us to connect with other parents who are on the same homeschooling journey, which has been incredibly valuable.”

Unveiling The Benefits Of Homeschooling

Homeschooling allows for a tailored educational approach, catering to the unique interests, strengths, and learning styles of each child. Cash Daniels, a 14-year-old from Chattanooga, Tennessee, loves being homeschooled because it gives him flexibility to focus on things he really wants to do. Daniels launched The CleanUp Kids , a kid-led conservation nonprofit, with the flexibility of homeschooling allowing him to manage his business and schoolwork. Daniels explained, “The personalized schedule gives me the ability to work on my business and give back to my community.”

Daniels has been able to speak to students in schools across his state because he’s not constrained by a traditional school schedule. “If I miss school on a weekday because of a trip or speaking engagement,” he says, “I can catch up at night or on the weekend.” He also spends several hours a week doing activities with other kids both homeschooled and traditionally schooled, “I’m booked with activities Monday-Thursday and swim on a swim team with 20+ homeschool kids. We have practice twice a week.”

Anvi Saxena, a teen entrepreneur from Dallas, got a taste of homeschooling during the pandemic. “At first, I struggled—learning geometry online is not for the weak — however, over time, I began to appreciate this new structure,” she says.

Since assignments were usually asynchronous, Saxena had access to them ahead of time. It became easy for her to prioritize what was due at the beginning of the week and then just attend any online sessions that were mandatory. This structure allowed her to complete most of her schoolwork by Monday or Tuesday.

She added: “If I was struggling in a particular subject (such as geometry) I would ask that specific teacher for extra practice. I really liked this set up as I only did extra practice/homework in the areas I needed it rather than all eight of my classes.”

This gave her time to pursue her passions. “In my eighth-grade year, which was online, I got my certification in Indian Classical dance and dove deeper into my love for dance. I even planned out all the logistics for my own dance business, which I started implementing the following summer,” Saxena explained.

Dance Corner is essentially a small dance studio at her house. She plans out various styles to teach, as well as a pricing model and marketing strategy. Saxena has around 20 students from her community and they perform at various community events. Running the business has taught her many things, she said, “ranging from filing taxes to managing people that may not always be the easiest to work with.”

She pointed out that the experience “made me realize the abundance of busywork that is assigned in traditional school settings.”

Saxena's parents eventually insisted she return to regular school. The adjustment wasn’t easy. It was a lot harder to find balance between extracurriculars and regular school work.

“I was so used to being on my own schedule that the almost eight-hour school days plus homework became challenging to manage,” she said. “By sophomore and junior year I have learned to be efficient in my working style to not only satisfy my school requirements but leave enough time for me to carry out my personal endeavors, such as my nonprofit, dance business, or dance team.”

There are some studies that point to academic advantages for homeschooled students. A nationwide study of U.S. students, published in 2004, showed that homeschooled students had higher SAT scores than their public-school peers. (It's worth noting that a portion of that advantage was due to differences in family demographics.) Another study, this time of Canadian students, published in 2011, showed that homeschooled children who had structured environments, such as formal lesson plans, scored higher on standardized tests than children in public schools. Homeschooled students often outperform peers at traditional schools on reading tests—a counter to the worrying trends of low literacy—but homeschooled students sometimes lag in math scores, making this an area where parents have to pay special attention.

While the students I interviewed underscored their academic achievements throughout their homeschooling experience, when we delve into broader research, making direct comparisons between homeschooled students and those in traditional schools is challenging, mostly due to demographic differences.

The Future Of Education

Due to dissatisfaction with the traditional school model, parents are choosing alternative education options such as homeschooling, charter schools, or online learning platforms to meet the specific needs and preferences of their children.

Some educators share this dissatisfaction and are leaving the traditional classroom and creating their own schools. Matt Beaudreau, former classroom teacher and now CEO of Apogee Schools , did just that. Beaudreau left the classroom because of what he calls the “public conveyor belt schooling system.” Started in 2022, Apogee Schools served as a homeschool program option for families, but will soon launch 50 physical campuses in 2024, bringing the total to 2,000 additional families participating in this new education model.

As homeschooling gains momentum, it underscores the evolving landscape of education and the increasing demand for alternative learning models. This is a shift toward educational diversity, where families have the autonomy to choose the educational path that best aligns with their values, goals, and aspirations.

