A Study of the Impact of Homework Influenced by Students Attitudes and Interests in a

Sixth Grade Mathematics Classroom

Sarah Larson
Omaha, NE

Math in the Middle Institute Partnership

Action Research Project Report

in partial fulfillment of the MAT Degree

Department of Mathematics
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
July 2011

A Study of the Impact of Homework Influenced by Students Attitudes and Interests in a

Sixth Grade Mathematics Classroom

Abstract
In this action research of my sixth grade mathematics classroom, I investigated the
impact of homework as it is influenced by students attitudes and interests. I discovered that the
mastery level of homework is positively influenced by student motivation and interest level,
although motivation and interest level do not increase homework completion rates. As a result of
this research, I plan to further look at the factors that influence homework completion and look at
mastery levels of students over a longer period of time.

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Introduction
Knowing what aspects of learning in the classroom can provide motivation for students to
learn and work independently is a topic that teachers need to know more about. Students learn
skills in school that can impact their lives and futures. It is important for students and teachers to
know what will help students learn, and what makes students motivated to work independently
and take charge of their education. Student motivation and interest can influence homework
completion and mastery level of the content. If students are not interested in the concept or if
they are not motivated to work independently, this lack of motivation impacts whether
homework is turned in. Motivation and being able to work independently can directly impact
students success in future jobs. If the students do not master the skills of work completion, will
they be motivated at work and will their tasks get done on time?
In the past my classroom followed a simple routine. I would teach a concept, give the
students a practice page to work on during class that directly reviews the topics, and then give
the students a homework assignment to demonstrate mastery level without my guidance. I
would see the next day, or in my block schedule two days later, that the students did not fully
understand the concept or that they did not even attempt it because they would claim they did not
know how. It would become frustrating for me to see so many students without their homework,
and the ones that did have homework would not be completing it on a mastery level. I would
spend many class periods teaching concepts again that I thought the students already had learned
and mastered. In the present day testing is held at such a high regard, and I was hitting a point of
not getting all of the content in after taking so much time teaching concepts again.
During this study I allowed the students 20 minutes or more at the end of each lesson to
work on their own with the opportunity to come to the back table for small group assistance from

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one of the teachers. This would allow me to see what individual students did not understand, and
I could help them with their misconceptions before leaving for the day. By doing this I could
motivate students on more of an individualized level and help build their confidence levels. By
working with the students on such close levels I also would know if they knew enough of the
concept to attempt their homework.
Problem Statement
The way society and school systems operate is that homework is a valuable piece of the
learning process. According to our schools philosophy, a sixth grade student should be
completing 60 minutes of homework each night. One constant issue in a mathematics classroom
is the completion of homework. In order for homework to be a useful tool for student
assessment, teachers need to have the work brought back into the room. If the homework does
not get turned in, it becomes a tool that is not an accurate way to analyze their knowledge.
Unfortunately, on a given day in my classroom, about 25 percent to 50 percent of students do not
turn their homework in. This means that I am not able to use homework as a formative
assessment of student understanding to analyze and use as a teaching tool to guide my students
on a more individualized level.
The topic of homework is debated in a variety of ways by teachers, students, and parents.
There are many reasons why homework is beneficial for a student. When looking at the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2000) (NCTM) standards, which are a statement of how
students can be successful in mathematics, it is easy to see that homework can provide students
with creating a focus on curriculum and is a form of assessment. Homework also is a focus on
problem solving skills and is a form of communication for the student. Since there are so many
benefits that can come from a student working on and completing homework, it is easy to see

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why homework completion should be a focus in my classroom. If there is a rate of success to

those students completing homework, homework completion needs to be a goal for all students
and their families. Homework completion is also an issue of equity, holding all students to high
expectations.
The issue of homework ties into many aspects of the students lives. Homework is a way
for students to take responsibility for their education, and for them to gain more knowledge and
comfort in the content. By the time students enter the middle levels of education they need to be
practicing how to study on their own so they will be more successful in the future as they enter
high school and college. The more students work with material, the better they will become at
the topics at hand. Homework also provides a very needed home and school connection so
parents can be involved in their childrens education. Since the students are at the critical age
where they need to learn good study habits, they also need to have guidance outside of school to
guarantee their success. There are many reasons why parents are or are not involved in their
childs education, but as an educator I need to find those reasons why and help assist students to
be more successful.
Though this does not apply to all students, there often is a correlation between the
students who are completing their homework on a daily basis and their grades on tests and in
classroom participation. Though teachers do not teach so all students can receive an A, for the
most part a grade does reflect the mastery level that a student has on particular content presented
in class and on the homework they are completing. After discussions with the students and their
parents, I feel that there are a few reasons that students do not consistently complete their
homework. First, if the homework is seen as difficult or has too many questions, the student
does not attempt it, deeming the work as too challenging before even trying. Parent

