History of the word homework

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Homework is a set of tasks assigned to students by their teachers to be completed outside the classroom. Common homework assignments may include required reading, a writing or typing project, mathematical exercises to be completed, information to be reviewed before a test, or other skills to be practiced.

The effects of homework are debated. Generally speaking, homework does not improve academic performance among young children. Homework may improve academic skills among older students, especially lower-achieving students. However, homework also creates stress for students and parents, and reduces the amount of time that students can spend in other activities.

Purposes

The basic objectives of assigning homework to students often align with schooling in general. However, teachers have many purposes for assigning homework, including:^[1][2][3]

• reinforcing skills taught in class
• extending skills to new situations
• preparing for future class lessons
• engaging students in active learning
• developing time management and study skills
• promoting parent-student communications
• encouraging collaboration between students
• fulfilling school/district policies
• demonstrating a rigorous school program to others
• punishing a student or a class

Effects

Academic performance

Homework research dates back to the early 1900s. However, no consensus exists on the general effectiveness on homework.^[4] Results of homework studies vary based on multiple factors, such as the age group of those studied and the measure of academic performance.^[5]

Younger students who spend more time on homework generally have slightly worse, or the same academic performance, as those who spend less time on homework.^[6] Homework has not been shown to improve academic achievements for grade school students. Proponents claim that assigning homework to young children helps them learn good study habits. Essentially, they advocate for doing potentially unnecessary homework from approximately age five to ten as a way of practicing for doing necessary homework from age 10 to 15. No research has ever been conducted to determine whether this claim has any merit.^[7]

Among teenagers, students who spend more time on homework generally have higher grades, and higher test scores than students who spend less time on homework.^[6] Large amounts of homework cause students’ academic performance to worsen, even among older students.^[6] Students who are assigned homework in middle and high school score somewhat better on standardized tests, but the students who have more than 90 minutes of homework a day in middle school or more than two hours in high school score worse.^[8]

Low-achieving students receive more benefit from doing homework than high-achieving students.^[9] However, school teachers commonly assign less homework to the students who need it most, and more homework to the students who are performing well.^[9] In past centuries, homework was a cause of academic failure: when school attendance was optional, students would drop out of school entirely if they were unable to keep up with the homework assigned.^[10]

Non-academic

The amount of homework given does not necessarily affect students’ attitudes towards homework and various other aspects of school.^[5]

Epstein (1988) found a near-zero correlation between the amount of homework and parents’ reports on how well their elementary school students behaved. Vazsonyi & Pickering (2003) studied 809 adolescents in American high schools, and found that, using the Normative Deviance Scale as a model for deviance, the correlation was r = 0.28 for white students, and r = 0.24 for African-American students. For all three of the correlations, higher values represent a higher correlation between time spent on homework and poor conduct.^[11]

Bempechat (2004) says that homework develops students’ motivation and study skills. In a single study, parents and teachers of middle school students believed that homework improved students’ study skills and personal responsibility skills.^[12] Their students were more likely to have negative perceptions about homework and were less likely to ascribe the development of such skills to homework.^[12] Leone & Richards (1989) found that students generally had negative emotions when completing homework and reduced engagement compared to other activities.

Health and daily life

Homework has been identified in numerous studies and articles as a dominant or significant source of stress and anxiety for students.^[13] Studies on the relation between homework and health are few compared to studies on academic performance.^[14][15]

Cheung & Leung-Ngai (1992) surveyed 1,983 students in Hong Kong, and found that homework led not only to added stress and anxiety, but also physical symptoms, such as headaches and stomachaches. Students in the survey who were ridiculed or punished by parents and peers had a higher incidence of depression symptoms, with 2.2% of students reporting that they «always» had suicidal thoughts, and anxiety was exacerbated by punishments and criticism of students by teachers for both problems with homework as well as forgetting to hand in homework.

