Online vs traditional homework: a systematic review on the benefits to students' performance

Abstract

In recent years, a strong investment has been made to equip schools with technology for educational purposes, leading to some transformations in teachers' practices. In this context, apart from traditional format, there are online platforms available for teachers to assign and monitor homework completed by students. Literature has described the benefits of online homework for teachers when compared with traditional homework. Still, evidence of the benefits for students when compared with traditional homework is scattered. Thus, the current study aimed to conduct a systematic review on online homework and traditional homework, with the goal of learning the methodological features of the studies comparing both homework formats and understanding which of the two benefits most students' performance. Following a review protocol, 31 studies were included and categories such as participants, duration of intervention, and course domain were described. Results showed that most studies used a convenience sample in a between-subject design, included college students, used non-standardized instruments, and presented a wide range of number of participants, duration of intervention, course domain, and approaches to implement the online homework. Additionally, half of the studies showed no differences in terms of student performance as a function of the format of delivery of homework. In nine studies students' performance was higher in the online compared with the traditional homework format, and only one study showed the opposite result. Lastly, six studies reported mixed results. Based on results, educational implications are discussed, as well as suggestions for future research.