student responses to optional homework continued
In class the very next day I gave students a two-question survey, which asked them what they thought of the idea of optional homework and it also asked students if they were planning to do the optional homework and to explain why or why not (Artifact 7B). The survey data is shown below:
The responses displayed in Figure 4 can be grouped into certain mindsets. Between both classes, the sole reason for choosing to do the homework was for personal gains in learning through practice. There were more reasons for why students would not do the optional homework. Some students responded that they did not like the homework idea because the homework is not being graded, others thought the idea was great while others responded that they would not do the homework because they do not have to since it is optional. There was also one student who chose to do the homework as avoidance of house chores at home. Furthermore, there were students who said they might do the homework if they did not understand material in class otherwise they would not do homework covering material they thought they understood.
Based on the written student explanations, I believed that the students who chose not to do the homework for whatever reason did not see value in the homework assignment when I presented it as “practice” for what they learned in class and what they would see on the quiz. From my perspective, there is a clear connection between what I teach in class, what I assign for homework, and the quiz questions I write, but according to Warton (2001), there is little research evidence that is convincing researchers that students recognize the purpose of homework that adults nominate” (p. 162). Warton (2001) states,
“From an adult viewpoint, homework is largely an achievement-related activity. As such, Eccles’s expectancy-value model of motivation is relevant. The theory argues that (a) student beliefs about a task and (b) student expectancies for success on that task are directly related to their achievement behaviors: performance, task persistence, and task choice” (p. 156).
“The [expectancy-value] model suggests that achievement-related behavior such as choice of activity and task persistence are most directly influenced by the students’ expectations of success or failure by the subjective value given to the task” (p. 156). Perhaps this model could provide an explanation for why many students responded that they were not doing the homework simply because it would not be graded, thereby removing the possibility of homework affecting their grade. I thought it was particularly interesting that the students who wrote that they will or may do the homework are doing it because it will help them learn the class material. Could this indicate that these students see the value of homework for their learning but they are just so distracted by other things happening in their lives? If so, does this necessarily lead to the conclusion that homework should be eliminated?
Based on the written student explanations, I believed that the students who chose not to do the homework for whatever reason did not see value in the homework assignment when I presented it as “practice” for what they learned in class and what they would see on the quiz. From my perspective, there is a clear connection between what I teach in class, what I assign for homework, and the quiz questions I write, but according to Warton (2001), there is little research evidence that is convincing researchers that students recognize the purpose of homework that adults nominate” (p. 162). Warton (2001) states,
“From an adult viewpoint, homework is largely an achievement-related activity. As such, Eccles’s expectancy-value model of motivation is relevant. The theory argues that (a) student beliefs about a task and (b) student expectancies for success on that task are directly related to their achievement behaviors: performance, task persistence, and task choice” (p. 156).
“The [expectancy-value] model suggests that achievement-related behavior such as choice of activity and task persistence are most directly influenced by the students’ expectations of success or failure by the subjective value given to the task” (p. 156). Perhaps this model could provide an explanation for why many students responded that they were not doing the homework simply because it would not be graded, thereby removing the possibility of homework affecting their grade. I thought it was particularly interesting that the students who wrote that they will or may do the homework are doing it because it will help them learn the class material. Could this indicate that these students see the value of homework for their learning but they are just so distracted by other things happening in their lives? If so, does this necessarily lead to the conclusion that homework should be eliminated?