Republic of the Philippines

Philippine Normal University

The National Center for Teacher Education
INSTITUTE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

The Efficacy of Tasking Homework With Purpose In Increasing Student Achievement In

English Class

A Classroom-Based Action Research Manuscript presented to the

Philippine Normal University-Institute of Teaching and Learning

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Field Studies 1 and 2

Submitted to:
Professor Annabelle D.C. Palmiery
Professor Felicidad Corenna E. Broño

Submitted by:
DELOS REYES, Nhivrazzir M.

MAY 2022
 Republic of the Philippines
Philippine Normal University
The National Center for Teacher Education
INSTITUTE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

ABSTRACT

Over the years, there has been a stream of research linked to homework and its impact
on student achievement. However, there is a gap in the type of homework
reinforcement best aids students. Hence, this study explored the efficacy of tasking
purposeful homework to increase student achievement in their English class. The
researchers collected data from grade nine students in a school in Manila through pre
and post-test with homework purposes (practice, preparation, and extension) from the
instructional homework purposes outlined by Lee and Pruitt (1979) as the intervention in
between. The results showed a significant increase in students' achievement as
observed from the improvement from their pretest to post-test after the implementation
of homework purposes. Further results revealed practice homework poses the most
effective in increasing test scores of secondary English learners.

Keywords: homework, homework purposes, practice, preparation, extension

INTRODUCTION

Homework, when designed and implemented properly, is a valuable tool to address low
student achievement in the language classroom. Although the relationship between
homework and student achievement has been controversial in education, homework
can effectively reinforce learning, teach study skills and responsibility, and promote
higher student achievement (Carr, 2013). Following Vatterott's (2010) five fundamental
characteristics of good homework, teachers must identify and design homework with a
clear purpose aligned with learning objectives to tailor the needs and abilities of the
students. However, each purpose may have a profound and varying impact on a
student's academic success.

Extensive data are available discussing the relationship between homework behaviors
(e.g., the amount of time spent on homework and homework frequency) and students'
academic achievement; however, there is limited research on the relationship between
different types of homework purposes and academic achievement (Epstein & Van
Voorhis, 2001, 2012; Hallam, 2004; Warton, 2001).
 Republic of the Philippines
Philippine Normal University
The National Center for Teacher Education
INSTITUTE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
The researchers determined low student achievement in the classroom as an area of
concern. With that, the researchers adapt the instructional homework purposes of Lee
and Pruitt (1979) to determine if providing homework with purposes increases student
achievement in an English class. The group will design homework for each purpose to
determine their validity in aiding student achievement in their English class.

Afterward, formative assessment will be used to determine the effectiveness of

homework purposes. The results will provide evidence of their achievement and shall be
linked to the homework purpose given to them.

Through this study, the researchers aim to address how assigning homework with
purpose can aid in increasing student achievement in English class. The result will
determine what homework purpose is most efficient in helping the students achieve
more in class.

Research Questions

This research aims to increase student achievement in a public high school English
classroom using various homework purposes and observe what homework purpose
best aids the students.

As such, the researchers intend to answer the following questions:

1. Are there statistically significant differences in student achievement between

the different homework purposes?

2. Which homework purpose is the most effective?

Definition of Terms

1. Homework. Refers to reinforcement and learning resources for educational activities

outside school hours.
2. Homework Purposes. Refer to the clear academic purpose of homework, allowing
students to practice, test their understanding of the lesson, and apply their knowledge
and skills.
3. Extension Homework. Refers to applying academically learned concepts in real-life
applications or situations, which develops their problem-solving skills and transfers
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learning to new tasks.
4. Practice Homework. Refers to instilling lesson concepts in students' long-term
memory that illustrates, practice, and speed up the knowledge they have learned in
class, knowledge retention, reviewing of work, and test preparation.
5. Preparation Homework. Refers to introducing lessons and concepts to students
before the meeting, equipping them with necessary information during class.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Homework and Student Achievement

Homework and its impact on student achievement have been debated among educators
for decades. Several studies reached a consensus that homework can positively impact
student achievement, but the amount and purpose of homework assigned can make a
significant difference.

