Is Homework Necessary for Online Students?

October 7, 2024 byJulie Hersum

6 min to read

A father and son doing homework together

Whether your student is just getting started with kindergarten or has started their senior year of high school, they likely will have assignments that they will have to complete outside of regular school hours.

Homework, a cornerstone of educational systems for centuries, has been subjected to a rollercoaster of shifting public attitudes and priorities over time. And all this work outside of the classroom can have its effects on students, both positively and negatively, leading more experts, teachers, and even students to ask once again: Is homework necessary? And exactly how does homework affect students?

Spoiler: every homework situation is different. However, what is clear is that guidance and support can make a big difference in helping your student excel as they complete their homework.

Is Homework Necessary?

The answer may not be strictly yes or no—in fact, it depends.

If the real question is, “Is homework necessary for student success?”, then the answer is yes, as long as students are able to manage their workload in a healthy, balanced way.

When balanced with other healthy activities, “homework can lead to greater student success” by reinforcing learning, helping students build important skills, and preparing students for future academic challenges, says Harris Cooper, professor emeritus of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University.

And opportunities for extra practice, to explore topics in more depth and at their own pace, to learn time management skills, and to connect with supportive Learning Coaches can all contribute greatly to the student’s success in school and throughout their lives.

But when students can’t manage their homework loads, feelings of overwhelm, lack of sleep, stress, and depression are more likely to thwart student success and do more harm than good.

That’s where, in many cases, a supportive Learning Coach can make a positive difference in the experience a student has with homework.

What is homework, especially when school is at home?

For students in both traditional and online school settings, homework consists of assignments students complete outside of the regular class period.

Once lauded as a vital tool for discipline and academic rigor, in recent years, the question of homework’s necessity has come under scrutiny once again. According to The Student Survey, 22% of students spend 3.5 hours doing homework every day.

Homework can take many forms, according to the subject area and student grade level, including:

Worksheets with multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blanks, or problems to solve

Projects or experiments requiring research, data collection, and analysis, such as science experiments

Group assignments where students work together to complete a project or report

Creative writing, drawing, model-making, or performances

Book reports, essays, and research papers

For all grade levels and school settings, homework also often includes online work, interactive assignments, online quizzes, and educational apps and platforms.

Why Do Teachers Assign Homework?

Teachers assign homework for a number of reasons aimed at supporting student learning and development:

To reinforce learning by allowing students to explore concepts and apply skills to assignments outside the classroom.
To develop positive, long-lasting, habits, including time management, self-discipline, and a sense of responsibility.
To prepare for upcoming lessons, introduce students to new topics ahead of class, and get them ready for more in-depth discussions or activities.
To extend learning beyond the classroom, give students an opportunity to work at their own pace, and review and practice material they found challenging in class.
To connect with a Learning Coach who can be a supportive educational partner.
To assess student understanding and identify areas where they may need additional help or instruction.

Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive. And sometimes, the fact is, teachers simply can’t get through all of the required curriculum during relatively short windows of class time.

How does homework affect students?

According to The Center for Public Education in their report, Key Lessons: What Research Says About the Value of Homework, homework can have both good and bad effects on students.

Does Homework Help Students Learn?

On the positive side, homework can help students learn. It’s an opportunity for students to revisit materials presented during class. And “practice matters,” says Janine Bempechat, clinical professor at Boston University's Wheelock College of Education & Human Development.

Homework is also an opportunity to study for upcoming quizzes and tests.

And there are non-academic benefits as well, says The Center for Public Education. Homework can help students learn “the importance of responsibility, managing time, developing study habits, and staying with a task until it is completed.”

Does Homework Cause Stress?

But homework can also cause stress for students, especially for those who struggle to manage their time effectively or when expectations around the volume or level of homework are simply too high.

Why Does Homework Cause Stress?

In her research, Stanford GSE scholar Denise Pope found that “students in high-achieving schools who spend too much time on homework experience more stress and health problems.”

Constant worry about completing assignments on time and achieving high grades can become overwhelming and keep students from getting enough rest, which in itself can exacerbate stress. Disrupted sleep patterns can also lead to sleep anxiety or sleep deprivation, both of which can negatively impact cognitive function and emotional regulation.

Furthermore, students who spend long hours on homework may be at risk for depression, according to studies published by Sleep Health Journal.

Homework can also cause stress when students are not left with enough time to participate in activities outside of school. Extracurricular activities like sports, music, clubs, or hobbies are important to a person’s physical and mental health. Without enough physical exercise, creative outlets, and social interaction, students can feel anxious, stressed, socially isolated, and burned out.

Homework Tips

If your student is struggling with homework stress, here are some general tips for helping your student achieve success:

Guide students in thinking more deeply about their assignments to promote problem-solving and analytical skills.

Help students structure their homework time and manage time more effectively in general—it’s a skill that they’ll be able to apply well beyond their school years.

Show your student how they can break down larger, sometimes daunting tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.

Guide your student without directly giving answers. Ultimately, this will boost your student’s confidence and teach them to tackle challenges on their own.

Track your student’s progress and support a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

By helping your student manage their homework and routines, you can help them complete their homework with much less stress while facilitating skill development they can apply throughout their life and future careers.

Grades K-2: Homework Tips for Learning Coaches

Keep it fun: Prioritize cultivating a love for learning by incorporating playful, hands-on activities like counting objects around the house or reading a favorite storybook.
Keep it short but sweet: Limit homework time to 10-15 minutes and practice skills learned during the day without necessarily introducing new concepts.
Encourage independence: Allow your student to take the lead on activities but step in for opportunities to foster confidence.

Grades 3-5: Homework Tips for Learning Coaches

Limit distractions: Create a homework zone for your student that is away from distractions, such as pets, people coming and going, and loud noises.
Be positive: Younger students, especially, are masters of assuming the same attitudes as the adults in their lives convey. Remind your student that their work is important.
Help manage time: Establish a schedule for doing homework. Consider having them finish it early on instead of waiting until bedtime when they are tired or waiting until the last minute before an assignment is due.

Grades 6-8: Homework Tips for Learning Coaches

Provide tools: Have the materials they need readily available. These might include colored and regular pencils, pens, posterboard, graph paper, and so on.
Build independence: Help your student decide what homework is hard and what is easy, then encourage them to work on the hard stuff first so they’re more alert for the challenging work.

Grades 9-12: Homework Tips for Learning Coaches

Suggest communication: Encourage your student to check in with their teachers and understand the purpose of homework assignments and any rules on completing it, such as when work is due, whether they are allowed to use AI, and so on.
Watch for signs of frustration or distress: Encourage perseverance, to a point, but also encourage regular breaks to help avoid burnout.
Time management: As schedules get heavier, and high school graduation looms, teens can often use a reminder on optimal time management skills and reducing screen time.