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involvement in their childs homework is also a reason why homework may not be completed,
but if the student is achieving at a high level he or she should not need much parent involvement.
Some students have access to family members whenever they need assistance with their
homework and some even have parents who know the content well and are able to help the
student on an individual level at home. There is also the issue of student motivation. If the
student is not motivated to complete the assignment, it just is not done no matter whether the
student knows the content or the amount of assistance he or she has at home.
What I wanted to see is if those students who are currently not completing their
homework begin to do so; would this actually affect their mastery level of the content and in turn
improve their grades? There are many ways to increase homework completion, but they are
different for each student. I need to focus on the main goals of homework completion and
motivation of students while in the classroom. Once the students start to complete their daily
work I can compare their mastery level of the content to see if there is a positive correlation with
homework completion.
Through this research I explore the impact of homework and discover how meaningful it
can be through a variety of styles and approaches. I also focus on how student motivation can
influence homework completion and students mastery level of the content. I experimented with
a series of homework styles and gave a set amount of time each class period for the students to
work with me in a small group, asking questions, before leaving the room and working
independently. In the beginning and at the end of the study students complete surveys to monitor
their progress, and select students were interviewed.

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Literature Review
Homework is thought of by people in many different ways and perspectives. There are
many different positive and negative views on homework that all seem to have backing
according to results and findings of research. This paper looks at homework from the
perspective of homework styles, attitude, and interest, and as an assessment tool for
achievement. Homework styles and views are sought to influence students perspective of the
task at hand. The attitude and interest of students toward homework can be created by a variety
of influences that may be beyond their own control. Homework can also be seen as an
assessment tool that will influence or predict student achievement.
Homework Styles and Influences
Homework is seen as a connection between school and home. It is a way for students to
show what they know and for them to practice mathematical skills. Unfortunately, homework
will not be beneficial for a student if it is not completed, or is completed with low accuracy.
Bassler, Burow, and Hoover-Dempsey (1995), from Vanderbilt University, studied 69 parents of
first- through fifth-grade students through an interview. They found that a strong influence of
homework achievement was the students understandings and view of the students own abilities.
The study included structured homework activities and varied homework tasks. Bassler et al.
also state that, parents and childrens approaches to homework seem to be in place by the
middle elementary grades (p. 446). This could lead to the understanding that homework may
not be influenced by the styles but more by the influence of home routines and priorities already
set. This may be true for some classes that are studied, but when looking at an overview of my
sixth grade classroom I hypothesize that better understanding would have a direct positive
impact on homework completion.

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When looking at the philosophy of homework, one finds that the purpose of homework
can be an assessment tool for teachers to see where their students are currently performing.
Cooper and Jackson from University of Missouri-Columbia, Nye from Tennessee State
University and Lindsay with Behavioral Health Concepts (2001) did a study on the influence of
homework with the scores of standardized achievement tests. They studied 28 second- and
fourth-grade teachers and 28 students, along with their parents. The researchers collected their
data through questionnaires, surveys, and standardized tests. They concluded that students
attitude toward homework was not associated with homework completion, nor did it show a
direct path to grade (p. 196). They originally hypothesized that the opposite would take place.
A similar study trying to connect homework and academic achievement was done by
Cooper, Patall, and Robinson (2006) from Duke University. This research started in 1987 and
looked at grades kindergarten through 12th. The researchers collected data through a variety of
variables and subjects. They found that with, high school students the positive relation between
time on homework and achievement did not appear until at least one hour of homework (p. 52).
This study had many flaws and was done over a series of students with changing outcomes. One
constant they found was that students in secondary grades were more likely to have a correlation
between homework and achievement, but an overall link between homework and achievement
did not have a strong link. When looking at the sixth graders that I work with, I hypothesized
that there would be a strong correlation between homework and grades.
The studies discussed above do not directly study students from the same area of the
United States as where this study was taken place, so it would be beneficial to look at the study
done by Balli, Demo, and Wedman (1998). They studied family involvement with homework in
74 Midwestern sixth-grade students and their families. All students were instructed by the same