The link between homework and student achievement has been discussed in various
education research to measure its effectiveness. Interestingly, specific studies have
proven that homework distribution and completion positively affect learners' academic
competence. For instance, students who accomplished their homework showed
significant improvement in standardized test scores and subject grades compared to
learners who did not have homework (Cooper et al., 2007; Fernández-Alonso et al.,
2015; Maltese et al., 2007).

Homework completion also produced promising achievement gains and commending

grade point averages in secondary learners (Trautwein et al., 2002; Kalenkoski &
Pabilonia, 2014). Compellingly, homework integration improved student achievement,
even for learners with emotional disabilities and learning conditions. Assigning
homework showed wonders in their assessment scores, particularly in math and
spelling (Sharma, 2013; Rosenberg, 1989; Callahan et al., 1998, as cited in Batterson,
2009).

However, despite these satisfactory findings, particular research discoveries claim that
homework minimally affects student achievement. The descriptive study of Chaya
(2021) asserts that traditional homework failed to display effectiveness in enhancing
student achievement due to its design and method of delivery. Homework completion
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became tedious as it negatively affected learners' psychological, mental, physical, and
familial aspects of life.

Fernández-Alonso et al., (2015) found that too much homework can be

counterproductive. Students who spent more than two hours per night on homework
tended to perform worse on exams, indicating a point of diminishing returns when it
comes to homework.

Another critical factor to consider is the purpose of the homework assigned. Homework
that is too easy or too difficult can be ineffective in improving student achievement.
Assigning homework that reinforces what was learned in class or challenges students to
extend what they have learned in new ways can be more effective in improving
academic performance ((Rosário et al., 2015).

Moreover, Gustafson (2022) revealed a minimal relationship between quantity-focused

homework completion and summative assessment achievement in suburban schools.
The points mentioned indicate that homework construction is needed to be recalibrated
to ensure that it is pedagogically correct and aligned toward positive student
achievement.

Thus, homework can positively impact academic performance when assigned

appropriately. Teachers should carefully consider the amount and purpose of homework
they assign to ensure that it is effective in helping students achieve their full potential.

Homework Purposes

It is essential to provide students with tasks that are meaningful to their learning. As
homework is a tool to reinforce and supplement students' learning outside of class, it
also has its classification of what constitutes effective homework. The study by Vatterott
(2010) outlined the five hallmarks of good homework. Along with efficiency, ownership,
competence, and aesthetic appeal, it also highlighted purpose. Vatterott (2010) stated
that homework should have a clear academic purpose. It should allow students to
practice, test their understanding of the lesson, and apply their knowledge and skills.
This means that we do away with giving rote memory tasks instead of giving ones that
can reveal how the students understand a concept. Thus, when teachers fail to consider
other aspects of homework, mainly the purpose of a homework task, assigning more
homework does not result in improved homework performance (Rosario et al., 2015).
 Republic of the Philippines
Philippine Normal University
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INSTITUTE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
To maximize the advantages of homework, Lee and Pruitt (1979) provided an overview
of the purposes of each homework task. Preparation homework is designed to prepare
students for upcoming lessons or exams. This type of homework has positively
impacted academic achievement across all subject areas.

Practice homework aims at reinforcing what students have learned in class and is often
used to help students develop their skills and increase their knowledge. Research has
shown that practice homework is particularly effective for improving academic
achievement in mathematics and science. As it focuses on class tasks to improve
speed, demonstrate mastery, review work, prepare for exams, and retain particular
skills over time (Epstein & Van Voorhis, 2001, p. 182).

Extension homework extends students' learning beyond what is covered in class.

Integration homework is designed to help students integrate their learning across
different subject areas. This type of homework can be particularly effective for
promoting critical thinking skills and creativity.

Effective integration of these homework purposes promotes student involvement and

deep learning. In line with this, it is necessary to determine if providing homework with a
purpose increases student achievement and which type of purpose significantly affects
student learning.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Figure 1. Graphical conceptual framework

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Figure 1 illustrates the study's conceptual framework. The three lifted homework
purposes from the instructional homework purposes outlined by Lee and Pruitt (1979):
practice, preparation, and extension are the independent variables, and student
achievement is the dependent variable. The study aims to increase student
achievement by determining the significant differences between the effects of the three
homework purposes on student achievement and identifying which purpose significantly
contributes to increasing low student achievement in the English class. Vatterott's
(2010) five hallmarks of good homework specified purpose as an indicator of effective
homework. Designing homework with specifications of purpose and considering
students' needs, characteristics, and subject matter contributes to their achievement in
class. The types of homework that prompt students to prepare, practice, and transfer
their learning for effective student achievement posits alignment with the Cognitivist
Theory.

