Cause and effect of excessive homework: Malaysian schools perspective

Abstract

This is a research paper which aims to find out the negative impact of excessive homework on children and teachers. This paper interviews three teachers from the schooling system of Malaysia and discusses their responses towards homework.

Table of Contents

Introduction4

Background4

Problem statement5

Research Objectives5

Significance of the Study6

This study can help in creating coursework or schoolwork which actually inculcates learning in children. Evaluating the opinions of renowned teachers with extensive experiences will help give important insights to the psyche and problems faced by children during the course of their school years. Basically the responsibility of the school is to impart knowledge and education. If students just finish of their assignments as burdens and chores instead of actually understanding and grasping their concepts, the objective behind setting homework is lost.6

Research Tools6

Limitations of the research6

Definitions of terminologies7

Literature Review7

Methodology8

Research Procedure9

The Interviews10

Teacher A10

Teacher B12

Teacher C14

Research Findings16

Conclusion16

Recommendation16

References18

Appendices19

Introduction

For any child, education and schooling are two extremely important factors. With proper education and nurturing, a child can evolve into a great person. It makes a child smart, knowledgeable and competent. Emphasis is given to education in all religions and countries of the world.

What started as a quest for knowledge and as a means to make mankind the smartest of all animals, has now evolved into a system with curriculum, syllabuses and tones of study material. Children are enrolled in kindergartens and elementary schools right from their early days, before they can hardly walk or talk. From there begins a journey filled with text books, journals, internet research, assignments, examinations and homework. Kindergarten and elementary school is followed by ten to twelve years of high schooling, two to four years of college and then another two or three years of university. Over the decades and centuries, the concept of education has changed. Previously it was a practice to ensure that knowledge was passed on to future generations. Now, it is a practice to ensure that the future generations read hundreds of books, write thousands of words and secure good jobs in their mature years (Rothschild, 2004).

Background

This study observes a simple phenomenon that has increased and become extremely common in countries and societies all over the world. Children, during their school years are subjected to countless text books, study material and course work (Wood, 2007). Children are burdened and overburdened with school bags filled with books and study material. Is it really necessary to burden small children with such heavy school bags and study material? This research studies the sociological and psychological impact on children when they are burdened with a lot of coursework and homework.

Problem statement

Giving much homework does not necessarily make students learn more or perform better (Seligman, 1999). The thesis statements derived for this research are:

“Is homework beneficial for children or does it have adverse effects on their intellectual growth?”

“Does too much homework negatively impact the teachers as well as the children?”

“Does all work and no play really makes Jack dull boy?”

Research Objectives

The main purpose of this research is to analyse the ...