The role of homework in classrooms is not a new debate. Many parents and teachers are ardent supporters of homework. But do all students benefit from homework? A 2006 research paper suggested some correlation between the amount of homework done by a student and future academic achievement for middle and high school students but not so much for younger kids.
A Stanford study in 2014 suggested the same was true for students in California's affluent communities. The findings challenged the idea that homework was "inherently good." The researchers concluded that there was an upper limit to the correlation between homework and achievement, suggesting that high school students shouldn't be doing more than two hours of homework a night. And the most valuable kind of homework for elementary-level children was simply assigned free reading.
The topic gets more complicated when we talk about the divide between rural and urban communities. Studies found that in remote areas, the poor quality or lack of internet access can put students at a disadvantage because 70% of teachers in these areas assign homework that requires internet access. But one in three households doesn't have internet. Experts assert homework requiring the internet isn't fair.
While the debate continues about the effect of homework on academic achievements, there are studies focusing on other benefits of homework. A study in Germany found that homework could have an effect on students' personalities, suggesting that doing homework might help kids to become more conscientious and independent learners.