A 2007 study of American students by MetLife found that 89% of students felt stressed from homework, with 34% reporting that they «often» or «very often» felt stressed from homework. Stress was especially evident among high school students. Students that reported stress from homework were more likely to be deprived of sleep.^[16]

Homework can cause tension and conflict in the home as well as at school, and can reduce students’ family and leisure time. In the Cheung & Leung-Ngai (1992) survey, failure to complete homework and low grades where homework was a contributing factor was correlated with greater conflict; some students have reported teachers and parents frequently criticizing their work. In the MetLife study, high school students reported spending more time completing homework than performing home tasks.^[17] Kohn (2006) argued that homework can create family conflict and reduce students’ quality of life. The authors of Sallee & Rigler (2008), both high school English teachers, reported that their homework disrupted their students’ extracurricular activities and responsibilities. However, Kiewra et al. (2009) found that parents were less likely to report homework as a distraction from their children’s activities and responsibilities. Galloway, Conner & Pope (2013) recommended further empirical study relating to this aspect due to the difference between student and parent observations.

Time use

A University of Michigan Institute for Social Research nationally representative survey of American 15- to 17-year olds, conducted in 2003, found an average of 50 minutes of homework each weekday.^[18]

A 2019 Pew Research Center review of Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use Survey data reported that 15-, 16-, and 17-year-olds Americans, spent on average an hour a day on homework during the school year. The change in this demographic’s average daily time spent doing homework (during the school year) increased by about 16 minutes from 2003-2006 to 2014-2017. U.S. teenage girls spent more time doing homework than U.S. teenage boys.^[19]

A 2019 nationally representative survey of 95,505 freshmen at U.S. colleges, conducted by the UCLA Higher Education Research Institute, asked respondents, «During your last year in high school, how much time did you spend during a typical week studying/doing homework?» 1.9% of respondents said none, 7.4% said less than one hour, 19.5% said 1–2 hours, 27.9% said 3–5 hours, 21.4% said 6–10 hours, 11.4% said 11–15 hours, 6.0% said 16–20 hours, 4.5% said over 20 hours.^[20]

Galloway, Conner & Pope (2013) surveyed 4,317 students from ten «privileged, high-performing» high schools in the U.S., and found that students reported spending more than 3 hours on homework daily. 72% of the students reported stress from homework, and 82% reported physical symptoms. The students slept an average of 6 hours 48 minutes, lower than recommendations prescribed by various health agencies.

Benefits

Some educators argue that homework is beneficial to students, as it enhances learning, develops the skills taught in class, and lets educators verify that students comprehend their lessons.^[21] Proponents also argue that homework makes it more likely that students will develop and maintain proper study habits that they can use throughout their educational career.^[21]

History

United States

Historically, homework was frowned upon in American culture. With few students able to pursue higher education, and with many children and teenagers needing to dedicate significant amounts of time to chores and farm work, homework was disliked not only by parents, but also by some schools. The students’ inability to keep up with the homework, which was largely memorizing an assigned text at home, contributed to students dropping out of school at a relatively early age. Attending school was not legally required, and if the student could not spend afternoons and evenings working on homework, then the student could quit school.^[10]

Complaints from parents were common at all levels of society.^[10] In 1880, Francis Amasa Walker convinced the school board in Boston to prohibit teachers from assigning math homework under normal circumstances.^[10] In 1900, journalist Edward Bok railed against schools assigning homework to students until age 15.^[10] He encouraged parents to send notes to their children’s teachers to demand the end of all homework assignments, and thousands of parents did so.^[10] Others looked at the new child labor laws in the United States and noted that school time plus homework exceeded the number of hours that a child would be permitted to work for pay.^[10] The campaign resulted in the US Congress receiving testimony to the effect that experts thought children should never have any homework, and that teenagers should be limited to a maximum of two hours of homework per day.^[10] In 1901, the California legislature passed an act that effectively abolished homework for anyone under the age of 15.^[10] While homework was generally out of favor in the first half of the 20th century, some people supported homework reform, such as by making the assignments more relevant to the students’ non-school lives, rather than prohibiting it.^[10]

