Homework usage in mathematics: a study on the impact of optional homework in the math classroom

Abstract

Throughout the years, homework has been a rather polarizing subject in the educational field. How much homework should we give students? How effective is homework? Can students still achieve the same academically if homework is optional? This study is meant to explore the effects of optional homework in a high school mathematics classroom. The study consisted of five classes of Algebra II being team-taught. My two classes (the experiment group) were given optional homework throughout a unit, while my colleague's three classes (the control group) maintained the same mandatory homework assignments as in previous units. In place of the mandatory homework assignments, the experiment group received additional instruction time during class. This gave students a chance to practice problems and receive immediate feedback on their performance from the instructor. While the results are not conclusive, the experiment group did slightly worse on the initial assessments of the unit and considerably better on the final two assessments. The results have sparked a great deal of conversation within our math department on the best use of class time and how homework should be graded.