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teacher within three different classrooms. Data were collected through a variety of assignments,
interviews, and surveys. Though the researchers did find some data that would indicate family
involvement influencing homework, the authors ultimately found that two-parent families are
more likely to help with homework than are single-parent families (p. 156). Balli et al.s study
correlates with this one in a variety of ways; this study looks at other factors that may influence
homework completion and achievement more strongly than family involvement. Since the
classroom in this study is instructed by two teachers, this gives students more of a chance to
work in a small group with a teacher, which can possibly reach more students before going home
and trying to work independently.
Though it is not clear whether homework styles can actually influence students
completing their work, it seems clear by looking at past studies that adults influence students the
most. Knowing that is a factor that is uncontrollable by an instructor in the classroom, this study
looks at other factors that can influence students homework completion and achievement.
While working with students in the classroom it is important for students to have a variety of
homework styles, but for them to be influenced by positive adult role models.
Students Interest and Attitudes
A major factor in homework completion is students attitudes and interest. There are a
variety of factors that influence a students attitude and interest. One factor would be anxiety.
Hancock (2001) from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte did a study on achievement
and motivation of 61 postsecondary students. The students were tested to see their levels of
achievement and motivation, and another to test their anxiety levels. The study showed that
there was not a high correlation between anxiety, achievement, and motivation. In general,
students who are characteristically test anxious are not more or less motivated to learn than are

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students who are not predisposed toward test anxiety (p. 288). This study was done with
students that are at a higher level of education and are naturally more motivated to learn, so in
my study I am looking at motivation as it relates to a middle level group of students.
Cooper, Jackson, Lindsay, and Nye (2001) found that, students attitude toward
homework was unrelated to classmate norms, student ability, and home and community factors
but related positively to parents attitude toward homework (p. 197). This directly ties to the
research being conducted. They go on to say, Positive parent attitudes toward homework not
only predicted amount of parent facilitation but also directly related to students attitude toward
homework (p. 197). If the parents can influence homework to such a great degree, then one
would naturally hope that the students personal motivation from the classroom would also a
play a role in homework completion.
Knowing how parents play such a key role in students motivation, it would be beneficial
to see why. This would help lead teachers to an understanding of how they can more readily
affect students attitude and motivation toward their homework and studies. Muller (1995) from
University of Texas did a study on 13,881 eighth-grade students and their parents. The parents
were looked at on 11 forms of involvement and the students performance was measured on a
standardized test. Through this study the author found that the most influencing factor was the
mothers employment status. Muller states, The principal findings are that the category of parttime employment of mothers appears to identify parents with higher overall levels of
involvement and students with higher base-year test scores (p. 95). Muller also discusses the
reasons why this may be true, including time to be involved compared to mothers working fulltime, but the study was not actually conducted over this. I think it would be important to study if

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it has to be the parents who give a child extra time to be actively involved to increase student
motivation, or if it can be an educator who gives this time within the school day.
A similar study was conducted by Bowen and Lee (2006) at University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill. They studied five particular types of parent involvement. The study started in
2004 and included 415 third- through fifth-grade students. Parents were given a survey of five
categories of parent educational involvement. Bowen and Lee found that parent involvement at
school created the greatest difference in levels of motivation. Given the high levels of
association between parent involvement at school and childrens academic achievement observed
in this study and previous work and the importance of close home-school relationships in general
for childrens academic achievement (p. 210). It is obvious that parents play a large role in all
aspects of a childs life, but what is not always clear is the impact that the teacher has on
students attitudes and interest in their education.
Balli, Demo, and Wedman (1998) also studied family involvement with middle grade
students homework. They state, Family members difficulties with concepts suggest that
family involvement with homework is not necessarily a dichotomy, but rather a continuum (p.
156). Knowing that each family and student come from a different background and home life,
this seems like it should be a fact. Balli et al. go on to say, What constitutes quality in terms of
family involvement with homework and how that quality influences student achievement
remains unknown (p. 156). One thing that is known is that teachers cannot control the effects
of family and homework, but what can be controlled is what is taught in the classroom, and to
what degree teachers can influence students attitudes while they are in the classroom.
When looking at past research it is agreed that students are influenced most by their
families, which play a big part in their attitudes and interests in their education. It is also clear to