In the 1950s, with increasing pressure on the United States to stay ahead in the Cold War, homework made a resurgence, and children were encouraged to keep up with their Russian counterparts.^[10] From that time on, social attitudes have oscillated approximately on a 15-year cycle: homework was encouraged in the 1950s to mid-1960s; it was rejected from the mid-1960s until 1980; it was encouraged again from 1980 and the publication of A Nation at Risk until the mid-1990s, when the Cold War ended.^[10] At that time, American schools were overwhelmingly in favor of issuing some homework to students of all grade levels.^[22] Homework was less favored after the end of the Cold War.^[10]

United Kingdom

British students get more homework than many other countries in Europe. The weekly average for the subject is 5 hours. The main distinction for UK homework is the social gap, with middle-class teenagers getting a disproportionate amount of homework compared to Asia and Europe.^[23]

Spain

In 2012, a report by the OECD showed that Spanish children spend 6.4 hours a week on homework. This prompted the CEAPA, representing 12,000 Spanish parent associations, to call for a homework strike.^[24]

Criticism

Homework and its effects, justifications, motivations and alleged benefits have been the subject of sharp criticism among many education experts and researchers.

According to a study by the Dresden University of Technology, homework—described in the study as «an educational ritual»—has little to no influence on academic performance.^[25]

When assigning homework, each student is usually given the same exercises, regardless of how well the student is performing. This leaves some students under-challenged and others overwhelmed by their homework.^[25][26] For others, the degree of difficulty of homework may be appropriate, but students are unable to decide for themselves whether they need to deepen their knowledge in a particular subject or whether to use the time in other subjects with which they experience more difficulty, despite the fact that homework is often seen as a way of encouraging self-regulation.^[27]

Homework is sometimes used to outsource school material not completed in class to the home, leaving children with homework that is not designed to be done on their own and parents feeling helpless and frustrated.^[28] As a consequence, students often have to use the internet or other resources for help, which provides disadvantages for students without internet access. Thus, such homework fails to promote equality of opportunity.^[29][30] Homework without professional feedback from the teacher has little effect on the learning success of students.^[31]

Even if it is generally not wanted by homework distributors (unless homework is given as a punishment), completing homework may take up a large part of the student’s free time. It is often the case that children try to finish their homework until late at night, which can lead to sleep disorders and unhealthy stress.^[28] Children may feel overwhelmed when they have too much homework, which can negatively affect children’s natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge.^[32]

A study by the UCL Institute of Education, which concerned the impact of homework in different countries, discovered that the pressure associated with homework causes arguments among family members.^[33] The study also showed that homework can lead to anxiety, depression, and emotional exhaustion among children.^[33]

Notes and references

Citations

Works

Effectiveness of homework

Homework and non-academic effects

Other

Further reading

• Duke Study: Homework Helps Students Succeed in School, As Long as There Isn’t Too Much
• The Case Against Homework: How Homework Is Hurting Our Children and What We Can Do About It by Sarah Bennett & Nancy Kalish (2006) Discusses in detail assessments of studies on homework and the authors’ own research and assessment of the homework situation in the United States. Has specific recommendations and sample letters to be used in negotiating a reduced homework load for your child.
• Closing the Book on Homework: Enhancing Public Education and Freeing Family Time by John Buell (2004)
• The Battle Over Homework: Common Ground for Administrators, Teachers, and Parents by Harris Cooper (2007)
• The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing by Alfie Kohn (2006)
• The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning by Etta Kralovec and John Buell (2000)

External links

• «The Myth About Homework», Claudia Wallis, Time, August 29, 2006.
• History of «The Dog Ate My Homework» as an excuse. Slate.
• Bridging the Great Homework Divide: A Solutions Guide for Parents of Middle School Students — from the National Education Association.
• Homework tips for parents — U.S. Department of Education.
• BBC’s (U.K.) parents’ school guide
• Helping Your Students With Homework: A Guide For Teachers — U.S. Department of Education.
• Homework Practices that Support Students with Disabilities

Who Invented Homework?

Answer:- The practice of giving homework was started during ancient Greek and Roman times. As per internet records, Roberto Nevelis of Venice, Italy is considered to be the inventor of homework. As there is no credible information available, Nevil seems to be an internet myth more than historical patronage.

