Abstract

A key concern today is the question of homework in our nation’s public

schools. In this study, an investigation was
Conducted with the first no-homework policy, which has been introduced in
one of the primary schools in the Western Cape.
This study seeks to determine whether a no-homework policy will validate a
positive or negative effect on school children
And also intended to determine whether a no-homework policy would be
beneficial to South African schools. An interpretive
Approach to a case study was in place, where an interview was conducted with
teachers and the head of curriculum. This case
Study considered replacement exercises executed at the school to compensate
for the homework no longer given to the
Learners. This study found that no homework has left a more positive effect on
learners. However, this study argues that no
Homework will be a disadvantage in the future. To conclude, this study sought
motivating factors that influence learners in
Becoming successful. Finally, this study proposes that some form of homework
ought to be in place in order to help the
Learners in many aspects of their future life.

Keywords: homework policy; interpretive approach; motivation; negative effect;

positive effect; replacement exercises

Introduction
“Homework” is generally defined as schoolwork brought home (Corno,
1996:27). However, if a homework
Policy is discussed, it is normally done in general terms, and different types of
homework assignments are
Lumped together under the same policy (Lee & Pruitt, 1979). The Forum of
Educational Organization Leaders
Also reviewed this trend, recommending that teachers require a minimum of
one hour of homework daily from
Elementary learners and at least two hours from high school learners
(Roderique, Polloway, Cumblad, Epstein &
Bursuck, 1994; Strother, 1984). The question thus remains, “has homework
been proven to have beneficial
Effects on academic achievement (Walberg, Paschal & Weinstein, 1985) or do
these effects remain equivocal or
Unsubstantiated?” (Check & Ziebell, 1980; Heller, Spooner, Anderson & Mims,
1988). The rationale for this
Study was that due to time constraints (notional hours for each learning
area/subject), there is a need for teachers
To assign homework. The assigned work is to consolidate what was taught
during the class or to provide some
Enrichment tasks for learners.
South Africa, being a developing country, has lots of resource disparity, which
leads to differences in our
Resources. One of these differences is our unstable family structures, where
either one or both parents are not
present. This can contribute to our children not receiving the home support
that they need (Pfeiffer, 2014).
When considering South Africa from an economic and developmental context,
emphasis is placed on the unique
context of our country and its socio-economic resources in our schools, where
centrally developed policies like a
no-homework policy can present problems (Felix, Dornbrack & Scheckle,
2008). A critical review of such a
policy is an important perspective to include in research as it pertains to
schooling.
It is important that teachers be given guidelines for prescribing and utilising
homework as a teaching tool.
While this may be true, this teaching tool has been removed from the teacher’s
guidelines for the Western Cape
school on which this study is based. According to the provincial guidelines
document of 2005, which serves as a
framework for schools on homework supplied by the Western Cape
Education Department (WCED, 2005),
homework is managed effectively with thorough, co-ordinated planning,
guidance and control by all role
players. In addition, it should not be a burden for the learner, the educator or
the parents. The WCED’s (2005)
rationale for the homework is that homework can strengthen the link between
home and school by involving
parents in a meaningful way in their children’s education (Felix et al., 2008).
There are important considerations
that the WCED (2005) offers, including that the intention of homework
should be to reinforce and extend
classroom learning, to consolidate basic skills and knowledge, and ultimately
to extend to developing a routine
of independent home study. Learner’s home responsibilities and extra-
curricular activities ought to be taken into
account when planning homework tasks, where learners ought to take
responsibility for the completion of their
homework tasks, and ought to be motivated and supported by their parents
(Singh, Mbokodi & Msila, 2004).
The Department does suggest that a school-wide homework policy developed
on the basis of effective
school management ought to be implemented, and they do recommend that
schools develop a homework policy
by consulting with all the relevant role players by regularly monitoring the
policy and by the principal and staff
annually reviewing it. According to the WCED (2005), the homework policy
should include the following:

purpose of the policy; goals and objectives;

recommended time for each grade; types of tasks
for each grade; monitoring and evaluation
procedures; the role of the parents; the role of the
other role players, e.g. the principal, the educator,
the learner, the parents and the school governing
body (SGB); and procedures and instructions to
parents if learners do not cope with homework.
Finally, the WCED (2005) suggests that all schools
ought to strive to administer homework at a
reasonable and appropriate level, so that it is not
too difficult, too easy, too confusing, or too boring
for the learners. Educators in different subject areas
must ensure that homework tasks and other
assignments are carefully co-ordinated so as to
avoid overloading learners with tasks. Homework
demands should not represent a disproportionate
burden for children and parents, especially not for
the poor and the disadvantaged (Felix et al., 2008).
In this study, I considered other teaching tools that
have replaced the no-homework approach, since
the learners are no longer receiving homework.
The principal of this school (where data was
collected) appears to be a strong no-homework
promoter and believes that the home-work practices
of the school impacts the academic performance of
the learners negatively (Meyer, 2016). Homework
has been used as a way to check what learners
know and understand from what they have been
taught in class. The purpose of this research is to
identify the meanings that emerge under the no-
homework policy experiences and to examine
previous theory and research on achievement
motivation. this logic, there are different purposes of home-
work at different grade levels which is mentioned
by Cooper (2007:92):
• For learners in the earliest grades, it should foster
positive attitudes, habits and character traits; permit
appropriate parent involvement; and reinforce
learning of simple skills introduced in class.
• For learners in upper elementary grades, it should
play a more direct role in fostering improved
school achievement.
• For learners in the 6th Grade and beyond, it should
play an important role in improving standardised
test scores and grades.
In addition, reasons given by teachers for assigning
homework include, ‘to help students practice
skills,’ to encourage students to develop good work
habits,’ to motivate students to learn’ or simply ‘to
help students prepare for examinations’ (Maharaj-
Sharma & Sharma, 2016:146; Pytel, 2007). It is
still unclear as to whether the intended outcomes
are made known to students as well as whether
these outcomes are being truly achieved.