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see that there are many factors that play part in trying to see the extent and reasons why students
react to the educational process the way they do. This study was conducted to look at how to
influence students attitudes and interests toward current mathematics topics while in the
classroom. To control what students learn and properly prepare them to complete their work
independently could have an influence on students attitudes toward mathematics and in turn
their homework.
Homework influencing Assessment and Achievement
Homework is commonly seen as an assessment tool that can help predict what a student
knows. In turn it is also a factor that can influence achievement. As discussed previously,
families are one of the biggest influences of students homework completion. Balli, Demo, and
Wedman (1998) found that higher levels of family involvement were not associated with higher
student achievement (p. 156). Balli et al.s study correlates with this one in a variety of ways,
so it was interesting to see if another factor influences homework completion and achievement
more strongly than family involvement.
Parent involvement on student growth was a focus of the study by Fan (2001) from
University of Virginia. This study was a follow up of the National Education Longitudinal Study
of 1988. The study was conducted with about 24,500 eighth-grade students through
questionnaires and achievement tests. Previously, there have been four follow-ups to this study.
One major finding of Fans study is that, Parents Education Aspiration for their children stands
out for its most obvious positive effect on students academic growth (p. 57). If it is true that
aspirations from a parent can affect students growth, it would be a strong influence for this
study that a teacher might have the same effect. If teachers can work on students attitudes and

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interests with positive aspirations for their mathematics achievement it might correlate to
positive results.
Similar results were yielded by the study of parent involvement and the achievement gap
done by Bowen and Lee (2006) found that, Parents higher educational expectations for their
children were associated with higher academic achievement across the demographic groups
assessed (p. 212). This would lead to the implication that students success could closely relate
to the expectations that people have for them.
Though many studies have been done to try and connect the effects of homework and
achievement on tests, a study conducted by Cooper, Patall, and Robinson (2006) claims, it
seems clear that more recent studies that introduced homework as an exogenous intervention
have revealed more impressive effects of homework (p. 52). The authors may have found very
impressive results for homework, but it is rare to find a study that shows results that are this
strong. My study has a similar focus to this study but is conducted with a different group of
children at a different age level.
Another study by Hancock (2001) states, students with a predisposition toward test
anxiety do not achieve at a lower level then do students who are not naturally test anxious (p.
288). This study looked at how attitudes influence achievement in students in the middle grades
rather than those at a post secondary level.
Through looking at past studies of the effects of homework and achievement it is clear
that the results are all very unclear. There are many factors that can influence student
achievement, and the purpose of this study is to look at the influences of homework. Through
this study we will look at some of those influences.

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Summary
This study correlates with the research in many different ways, but it is clear to see that
not many of the studies were conducted in the middle levels, or in this area of the United States.
The purpose of this study is to see the impacts of homework in a particular sixth grade classroom
in Nebraska. It is also be set apart by the fact that this class is taught by two instructors, a
general educator and a special education teacher.
Purpose Statement
The purpose of my action research project is to explore the impact of homework and how
varying the style and approaches of homework may influence student attitude toward math,
homework quality, and homework completion rates. I examine the variables of homework
completion rates of students, number of quality (levels 3.5 to 5 on a five point scale which is an
A or B as a letter grade) answers to homework questions, and level of student interest and
attitudes in the mathematics classroom, in seeking to answer four research questions. First, what
happens to my teaching when I focus lessons on student attitudes and interest rather than content
alone? Second, how does homework completion look when I change the style of the questions
asked? Third, what happens to the mastery level of homework when I extend the amount of time
that students get in class to practice the content and work in a small group with me to ask
questions? Fourth, how does homework completion look when I give the students time in class
to individually self monitor?
Method
My research started on January 4, 2011, and was completed on March 17, 2011. The
study was conducted in a classroom of 25 students with varying degrees of mathematical ability.
The abilities ranged from high to special education verification in mathematics. To differentiate

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the instruction and meet each individual students needs, a co-teacher also participated in the
study and taught in the classroom. Each class the students had the opportunity to work in a small
group with a teacher to ask any clarifying questions over the content. This allowed the teachers
to focus on individual students motivation and interests while working on mastery of the
content.
To better understand my students motivation and interests toward mathematics and
homework, I started off by giving a survey to the students. It included seven questions that
asked about their motivation and interest toward mathematics, their understanding of the
concepts, and their opinions on homework (see Appendix A for survey questions). I then gave
the same survey on the last day of the research period, and compared the results with those taken
on the first day.
Each week my co-teacher and I recorded our thoughts and the students comments into a
journal. The journal also included content being learned, time allotted to work in a small group
with a teacher, and events that took place during class that could have affected students
knowledge of the content (see Appendix B for journal prompts). Each class, I also collected the
students homework and calculated the percentage of homework turned in, and the mastery level
of the homework turned in. On the last week of the study, students were selected to be
interviewed. I interviewed 11 students with a varying degree of ability and homework
completion rates (see Appendix C for interview questions). The journal entries, interviews, and
surveys allowed me to see changes within my own teacher over the research study.
There were a few influences that affected the data collection. During the time of the
research study, the students had a weeks worth of mid-year assessments in math class and
another week in reading class. They also had a shortened week because of student-led