The word that students hate the most is ‘Homework’. In academic life, homework is a part of the daily routine. But it is evident that only very few students do my homework with a lot of enthusiasm and the remaining set of students who have hatred towards homework get exhausted and feel stressed whenever they are asked to complete an assignment. We can’t blame students for the hate they have for homework.

In general, teachers regularly assign tasks for the well-being of the students, but the students are completely against it for various reasons. In the education world, “Should homework be banned?” is one of the popular debate topics discussed among students, teachers, and parents. Everyone has different perspectives regarding homework. Instead of discussing whether homework is helpful or harmful, in this article, we will rewind and get to know about the history of homework and why it came into existence.

History of the Origin of Homework

Whenever the students find it difficult to complete their assignment, the one question that arises in their minds out of hatred would be “Who invented homework?” We may not be exactly aware of the original names of those who created homework, but it is expected that the practice of giving homework would have been born at the time of the ancient Greek and Roman empires. As per the online resources, it is stated that Roberto Nevelis of Venice, Italy had created homework. Since there is no credible information available about Nevelis, he seems to be an internet myth more than historical patronage.

Another influencer who played an important role in the invention of homework is Horace Mann, an American educational reformer who is well-known for his dedication to promoting public education. Horace was initially impressed with the mandatory assignments given to the people attending the Volksschulen as a part of the public education system of Germany, and then he later implemented that idea in the US in the 19th century.

Why was homework invented?

Till now, we have seen who created homework and how homework has developed gradually in the late centuries. Next, let us have a look at why homework was invented. In the initial days, homework was not created to burden the students. It was mainly invented to satisfy the following objectives.

To improve learning

Usually, when the students leave their school for the day, they will quickly forget what their teachers have taught in their school and then attend their classes the very next day with a clear head. So, in order to reinforce learning, homework was invented. If the students learn what is taught in their class daily, then it would be easy for them to recall the content in the next class.

To manage time

It is really tough for the teachers to complete their schedules within a time frame. Some topics generally take more time to complete, and in such cases, the inability to give extra time may lead to partial learning. Another main objective of homework was to encourage the students to refresh their lessons and achieve conceptual clarity when there is no time to bind them.

To practice the lessons

In order to get better scores or grades, one must have proper knowledge about the subjects. The homework encourages the students to practice the lessons and improve their learning. Also, it enables them to apply their learning in real life. For better learning and understanding of the students, the practical applications of a theory should be given as homework.

History of Homework in the American Public School System

From the 19^th century till now, some people support doing assignments while some people oppose giving homework to students. In the United States of America, the majority of people are less favorable in accepting homework as a valuable educational practice, and hence the ban was incurred multiple times.

Here is a brief history of homework in the American Public School System

The 1900s: Rise of Anti-Homework Sentiment and Homework Ban

1930: American Child Health Association declared homework as Child Labor

The 1950s: At the time of the Cold War, in order to compete with Russia, the US authorities gave rigorous homework to the American students

Late 19^th century & early 20^th Century: Progressive Era of Homework

Early 21^st century: Return of Homework Ban

Even today, homework is controversial in America, but still, some schools assign homework to students. Regarding the homework ban, teachers have different perspectives, and the parents find it difficult to cope with their home routine because of the disturbances caused by their children.

Read more: 8 AMAZING TIPS TO IMPROVE ASSIGNMENT WRITING SKILLS

Why did the invention of homework go wrong?

Truly, the homework was invented with good intentions, but there were some flaws in the implementation. Actually, it was created to establish a connection to the next-day class and to help the students practice the subjects, but the teachers assign homework on irrelevant topics. So, the students find it difficult to complete the assignments that were given on topics that were not taught in class.

Also, another major reason is that the teachers burden the students with more work that they can’t handle. In such situations, the students felt difficult to complete the tasks on time and were forced to feel mental pressure which thus results in stress and anxiety.

Why do teachers support homework?

The teachers and educators generally give homework only for the academic growth of the students. Apart from that, the majority of teachers support homework because of the following reasons.

• Improve learning
• Conceptual clarity
• Practice
• Get a deeper understanding of the concepts
• Doubt generation
• Constant revision
• Self-motivated learning

Why do students criticize homework?

