The Influence of Homework on the Learning and Achievement of Middle School Students in Southern Maryland: A Multiple-Case Study

The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore middle school teachers’ perceptions of how homework influenced academic achievement and student learning in Southern Maryland. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s theory of social knowledge. Bandura suggests that observation, modeling, and role-play are significant in how individuals learn because these direct experiences shift one’s environment. In this study, 14 middle school teachers in Southern Maryland were interviewed, seven of whom were employed at a school with the standard practice of homework, and seven worked at a school with a “No Homework” policy. Data collection, interviews, and questionnaires were analyzed, and conclusions were developed on homework’s influence on learning and achievement. Findings reveal the need for a balance between homework policies and classroom alignment, that homework is a tool for academic success and skill reinforcement, and that homework is a diagnostic and collaborative tool.