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conferences, and a week of CAT (California Achievement Test) testing that shortened class time.
Another impact on the data would be that the homework completion rates also influenced the
mastery level. Since I could not calculate the mastery level of the homework that was not turned
in, the mastery level percents do not reflect the class as a whole.
Findings
To analyze all the data that were collected, I looked at each research question
individually to draw some conclusions. This way I was able to break down all the data to look at
my teaching for each individual question. A typical day in the mathematics classroom would
start with the students solving a bell-work question (a question that covers the previous days
content) while I check over their homework. Checking homework takes me 5-10 minutes to look
over Acuity work or a notebook question. Since the practice pages are much longer in length,
those are collected and checked after class. When checking homework I look at how many
students turned the homework in, and how many of those students reached mastery level. Once
all the homework is checked, the class goes over bell-work.
Then new content is presented to the students. This is presented in a short lesson that
lasts 10-20 minutes. The students receive cloze notes (a copy of the lecture that has blanks so
the student focus on the content and not copying definitions) to use while the teacher is lecturing.
The lectures give students the opportunity to ask questions and solve questions on the board.
Our classroom is equipped with a Smart Board, which allows the students to have more
interaction with the content.
After they are presented with new content the students are given an in-class practice page
where they work independently on mastering that content. The practice pages are leveled to
align with our grading system and are how I keep track if students are performing on mastery

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level. The practice pages are about 10 questions in length. The students have the opportunity to
work on their practice page for the remainder of the class. If the students complete the practice
page with time left in class the students can pick an activity off the Finished Early wall (a wall
with math fact games listed) to work on until the class time is over.
With bell-work only lasting 10-15 minutes and a lesson 10-20 minutes, the students are
able to work independently for about 30 minutes. This time allows the teachers to talk to the
students on an individualized or small group level to better understand their knowledge and
guide any misconceptions on the content they may have. The strategy that I used in the
classroom is called coachs corner, where students could come to a table in the corner of the
room and get some extra coaching on the new content. Students have to independently come to
the table if they need assistance. On the majority of the days the students are able to complete
their practice pages during this time, and I am able to look over them and provide some
assistance to the students who have some misconceptions on the content. This also takes place at
the coachs corner.
The last 10-15 minutes of class is set aside for the closure and to pass out homework.
The closure comes in the form of an exit ticket (a question that had to do with the days new
content). When the student thinks they have the question solved correctly they raise his or her
hand. During closure it is a very beneficial time to have two teachers in the classroom. If
students do not get their exit ticket correct, a teacher can sit and work it out with them as a final
opportunity for the students to fix their misconceptions before leaving the classroom. When
students have the question right, they receive their homework question for the night.
I wanted to see what happens to my teaching when I focus my lessons on student
motivation rather than content alone. I found that students are more independent in completing

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their work when I focus my lessons on student motivation rather than content alone. When
looking at my journals I found that on the days that I teach new content, and I give the students
20 minutes or more of work time, they ask more questions and more students were coming to the
back table to work in a small group with a teacher. In my teachers journal January 14, 2011, I
stated, Since the groups were so small we could gear the content to students specific levels.
Students were asking a lot of questions comfortably and completing their work independently
after guidance. My co-teacher also took advantage of this time by teaching the concept in a
different way for students to better understand. In my co-teachers journal on February 17, 2011,
she stated, Manipulatives were passed around and I think that helped them get a big picture of
the concept.
The first four questions on my surveys for students had to do with motivation. The items
were stated: I like math, I am good at math, I like to answer questions in math class, and I feel
comfortable asking questions if I do not understand a concept. The students were asked to rate
their degree of agreement with these statements, on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being strongly
agree. The results from the pre- and post-surveys are on the following table.
Pre-Survey
Post-Survey
Mean
Standard Deviation
Mean
Standard Deviation
1
3.72
1.28
4.08
.92
2
3.48
1.52
3.92
1.08
3
3.44
1.56
3.56
1.44
4
3.64
1.36
3.84
1.16
When looking at the results of the survey, one can see that when focusing on students

