Let me help here. Homework is a good thing. Extra practice helps people remember new concepts. Extra practice helps people store information in long-term memory. Reading books for school is better than texting about life at the mall.
Why do some studies show only marginal benefits from homework? Here’s my take: In order to get ready for state standardized tests that are years above many students academic operating levels, we force a curriculum at students that matches the test. We then teach them material — well, try to teach them material — that remains years above what they are ready to do. We provide minimal remediation.
If someone gave me differential equations homework at this point in my life, I’d be lost. I probably would not even try. If I did try, the poor teacher grading that mess would have a rough night. My lack of progress in differential equations would not be due to my lack of homework, however. My homework in this scenario is virtually irrelevant because I cannot do that homework.
On the other hand, practicing Spanish comparative structures and vocabulary would improve my Spanish without question. I know enough Spanish to work on my own. Even if I am familiar with material on comparisons, creating my own comparisons will provide reinforcement and probably enable me to rattle off those Spanish words with greater ease and fluidity.
Eduhonesty: Some of these studies and factoids drive me nuts. Studies don’t show benefits from homework? My immediate reaction is, “Then it’s the wrong homework!” That lack of benefit will occur either because the work is too easy or too hard. Once I have mastered all the forms of a certain Spanish verb, more homework will provide marginal, if any, benefit. If I have not yet studied Spanish preterit verb forms, giving me homework on those forms will probably just confuse me.
My larger concern relates to testing and curriculum. If the curriculum selected to match the annual state exam is too far over most of our students’ heads, then the homework can be expected to be too demanding for those students. Like my differential equations assignment above, if I can’t do the expected work without cheating, that homework will provide me with no benefit. I’ll get worse than no benefit if I decide to cheat.
But the fault here does not lie with homework itself. Reinforcement benefits students. I believe most of the fault lies with wacky, curricular leaps of faith in the guise of homework.