Policymakers, educators, and stakeholders must acknowledge and accommodate the diverse needs of families to foster an inclusive educational ecosystem that supports homeschooling alongside traditional schooling options. By doing so, they can leverage the power of education diversity and cultivate a more dynamic and student-centered approach to learning.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

College of Biological Sciences

Joel ledford receives 2024 asucd excellence in teaching award.

Students recognize Ledford for positivity, ingenuity and compassion

• by Liana Wait
• May 02, 2024

Joel Ledford, an associate professor of teaching in the Department of Plant Biology, has received the 2024 Excellence in Teaching Award from the Associated Students, University of California, Davis (ASUCD). The annual award celebrates teaching faculty for their dedication to students and undergraduate education. 

“Getting an award like this from students means a lot to me,” Ledford said. “It’s an inspiring thing, and it makes you want to be a better teacher.”

In nominating Ledford, one student said that “his commitment to teaching is one of the greatest I've seen here at UC Davis so far. He brings a positive energy and engages everyone.” Another student noted that Ledford is “very organized, understanding, and clear in explaining difficult concepts, and he knows what students should focus on and what to ignore.”

"Joel is an outstanding colleague, a dedicated instructor and cares deeply about the success of his students,” said Savithramma Dinesh-Kumar, a professor and chair in the Department of Plant Biology. “I am delighted that he is receiving the 2024 ASUCD Excellence in Education Award. It is a well-deserved recognition of a deeply committed teacher and mentor."

A “meandering” path to teaching

Ledford joined UC Davis in 2016 as a professor of teaching. He teaches an introductory biology course, BIS 2C “Introduction to Biology: Biodiversity and the Tree of Life,” which accommodates upwards of 800 undergraduates. In the classroom, Ledford resists the idea of professors as “sage on the stage” and spends more time walking around and engaging directly with students than at the lectern.

“I’m very mindful that I am one of the first professors that students will have a chance to interact with, and first impressions really matter,” Ledford said. “Success in introductory classes is important for persistence, especially for first-generation college students.”

Ledford received his own Bachelor of Science in Entomology from UC Davis in 1998, after which he completed a master’s in evolution and ecology at San Francisco State University. He then worked as a middle school science teacher for five years before earning a Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied Leptonetidae,  a small and obscure group of spiders that he continues to research.

“It was sort of a meandering pathway, but teaching was always a really important part of the things that I was doing,” he said.

A personal connection to the undergrad experience

Effective teaching hinges upon the teacher-student connection, which is why Ledford likes to incorporate active approaches to learning.

“I don't see a big difference between teaching at different levels,” Ledford said. “I think people fundamentally learn the same way, so I use the same principles and approaches when I’m teaching watercolor painting as I do in the middle school classroom, and in a college-level science course.”

Ledford says he struggled as an undergraduate, which is one reason he feels drawn towards helping struggling students navigate their time at UC Davis.

“I really get a lot of joy out of helping students who are struggling at Davis—who are, I guess, like me,” he said. “I didn't do well as an undergrad here at UC Davis, and a career in academia is not something I was thinking about at all.”

He’s also passionate about actively improving equity in education.

“Researching and talking about equity issues is good, but at some point, it comes down to, what are you actually going to do?” he said. “I'm happiest in the trenches doing the work.”

But finding students who are struggling isn’t always easy, especially in a class of over 800 students. To this end, Ledford and Susan Keen , a professor of teaching in the Department of Evolution and Ecology, have made a concerted effort to help first-generation college students. 

“First-gen students face a lot of struggles that people that have had family history of going to college don't,” he said.

Together, Ledford and Keen introduced optional companion classes, or “co-classes,” that are open to first-generation college students and run alongside introductory biology courses. These co-classes complement the main course by teaching skills that help students manage and persist in college—for example, the science of learning, test-taking techniques, and how to manage anxiety and imposter syndrome. Today, first-generation students who enroll in the co-class are likelier to pass the main course.

As teaching practices evolve, stay student-focused

Ledford sees a lot more innovation in teaching at Davis since his time here as an undergrad, but he encourages faculty—teaching and non-teaching alike—to continue experimenting in the classroom, and to endeavor to form connections with their students. For students, he says, the most important thing is just showing up.

“It's important that we all stay student focused—that's why we're here,” Ledford said. “We need to continue to strive towards meeting students where they're at in their learning as opposed to where we think they should be.”

Media Resources

• Liana Wait is a freelance science writer based in Philadelphia. She has a Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology and specializes in writing about the life sciences.

Primary Category

Secondary categories.