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This study used an experimental research design to determine the efficacy of homework
on student achievement. The researchers administered pre and post-test assessments
to determine the improvement in student achievement. The researchers then crafted
homework in line with the instructional homework purposes outlined by Lee and Pruitt
(1979) as the intervention between the two.

Participants

The research participants of this study are chosen using the purposive sampling
method, which is the students from Grade 9 in a Public High School in Manila. This
class is handled by one of the researchers of this study, and they were identified as a
class with low student achievement in English among the other sections of the
researchers in this study.
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Procedure

After the proposed title was checked and approved by the research supervisor, the
researchers proceeded to ask the permission of the coordinating teacher to conduct the
study in his class. Once the approval was secured, the researchers explained the
purpose of the study and the confidentiality agreement between the researchers and
participants. This was to ensure that the participants were rightfully informed about the
said research. Then, the researchers handed out consent forms to know if the
participants would participate.

The data collection ran for three weeks, with one week allotted for each assignment
purpose. Every week, a researcher conducted a pretest-posttest evaluation. After
discovering the students' current level of knowledge on the assigned English topic for
that week through a pre-test evaluation, the class discussion followed through. At the
end of the lesson, the researcher gave a set of homework formulated based on the
target purpose for that whole week. The participants answered a post-test assessment
at the end of each week, which helped notify if a pattern of improvement was present
after implementing the given homework. The researcher repeatedly executed this
process for three consecutive weeks until the data was complete. Then, the pretest-
posttest scores for each week were tabulated and organized.

Data Instruments

The instruments used for the participants of this study are the crafted homework based
on Lee and Pruitt's (1979) research on homework purposes and the pretest-posttest
assessments adapted from the Department of Education's Unified Supplementary
Learning Materials (USLeM) for Grade 9. The researchers constructed and assigned
three homework assignments each week depending on the target purpose. It consisted
of various tasks and exercises aligned with the aims of practice, preparation, and
extension homework purpose, which served as an intervention to yield improved
student achievement in English. Additionally, the cooperating teacher in charge of the
class checked and approved each homework for validation purposes. Meanwhile, the
pretest-posttest assessment is a 10-item test administered at the start and end of each
week. These examinations measure and track students' level of achievement before
and after applying the intervention. Pretest-posttest assessments help track student
growth and evaluate the effectiveness of each homework purpose.
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Method of Analysis

The students' homework records, together with the pre-tests and post-tests scores were
compiled in an electronic spreadsheet. After systematically encoding all the necessary
data in Microsoft Excel, the researchers run two analytical methods: t-test and
descriptive statistics.

First, t-tests were used to determine the statistical significance of the three homework
purposes to each other. Second, descriptive statistics were utilized to measure which
homework purpose increases the students' achievement the most. All mentioned
statistical methods, as well as computations, were done in Microsoft Excel to ensure
accuracy.

Limitations

This study drew data from grade 9 students in a public school in Manila to know the
efficacy of Lee and Pruitt's (1979) homework purposes. However, since the number of
participants was limited to one section (44 students) and one subject, the study can only
add to the existing literature on the topic. It cannot be employed as the only basis for
concluding the efficacy of the three homework purposes.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents the gathered data represented in tabular form, as well as its
analysis and interpretation. The results of the statistical treatment were done using T-
Test to make the conclusions in this section.

The T-test was performed to determine if the parametric test would be used in
addressing the research objectives. The research questions posed in this study are
once again recalled. Consequently, the findings are presented along with their
interpretation and analysis.
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Table 1
Results of T-test Analysis

Homework Purpose Sig t Critical t Stat df P(T=<t) Mean difference

(one tail)
Preparation 0.05 1.68 -44.57 43 6.21 0
Practice 0.05 1.68 -38.71 43 2.31 0
Extension 0.05 1.68 -33.15 43 1.47 0

Table 1 shows that there are significant differences in student achievement between the three
homework purposes.