Question

n=25

motivation during lessons and class time, there were small increases that show that the students
were more confident with the content and in their work, which in turn made the students feel
slightly more comfortable completing their assignments. The confidence and comfort level
increases are shown by comparing the pre- and post-surveys for each of the four questions, and

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the standard deviation decreased for all. The results also became apparent during the student
interviews. When asked, How successful do you feel about using Math skills in and out of
class? students had positive attributes to state, such as confident, very successful, or
medium, sometimes I dont get it. There was only one student who answered the question
with not a lot. Two students stated that they use their math skills to help their younger
brothers complete their math homework.
When looking at quotes from the teachers journals, the survey results, and the students
perspectives from the interview, one can see that students are more confident in completing their
work when I focus my lessons on student motivation rather than content alone. The results have
been shown only slightly, but in all of the journals, surveys, and interviews the data has only
seen positive influences. By giving the students extra time in class to work, ask questions, and
master the concept overall, students and teachers are seeing the positive influence this has on
students confidence.
To see how homework completion looks when I give the students time in class to
individually self monitor, I calculated the homework completion rates for a class of 25 students
each day.
Homework
Style:
Completion
Rate

1
P

2
A

3
A

4
A

5
A

0.52

0.52

0.36

0.44

0.48

(A)-Acuity on-line

6
A

7
A

8
A

9
N

10
A

0.52

0.6

0.56

0.4

0.48

(N)-Notebook Question

11
P

12
N

13
A

14
N

15
A

16
A

17
P

18
N

19
A

20
N

0.32

0.48

0.48

0.64

0.44

0.52

0.64

0.36

0.32

0.52

(P)-Practice Page

When looking at the data, all of the homework completion rates were between 0.32 and
0.64. There was not a large increase in the number of students who are consistently turning in
their homework. Looking back at the teacher journals, during all but two days (homework 18
and 19 during CAT testing), the students are given 20 minutes or more to review the content and
ask questions to complete their work independently. Daily, the teachers also checked the
students agendas so they knew and were able to keep track of the homework assignments that

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were due each day. During this time the completion rate stayed around 50 percent. In my
teachers journal on February 4, 2011, I stated, They really enjoyed and understood the lesson,
and They were also excited for a homework question, but had a low completion percent.
During the student interviews, I interviewed a variety of students at different levels of
homework completion. When analyzing the answers to their questions, I could see patterns of
those students who consistently turn in their work and those who do not. I interviewed six
students who had a homework completion rate of 75 percent or greater. They all answered the
question of, How much time on average do you spend on homework assignments? with 20-30
minutes. I interviewed three students who have a homework completion rate of 25 percent or
less and they answered the same question with 5 minutes, not much, and not a lot. My coteacher became concerned when reviewing homework completion rates stating on March 4,
2011, Only about half the students did homework and a smaller percent of special education
students completed homework.
While reviewing the data, one can clearly see that the homework completion rates did not
significantly change after focusing lessons on students motivation rather than content alone. As
stated earlier, students were more confident in their work during class, but this did not translate
in students completing their homework independently at home and turning it in.
I also wanted to know how homework completion looks when I change the style of the
questions asked. The three styles of homework that were presented to the students were: Acuity,
which is an online program that has a lesson then a series of three questions; a Notebook
Question, which is one question that the students answer in their homework notebook; and
Practice Pages, which are worksheets over current content. I found that the homework
completion rates did not significantly change throughout this study or across the different styles

P a g e |19

of homework questions. The following tables show the homework completion rates for each
style of homework. Each day includes all 25 students; the classroom policy is if a student is
absent, a student can turn in their work the next day without penalty.
Acuity
Homework
Completion
Question
Rate
2
0.52
3
0.36
4
0.44
5
0.48
6
0.52
7
0.6
8
0.56
10
0.48
13
0.48
15
0.44
16
0.52
19
0.32
Mean
0.48

Notebook Question
Homework
Completion
Question
Rate
9
0.4
12
0.48
14
0.64
18
0.36
20
0.52
Mean
0.48

Practice Page
Homework
Completion
Question
Rate
1
0.52
11
0.32
17
0.64
Mean
0.49

After calculating the mean for each of the homework styles, one can see that the
homework styles of Acuity and Notebook Question have the same mean and Practice Page is
only one hundredth of a point higher (means are rounded the nearest hundredth). This shows
that there is not a significant change between the three different styles of homework assigned to
the students.
This conclusion also came out while I was conducting student interviews. When I asked
the students, We practiced many styles of homework, did you have a favorite? and Why was
it your favorite? I got different answers. One student stated The notebook question, its my
favorite because you use more thinking. Another said Acuity, its easier. I also heard
Acuity, it tells you if wrong or right and why. Yet another student stated Practice Page,
the fractions are easy. Each student has his or her own particular learning style. The different
learning styles allowed students to work in a way that may be more comfortable for them. In my

