1. Homework Planners as an Intervention for Homework Completion Audrey Bullock Fall 2009 Math 5090 Audrey Bullock Fall 2009 Math 5090

2. Introduction The research area of this project is homework and whether or not using a homework planner can help improve homework completion and accuracy rates. Time spent engaged in academics outside of the classroom, such as completing homework assignments has been linked to achievement in many past studies.

3. The Problem Many students are bored by homework assignments, do not have the organizational skills to complete them, or do not see the significance of completing assignments. If there were a way to keep struggling students more organized and make them realize that their homework had meaning, we would see a rise in test scores and overall grades.

4. Research Question What Is the Effect of Using Homework Planners on High School Geometry Homework Completion and Accuracy?

5. Subjects The subjects used in this study were 32 high school students at a rural local high school.

6. Sampling Procedures  The students were selected from my own classes because of the time allotted for the study and the time necessary to complete tasks.  I chose to use all students having a previous homework completion rate below 60% because there was room for improvement and these were the students needing intervention. I also used the same number of students in my classes with a homework completion rate above 60% to see if the effects would be the same for this group.  The students were selected from my own classes because of the time allotted for the study and the time necessary to complete tasks.  I chose to use all students having a previous homework completion rate below 60% because there was room for improvement and these were the students needing intervention. I also used the same number of students in my classes with a homework completion rate above 60% to see if the effects would be the same for this group.

7. Design Overview  This study was conducted as a true experiment. The students were listed alphabetically and every other student was either assigned to the intervention or not.  The independent variable is whether or not the student is assigned to use the homework planner intervention.  The dependant variables are homework completion and homework accuracy, expressed as percentages.  This study was conducted as a true experiment. The students were listed alphabetically and every other student was either assigned to the intervention or not.  The independent variable is whether or not the student is assigned to use the homework planner intervention.  The dependant variables are homework completion and homework accuracy, expressed as percentages.

8. Measures  Homework completion- defined as the number of problems completed divided by the number of problems assigned.  Homework Accuracy- defined as the number of problems answered correctly divided by the number of problems completed.  Homework completion- defined as the number of problems completed divided by the number of problems assigned.  Homework Accuracy- defined as the number of problems answered correctly divided by the number of problems completed.

9. The Intervention  Homework Planner- Students assigned to take part in the intervention were given a folder full of homework planer sheets. Students were to complete a homework planer sheet with each assignment, even if the assignment was not completed, and turn it in the next day with their homework.

10. Items on Homework Planner Date: Assignment: Number of Problems:  How many minutes do you think it will take to do this assignment?  Did you do your homework?  If no, please write at least 3 sentences below telling why you did not complete this assignment.  If yes, please go on to the next question.  What time did you begin this assignment?  What time did you finish this assignment?  How many minutes did the assignment take?  Describe the place you did your assignment in and what was going on around you.  How difficult or easy was this assignment for you? (circle one) Very easy Easy Medium Hard Very Hard  What letter grade do you think you got on this assignment? Date: Assignment: Number of Problems:  How many minutes do you think it will take to do this assignment?  Did you do your homework?  If no, please write at least 3 sentences below telling why you did not complete this assignment.  If yes, please go on to the next question.  What time did you begin this assignment?  What time did you finish this assignment?  How many minutes did the assignment take?  Describe the place you did your assignment in and what was going on around you.  How difficult or easy was this assignment for you? (circle one) Very easy Easy Medium Hard Very Hard  What letter grade do you think you got on this assignment?

11. Data Collection Homework completion and accuracy percentages for each student were computed for Unit 5 (baseline before the intervention began), Unit 6 ( during the intervention), and Unit 7 (maintenance period).

12. Data Analysis  A T-test revealed that for the students with an initial homework completion rate below 60%, the homework planner did result in a significant increase in homework completion over the control group who did not use them. Their completion averages went from 51% during baseline to 65% during the intervention and remained at 64% through the maintenance period.  There were no significant changes in homework completion in the other groups or homework accuracy for any group.  A T-test revealed that for the students with an initial homework completion rate below 60%, the homework planner did result in a significant increase in homework completion over the control group who did not use them. Their completion averages went from 51% during baseline to 65% during the intervention and remained at 64% through the maintenance period.  There were no significant changes in homework completion in the other groups or homework accuracy for any group.

13. Strengths  The use of a control group to make sure the different chapters were not producing the changes in completion and accuracy rates  Including a follow up period after the intervention phase to see if the effects of the intervention would last after it was no longer required  Testing accuracy in addition to completion for homework to see if students were understanding problems better or just trying to do more of them  The use of a control group to make sure the different chapters were not producing the changes in completion and accuracy rates  Including a follow up period after the intervention phase to see if the effects of the intervention would last after it was no longer required  Testing accuracy in addition to completion for homework to see if students were understanding problems better or just trying to do more of them

14. Limitations  The short time frame in which it was completed because only around 8 assignments were used for each phase of the study  The small sample of students used because a bigger sample would increase the generalization of the results  Student factors such as absence and in-school suspension assignments  The fact that the study was not blind because students may have performed better in response to the attention they were receiving  The short time frame in which it was completed because only around 8 assignments were used for each phase of the study  The small sample of students used because a bigger sample would increase the generalization of the results  Student factors such as absence and in-school suspension assignments  The fact that the study was not blind because students may have performed better in response to the attention they were receiving

15. Conclusions The use of a homework planner seems to be an effective intervention for students struggling with homework completion. Other strategies may be needed to address homework accuracy. In the future, homework planners will be suggested to students having trouble in my classroom and more information provided to parents about the use of the planners as well. Future studies may need to be done testing if the increased homework completion would result in higher test scores as well.