Table 2
Summary of Descriptive Statistics.

Homework Purpose Pre-test Post-test

Preparation 3 8.79

Practice 2.88 9.04

Extension 3.22 9.09

Table 2 displays the mean scores of the students attained in the pre-tests and post-tests. As seen
in the table, student achievement doubled compared to the previous measurement (pretest),
which strongly supports the study by Trautwein et al., 2002 and Kalenkoski & Pabilonia, 2014.

Are there statistically significant differences in student achievement between the

different homework purposes?
 Republic of the Philippines
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INSTITUTE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
The findings of the study indicate that there is a statistically significant difference in
student achievement between the three homework purposes. The t-test results stressed
that all 44 students experienced a twofold increase in their scores; however, there is a
disparity between the impact of practice homework and extension homework compared
to preparation homework.

The result of the t-tests strongly affirms the studies of Batterson (2009) and Cooper et
al. (2007), who see the importance of facilitating student achievement through the
increase in test scores.

Which homework purpose is the most effective?

The data implies that homework, regardless of its purpose, positively increases
students' achievement. However, based on the data gathered, Practice Homework
poses as the most effective in increasing test scores of secondary English learners due
to the vast difference in their scores during Pre-Test and Post-Test.

The effectiveness can be affected by the idea that Preparation and Extension
Homework feels like an additional workload to them while Practice Homework just
aimed at their mastery of the lesson. Also, excessive homework may negatively impact
student achievement and reduce student access to leisure activities that can teach
valuable life skills. Every individual has a different view of homework. Many people think
homework can improve a student's academic achievement, while others think it is just a
burden and a waste of time. Homework is essential to reinforce what students have
learned in class, prepare them for upcoming lessons, extend what they know by having
them apply it to new situations, or integrate their abilities by applying many different
skills to a single task. (Rengma et al., 2015)

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Synthesis

Tasking homework with a definite purpose positively increases student achievement in

the language classroom. The results revealed that purpose is a critical component in
designing homework to reach its maximum potential and outweigh the disadvantages.
Moreover, academic gains may have resulted from students' perception of meaningful
tasks. Evidently, reinforcing what was learned in class increases the homework's
relevance and makes it easier for students to understand and remember. This task may
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have helped motivate students to complete them, leading to greater academic
achievement. Therefore the three homework purposes aid student achievement and
positively affect academic success, particularly in test scores, with Practice as the most
effective homework purpose.

Implication for Practice

The efficacy of the three homework purposes posed by Lee and Pruitt (1979) was
explored in this study to know its effect on student achievement.

The results show a need to utilize different homework purposes to aid students'
understanding of the lesson. As shown in the previous chapter, student achievement in
a Grade 9 English classroom increased after researchers employed the intervention.
This is because maximizing the use of homework provides scaffolding in students'
learning, resulting in increased student achievement. Thus, this study reiterates the
importance of assigning homework aligned with different purposes.

Significance

This study is beneficial to teachers, university administrators, and stakeholders. First,

the study may serve as a basis to inform teaching practices, techniques, and curriculum
design. Teachers may reflect on their practices and recalibrate to ensure they assign
effective homework tailored to students' needs and curriculum goals. Second, University
administrators can use this study to inform their policy decisions and decisions related
to the allocation of resources. Specifically, they may invest in teacher training programs
focusing on designing effective homework with a definite purpose aligned with learning
objectives. Finally, the research provides insights for the stakeholders involved to make
informed decisions in crafting policies that support student learning and promote
positive learning experiences.

Recommendations

This study is a step toward understanding how homework affects students'

achievement. The researchers, therefore, suggest that teachers consider Lee and
 Republic of the Philippines
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Pruitt's (1979) homework purposes when crafting assignments as they provide
intervention in cases where students have low student achievement in an English class.
Moreover, the researchers recommend that future researchers investigate the topic
further by extending its scope. The researchers may consider including more
participants in different subjects to determine the extent of effectiveness of the three
homework purposes.

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