P a g e |20

teachers journal on February 8, 2011, I quoted student comments stating, The majority of the
students thought it (the coordinate plane) was easy and were eager to work in class, but,
students forgot or just didnt complete their homework.
Though each of the students have their own particular leaning style and in interviews I
found that they all prefer different homework styles, I found that the homework completion rates
did not significantly change across the different styles of homework questions. This was even
more apparent when I figured the mean of each homework style. It was shocking to see that the
mean for all three homework styles were almost identical. I was expecting the online homework
to be lower than the others since it is nontraditional. I also expected the homework question to
be higher since the students are only expected to complete a question or two compared to the
others where they complete 12 to 25 questions.
Lastly, I wanted to know what happens to the mastery level (3.5-5 on a 5 point grading
scale) of homework when I extended the amount of time that students got in class to practice the
content and work in a small group with me to ask questions. I found that more students
completed their work on a mastery level when they are given 20 or more minutes in class to
independently work over the new content, out of those students who turned in their homework.
Homework
Style:
Percent of
questions
answered at
Mastery Level

1
P

2
A

3
A

4
A

5
A

6
A

7
A

8
A

9
N

10
A

11
P

12
N

13
A

14
N

15
A

16
A

17
P

18
N

19
A

20
N

0.92

0.83

0.92

0.6

0.57

0.7

0.83

0.92

0.94

0.36

0.85

0.25

0.62

(A)-Acuity on-line

(N)-Notebook Question

(P)-Practice Page

Out of the homework that was turned in each day, 70 percent of students achieved master
level on at least 80 percent of the items on that homework assignment. When looking at samples
of work from the homework that did not meet a mastery level compared to those that did, I found
many differences when comparing them.

P a g e |21

After a lesson on finding mean, median, mode, and range of a group of numbers, I
assigned Acuity to review this concept. For an Acuity assignment, students are supposed to
work out the problems before selecting a multiple choice answer. They work out six problems
with computer assistance and six problems on their own. Here is an example of an Acuity
assignment for two students who did not reach mastery level.

Student4

Student9

When looking at the sample from student 4, this student only wrote the answer choices
that she chose. She did not work out any of the problems, and therefore did not show that she
knew or had mastered the content the content that has been taught. This also does not provide
the teacher an opportunity to review the students work and correct any misconceptions that she
may have. Then there is the sample from student 9. This student did have work, but it is hard to
see what exactly his work is trying to show, or even what question the work goes with. When I
interviewed student 4 I asked the question; what are the benefits of justifying your answers on
your homework assignments? She stated none. It was obvious that she did not understand that

P a g e |22

showing her work could help her and her teachers check her work and correct any
misconceptions she may have. Here are another two examples of the same Acuity assignment for
two students who did reach mastery level.

Student7

Student2

P a g e |23

In both the examples from students 7 and 2 see that they clearly work out all of the
problems. When looking at their work the teacher can see exactly what the question was asking
for, and how they got their answer. Unlike the work that was previously seen, this gives the
opportunity to visit with the student and teach any part of the concept that the students may not
have mastered over again.
When looking at student samples and the mastery levels of their homework I found that
more students complete their work on a mastery level when they are given 20 minutes or more in
class to independently work over the new content, out of those students who are turning in their
homework. My co-teacher referenced this in her journal on February 8, 2011, when she stated,
Acuity scores were high for those that completed it (homework).
When focusing on students motivation rather than content alone, students were working
more independently and were more motivated to ask questions in class. In doing this the majority
of students were also completing their homework on a mastery level. On the other hand, this
time in class working on student motivation did not have an impact on homework completion.
Homework completion also was not affected by assigning different styles of homework.
Conclusions
Student motivation and interest proved to have a positive impact on the mastery level of
their homework. This would agree with the Bassler, Burow, and Hoover-Depmsy (1995) study.
One factor that did influence my data is that I could only measure mastery level of those students
who completed their work. In other words, the results may have been slightly different if the
calculation of mastery level included all of the students instead of just a portion.
Another factor of student motivation and interest would be homework completion rates. I
found that student motivation and interest does not play a role in homework completion. These

