Exploring Homework Policy, Practices and How they Shape Family Life: A Research Study of Three Countries
Project team:
Homework has been a disputed practice in education for decades, with debates fuelled by contradictory claims about goals, effectiveness, and the roles of various stakeholders, including teachers, students, and families (Farrell & Danby 2015; Grinshtain & Harpaz 2022; Scott & Glaze 2017). Despite a persisting belief in the importance of homework, research does not clearly support such claims. Although family involvement in schooling has been shown to have a positive influence on children’s educational outcomes (Chen & Fish 2014; Goodall 2018), consideration must be given to how the demands of schools and education policies position families, especially in terms of families facing disadvantage (Hartas, 2012).
Using Institutional Ethnography (Griffith & Smith, 2005), this study will examine how homework policies are enacted across schools and homes. In this cross-country (Atlantic Canada, South Australia, and Norway) comparative study, the team will examine the development and content of homework policies at different levels of government, how elementary/primary school teachers understand and enact current homework policies, and how local contexts impact how families experience homework.
