Chapter 6: Too Much Time Has Been Spent on the Time Devoted to Homework: Motivation Is the Key Construct in Homework Research

Michael is a 9th-grade student with an average achievement record who sits forever over his homework, although he may not be fully concentrated the whole time. In fact, over time, he has become a master of daydreaming. But because his parents check on whether he is completing his assignments, he typically manages to come up with some more or less convincing results after a couple of hours.

Michael’s classmate Jennifer is a very talented and fairly ambitious student who never spends more than half an hour a day on her homework. She explained to her parents that homework was “my work, not yours” and argues that finishing homework is not necessary for her given that it is typically repeated and discussed at school.