The Value of Homework for Mathematical Success
The Value of Homework for Mathematical Success
Erik M. Andersen
University of Colorado at Denver
Abstract
The questions studied in this paper revolve around homework and if the quantity or the content of homework assignments relate to proficiency in an Algebraic unit on Functions. A study was performed on 18 similar ability high school students. The students were divided into four different homework groups and their pre and post-test test scores were compared to see if there was any statistical significance to their test results. After performing ANOVA test it was seen that due to the small size of the groups there was no significance to the mean data. However, there were trends to the data from the groups which imply different homework strategies that can be used by teachers. However, to make a solidified conclusion to the research questions, the template of this study could be used, but at a much larger scale over a longer period of time. Overall, the growth of the students from the Function pre-test to the post-test was immense, but no validated conclusions can be attributed to the varying homework groups and their test results.
The Value of Homework for Mathematical Success According to The U.S. Department of Education (2011), 35% of eighth graders in the United States were at or above proficiency in mathematics (p. 2). Although the percent of proficiency has grown from 15% in 1990, the levels at which American students truly understand mathematics is alarming when compared to that of other countries worldwide. In a recent study, American students ranked 32nd in math proficiency compared to other foreign countries and this ranking continues to drop (Peterson, Woessmann, Hanushek, & Lastra-Anadón, 2011, p. 54). One of the issues is “a deteriorating K-12 education system and a national culture that does not emphasize the importance of education and the value of engineering and
Erik M. Andersen
University of Colorado at Denver
Abstract
The questions studied in this paper revolve around homework and if the quantity or the content of homework assignments relate to proficiency in an Algebraic unit on Functions. A study was performed on 18 similar ability high school students. The students were divided into four different homework groups and their pre and post-test test scores were compared to see if there was any statistical significance to their test results. After performing ANOVA test it was seen that due to the small size of the groups there was no significance to the mean data. However, there were trends to the data from the groups which imply different homework strategies that can be used by teachers. However, to make a solidified conclusion to the research questions, the template of this study could be used, but at a much larger scale over a longer period of time. Overall, the growth of the students from the Function pre-test to the post-test was immense, but no validated conclusions can be attributed to the varying homework groups and their test results.
The Value of Homework for Mathematical Success According to The U.S. Department of Education (2011), 35% of eighth graders in the United States were at or above proficiency in mathematics (p. 2). Although the percent of proficiency has grown from 15% in 1990, the levels at which American students truly understand mathematics is alarming when compared to that of other countries worldwide. In a recent study, American students ranked 32nd in math proficiency compared to other foreign countries and this ranking continues to drop (Peterson, Woessmann, Hanushek, & Lastra-Anadón, 2011, p. 54). One of the issues is “a deteriorating K-12 education system and a national culture that does not emphasize the importance of education and the value of engineering and
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