Hva, hvordan, hvorfor? En studie av norske lærere og elevers erfaringer med lekser i samfunnsfag.

Abstract

The issue of homework is highly debated in both Norwegian and international context. The effect of homework is disputed among researchers. Some argue that students achieve increased learning outcomes from spending time on homework, while others focus on homework as a contributing factor to increasing inequality. In this article, we explore students’ and teachers’ experiences with homework in social studies. We base our study on a survey among secondary school students and interviews with 16 teachers in Norway. Our results indicate that students in general share a more positive view on homework than the teachers. While the teachers worry that homework is too time-consuming and often is given as a form of compensation for what they did not “get through” during school hours, the students report learning outcomes from homework, especially if it is followed up with feedback. However, we find that students are rarely given any feedback on their homework, and that it is often characterized by fact-oriented assignments with a strong focus on the textbook.