Using Homework

3 Homework Strategies

• Preview homework
• Homework to deepen knowledge
• Homework to practice a process or skill

Preview Homework - Information

• use before introducing new concept in class
• student previews new material and brings reflection to discuss in class next day

Preview Homework - Technology

• teacher can present new information through multimedia such as screencasts
• include images, text, and sound to engage learner
• have students view primary source material through specific websites
• students can post hyperlinks of studied material on class website

Preview Homework - Implementation

• If having students access the internet for information, narrow down websites to be used.
• Can be used across content areas as a previewing strategy before concept is introduced in class
• Include a way for students to reflect and respond to the preview homework

Deepen Knowledge - Information

• Requires higher-order thinking skills
• Deepens understanding of content
• Sample cognitive skills: compare/contrast, classify, create analogies, evaluate content

Deepen Knowledge - Technology

• Online scavenger hunts geared toward compare/contrast, explore, classify, or evaluate information
• Use multimedia tools to form nonlinguistic representations of knowledge and create visual analogies through websites such as Pinterest
• Post hyperlinks of representations to class website for others to reflect on

Deepen Knowledge - Implementation

• Students need to be well versed in content before this type of homework is assigned
• Students need background in visual representations
• Students need expectations when responding to other students' work

Practice a Process or Skill - Information

• Use after student can independently use procedural knowledge to carry out a process
• Goal is to increase speed, fluency, and accuracy

Practice a Process or Skill - Technology

• Student can record themselves practicing
• Create screencasts showing how to problem solve
• Students can post work to class website and comment on work of classmates

Practice a Process or Skill - Implementation

• Teacher needs to assess students understanding of procedural knowledge before assigning this homework
• Provide guidelines for students to follow when giving feedback on other students' work