Giving an assignment is an easy task, but the real difficulty lies on the side of the students. It is common that students to expect to play during their free time. But when they are asked to complete an assignment, they find it a burden. Here are some other reasons why students criticize homework.

• No Interest and Poor subject knowledge
• Lack of motivation
• Considers homework a waste of time
• Tough to find the correct answers
• Consumes more time
• Difficulty in getting good grades
• Homework leads to stress and other health-related issues

Benefit of Homework

Keep the opinions of teachers, parents, and students aside and look at the benefits homework offers.

• Tunes the learning process of the students
• Encourages practice
• Teaches the students how to manage their time
• Builds in-depth knowledge about a subject

Final Words

Homework has its own advantages and disadvantages. It doesn’t matter whether you love to do your homework or hate it. Whenever your teachers ask you to submit homework, make sure to complete it on time. Finishing the homework perfectly before the due date will help you to boost your academic scores.

In case, you experience any difficulties in doing your homework, reach out to us. At greatassignmenthelp.com, we offer cheap and best homework help services for a wide range of subjects. According to your needs, the online homework helpers in our team will assist you in coming up with error-free and plagiarism-free homework solutions worthy of achieving top grades. Instead of pressurizing yourself too much, effortlessly get your homework done with the assistance of our scholarly writers.

A Brief History Of Homework

Homework has been a part of the school experience for generations, with its origins dating back to ancient times. No matter who and how invented homework, homework became a staple of formal education in the early 19^th century. In 1812, the French government passed a law mandating two hours of homework for elementary school children. The concept of homework began to spread across Europe and then to the United States in the late 1800s.

During this time, educators experimented with various forms of homework, such as reading assignments and math problems, with the goal of helping students retain and apply the material taught in class. In the early 20th century, many schools adopted the practice of assigning homework regularly. In 1933, the National Education Association (NEA) issued a statement recommending that teachers assign homework to students three to five times per week.

As the technology evolved, so did homework assignments. With the increased use of computers in classrooms, students are enabled to access more information and resources for their homework assignments. They can access the best dissertation writers in UK from any corner of the world. They can also access online learning platforms and educational software for their homework assignments.

When Was Homework Invented?

The origin of homework is hard to trace, but the practice of assigning homework can be dated back to the late 19th century. During this time, teachers would assign extra work for students to complete at home to reinforce what they had learned in the classroom. At the beginning of the 20th century, educators began to advocate for the use of homework as a way to extend the learning day and promote more independent learning.

 During this period, teachers began to assign more complex tasks, such as writing essays and conducting research projects. However, history dissertation writers cite the works of authors that highlight homework became a part of the everyday curriculum for students in the United States in 1950. This was due to the rise of standardized testing and an emphasis on preparing students for college. As a result, teachers began to assign more work outside of school, resulting in increased stress levels for students.

Why Is It Called Homework?

The word “homework” is an interesting one, and its origin story is quite fascinating. It has been speculated that the word was first used around the mid-1800s when a schoolteacher in England began calling the assignments given to students “homework”. This teacher believed that if students could take their work home and complete it outside of the classroom, they would be more productive and learn more.

At the time, the idea of taking work home with you was very new. Because of this, the teacher needed a name for the activity that could help differentiate it from other kinds of school tasks. He chose “homework” because it was something done “at home”.

To make this concept clearer, consider why a dissertation proposal writer is called so. This is because he writes dissertation proposals. However, whatever its origin, the word has become entrenched in language today, and it still carries with it the same meaning of completing assignments outside of the classroom.

Who Invented Homework And Why?

The origins of homework are uncertain and the practice has been around for centuries. However, in 1899, an article in the Journal of Educational Psychology suggested that teachers should give students assignments to do at home. This idea was championed by progressive education reformer, John Dewey. Though he is not the one who made homework yet he believed that homework was a necessary part of the learning process. It was meant to serve as reinforcement and extension of the material taught in class.

The Spirit Of The Concept:

Homework was initially intended to help students develop independent study skills and to allow them to spend time working on material at their own pace. The idea was to have students apply the knowledge they learned in the classroom and practice it in their own time. Dewey’s idea of assigning homework soon spread to other schools and countries, but it wasn’t until after World War II that it became commonplace.