Homework helps students to understand material more deeply. However, some

people believe that homework does not be compulsory. I strongly agree with
this topic that homework should be mandatory. First of all, daily homework
brings many benefits. It helps students understand subjects more deeply.
Also ,young people learn how to arrange their time to have all things done on
time. In addition, to those practical benefits daily homework teaches students
how to make their own research if something is not clear. Curiosity is one of
the main reasons that leads a person to a success. Students learn to make
their research, with different kinds of information resources such as an
internet, books , magazines, journals and newspapers. Another important
aspect of this is that students get an opportunity to apply their skills and
enhance them and also it gives students a chance to learn from their mistakes
and improve on their weaknesses. Hence, students must doing their homework
in order to succeed in the modern world. Homework provides students with
opportunities to reinforce and consolidate their classroom learning, develop
skills and establish patterns of behaviour to develop as lifelong learners and, to
some degree, involve family members in student learning. (Education Qld) (SA
Government) It also provides a means of communication with parents about
their child’s learning and progress. The quality of the homework assigned is
likely to be more important than the quantity. Assigned homework should have
a specific learning purpose. When completed, teachers are called to provide
both acknowledgement of student effort and feedback relating to the student’s
learning. (Public School NSW, 2012a). Students first need to learn skills in
class so the teacher can ensure that they are practicing and internalising the
skill correctly, before working independently at home. (Vatterott, 2009)
(Marzano et al., 2001) (Trautwein and Koller, 2003) (Wright, 2006). Children
have a profile for the way they learn best. (Dunn and Dunn, 1978) (Keefe and
Jenkins, 2002) By providing choices and flexibility in homework tasks,
teachers can accommodate differences in learners and therefore increase the
effectiveness of homework. One example is a student choosing /designing a
method they feel works best for them. (Vatterott, 2007 and 2009) (Bryan and
Burstein, 2004). There is a difference between the amount of time spent on
learning and the amount of time needed to learn. The time needed to learn is
influenced by aptitude, ability to understand instruction and the quality of the
instruction. For assigned homework this means that some students may be
about to complete activities in the recommended time, others may not. For
students who need more time to learn, teachers are called to prioritise work
that individual students are required to master. (Vatterott, 2009) (Trautwein
and Koller, 2003) (Marzano et al., 2001) Adequate time to plan and teach
effective classroom activities to support homework, as well as mark it and
provide student feedback is important. Each student is unique and learns
differently. Some students in some areas learn quickly, others require practice
or reinforcement. Homework needs to be personalized to fit the specific needs
of individual students. (Vatterott, 2009).

Students have different motivation, persistence and organisation skills. As a

result teachers are called to adapt homework tasks to provide opportunities for
maximum success and minimum frustration for each student. Two important
strategies to support this are: (1) seeing that homework is time based (with
students instructed to do as much as they can in a specified time period), with
feedback provided, and (2) checking for student frustration. (Vatterott, 2009).
The challenge therefore arises for well designed homework, successfully
completed by students which reinforces class learning. (Vatterott, 2009) This
said, teachers are not in total control of what learning may happen at home in
relation to homework. Rather, they have the power of influence and the
responsibility to work with students and parents in relation to achieving
homework completion. – It is important the students understand their
responsibility for initiating interaction with a ‘family partner’, that such
interaction is carefully planned, that the parent / carer is aware of the
objectives of the homework and are provided with practical strategies, that
such interaction includes feedback from the student and adult, and that this
feedback is reviewed to inform future activities. (Robinson, et al, 2007). In 2012
the NSW Department of Education and Communities invested considerable
resources in conducting a Research Scan on Homework. It was undertaken
within the context that “there are many differing views, within the educational
community and beyond, about the purpose of homework, its value, and the
amount of homework that should be set.” The Research Scan concentrated on
research published after 2004, “especially peer review publications and
publications that included a meta-analysis and evidence based studies.” The
Research Scan notes that “the evidence base regarding the benefits or
otherwise of homework is not well developed. Results to date lack coherence,
are complex, and often conflicting.” In summary, the Scan notes:
 “The ‘more homework the better’ view has no research support (Cooper,
H, 2001). (Homework for All – In Moderation, Educational Leadership,
58(7), cited in Queensland Government Department of Education and the
Arts, 2004).
 The quality of the homework assigned is likely to be more important than
the quantity (Canadian Education Association, & Ontario Institute for
Studies in Education, 2010).
 Homework must be purposeful and relevant to student needs and should not
jeopardize the right of children to enjoy a balanced lifestyle (Dixon, 2007).
 The amount of homework and time spent on it should accord with the
student’s age and developmental level (Canadian Council on Learning, 2009).
 Effort spent on homework is a stronger correlate of academic achievement
than time spent on homework (Canadian Council on Learning, 2009).
 Year level appears to be a determinant of homework’s academic effectiveness
(Blazer, 2009; Cooper, 1989).