P a g e |24

results would follow the results of Cooper, Jackson, Lindsay, and Nye (2001) but contradict the
results of Hancock (2001). Over the course of this study the homework completion stayed
around 50 percent. This stayed true across three different styles of homework, and when given
more time to master the concepts in a small group with a teacher before leaving and working
independently.
Implications
Next year I will continue to work on students motivation and interest toward
mathematics concepts. When looking at my teaching journals and when analyzing their
homework, it was clear to see that their mastery levels increased. I will continue to give the
students class time to work with the teacher and ask questions. This will allow me to better
understand my students levels of understanding and guide them to overcome some
misconceptions. I also will continue to find new ways to motivate students to turn in their
homework. During this study I found that students understood the concepts and were motivated
to learn, but their homework was still not getting done on a regular basis. When interviewing
students there was not a clear preference in homework styles, and the amount of homework
completed for each style was almost the same. Next year I will still try to find new ways to
reach my students and get them to attempt their homework. I think with incorporating what I
have learned from this study and by trying new strategies for homework completion with my
students, they will have a rich and meaningful mathematics experience.

P a g e |25

References
Balli, S.J., Demo, D.H., & Wedman, J.F. (1998). Family involvement with children's homework:
an intervention in the middle grades. Family Relations, 47(2), 149-157.
Bassler, O.C., Burow, R., & Hoover-Dempsey, K.V. (1995). Parents' reported involvementin
students' homework: strategies and practices. The Elementary School Journal, 95(5), 435450.
Bowen, N.K., & Lee, J.S. (2006). Parent involvement, cultural capital, and the achievement gap
among elementary school children. American Educational Research Journal, 43(2),
193-218.
Cooper, H., Jackson, K., Nye, B., & Lindsay, J.J. (2001). A model of homework's influence on
the performance evaluations of elementary school students. A Journal of Experimental
Education, 69(2), 181-199.
Cooper, H., Robinson, J.C., & Patall, E.A. (2006). Does homework improve academic
achievement? A synthesis of research, 1987-2003. Review of Educational Research,
76(1), 1-62.
Fan, X. (2001). Parental involvement and students' academic achievement: a growth modeling
analysis. The Journal of Experimental Education, 70(1), 27-61.
Hancock, D.R. (2001). Effects of test anxiety and evaluative threat on students' achievement and
motivation. The Journal of Educational Research, 94(5), 284-290.
Muller, C. (1995). Maternal employment, parent involvement, and mathematics achievement
among adolescents. Journal of Marriage and Family, 57(1), 85-100.

P a g e |26

Appendix A: Student Survey

Please give your honest response to each statement, one being low and five being high.
1. I like math
1

2. I am good at math
1

3. I like to answer questions in math class

1

4. I feel comfortable asking questions if I do not understand a concept

1

5. I am able to complete my homework independently outside of school

1

6. I understand new math concepts before leaving the classroom

1

7. I am confident in the solutions I find to homework questions

1

P a g e |27

Appendix B: Teacher Journal Reflection Questions

1. What changes have a seen in the students this week?
2. What really went well (or not so well) when focusing lessons on students attitudes and
interests?
3. What surprised me this week while look at the responses to the students daily homework?
4. What did I learn this week about my students, regarding their attitudes and interests in the
classroom?
5. What was the style of homework, and what was the percentage turned in?

P a g e |28

Appendix C: Student Interview Questions

1. How much time on average do you spend on homework assignments?
2. What do you think is the purpose of math homework?
3. What does it look like when you justify your answers on a homework assignment?
4. What are the benefits of justifying your answers on your homework assignments, if any?
5. How successful do you feel about using Math skills in and out of class?
Give an example of how you use Math outside of class.
6. What do you think about when your teacher asks questions during Math class?
7. What do you like best about Math? What do you like least about Math?
8. What makes math easy or difficult for you?
9. Have you ever had a really bad experience with math? If so, what happened?
What could teachers do to help students with in math?
10. Has your attitude about working word problems changed during your 6th grade year?
11. I would like you to work a few math problems, saying aloud whatever it is you are
thinking as you work through the problem. I especially want to hear you talk about how
you decide what to do to solve the problems.

What is probability (level 3)

If you have a bag of tiles that spells MATHEMATICS, what is the probability of
drawing a consonant (level 4)

What is the difference between theoretical and experimental probability (level 5)

12. We practiced many styles of homework, did you have a favorite? Why was it your favorite?
13. Is there anything else I should know about you to better understand your general math
experience?