 The war put extra pressure on schools to get students up to speed on math and science in order to better prepare them for college and employment opportunities. With this new emphasis on academic performance, the practice of assigning homework grew more popular and widespread. Today, homework remains an important part of the educational experience for many students. It can be used to reinforce concepts, provide additional practice for difficult subjects, or serve as an assessment tool for teachers.

What Is The Purpose Of Homework?

Homework is the core concept of the education system. It is used to strengthen the skills and knowledge that students have gained in the classroom. Homework helps students to develop good study habits, as it requires them to practice what they have learned and to think critically about the material. By doing homework regularly, students are able to gain a better understanding of the subject material and master the concepts being taught.

Moreover, homework encourages students to become independent learners and take responsibility for their learning. It also provides teachers with a way to assess their students’ progress and understanding of the topics they are teaching. Ultimately, the purpose of homework is to help students become better prepared for their upcoming lessons and exams, while also developing their skills of problem-solving, organization, and self-discipline.

What Are The 3 Main Functions Of Homework?

Homework is a concept that is here to serve some purpose. It has several different functions, all of which are designed to help students learn and apply what they have learned in school. The three main functions of homework that answer why was homework invented, are mentioned below. All three of these functions can help prepare students for further education and a successful future.

How Homework Has Changed Over Time

Who made homework and with what idea is an old debate, but its purpose and design have changed over time. In the past, homework was a way to practice the skills learned in class. However, as society has evolved, so too has the purpose of homework. Nowadays, homework is seen as a way for students to go beyond the classroom curriculum, explore concepts further, and develop their critical thinking skills.

Types Of Homework:

In addition to its purpose changing, the type of homework has also changed over time. During the 19th century, memorization and drills were the primary forms of homework used by teachers. These assignments were meant to help students retain information better and become more familiar with the material.

However, as educational research began to become more important in the 20th century, the types of homework also changed. Today’s assignments are focused on applying knowledge and creativity, rather than memorizing facts.

THE AMOUNT OF HOMEWORK:

The amount of homework given has also shifted over time. In the early 1900s, the average student received two hours of homework each day; however, recent studies suggest that students are now receiving an average of six hours of homework per day. This increase has led to another debate about whether or not this much homework is actually beneficial for students.
Homework has passed through many phases since its creation in the 1600s. From the question of why was homework invented to its types and amount, it has adapted to meet the needs of today’s students. Although the parallel debates about its efficacy continue today.

The Pros And Cons Of Homework Today

As with any educational practice, however, there are both pros and cons to assigning homework. While some educators argue that homework can help students learn, others have raised concerns about the potential harm associated with homework.

Whether or not homework is beneficial is still a topic of debate among educators, parents, and students alike, but today it plays an important role in the educational process. On one hand, homework can give students a chance to practice and hone their skills it also allows them to independently explore and develop ideas outside of the classroom.

 However, there are also some disadvantages to assigning homework which leads to a discussion that was homework invented as a punishment. Students may find it difficult to concentrate on homework due to distractions such as the internet, friends, or family. Too much homework can lead to burnout and exhaustion, leading to poor academic performance. It also takes away from family time and other activities that are essential for a student’s physical and mental well-being.

Is Homework Helpful Or Harmful?

Over the past few decades, there have been heated debates about the purpose and impact of homework on students. The answer to the question of whether or not homework is helpful or harmful can be complex. On one hand, homework can help students develop skills such as time management, problem-solving, and self-discipline. On the other hand, it can lead to fatigue and stress in both children and parents.

 Studies have found that homework can be beneficial when it is assigned in moderation, but too much of it can have negative consequences. Too much homework can lead to students feeling overwhelmed and unable to keep up with their workloads. This can then cause feelings of inadequacy and frustration, which can ultimately result in poorer academic performance.

Homework can also cause tension between students and their families if parents are not willing or able to assist their children with completing it. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds may be less likely to benefit from homework due to a lack of access to resources or support at home.