Reforming Homework: Practices, Learning and Policies

The controversy over homework has raged for over 100 years and is being reignited by new research by educators not only about homework's purpose and design, but also about the definition of the word itself. Through years of research, the authors propose that a sociocultural conception of homework provides a superior explanation for the value of homework for student learning. Reforming Homework discusses the sociocultural conception of homework and the research conducted into schools which are engaging in these reform practices. The book argues that there are two main problems with homework as it is currently planned and organised. First, much homework is repetitive (practice) and does not contribute to new learning. Secondly, much homework is too complex and difficult for students to complete by themselves. Such complex tasks come at a considerable cost to family life, parental time and equity. The book promotes the view that there are different ways of approaching homework as a cultural practice and that there are different ways of ways of organising homework for different school and cultural contexts.