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Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX™
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Homework

Overview

  • Influence: Homework
  • Domain: Technology, School, and Out-of-School Strategies
  • Sub-Domain: Out-of-school
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Likely to have positive impact
  • Influence Definition: Schoolwork that students are asked to complete after school hours

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 12
  • Number of studies: 309
  • Number of students: 560,977
  • Number of effects: 478
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.29
  • Robustness index: 4

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Journal of Educational Research Paschal, Weinstein, & Walberg The effects of homework on learning: A quantitative synthesis 1984 Homework on learning 15 NA 81 0.36
Educational Leadership Cooper Synthesis of Research on Homework 1989 Homework on achievement 20 2,154 20 0.21
Educational Research Review Fan, Xu, Cai, He, & Fan Homework and students' achievement in math and science: A 30-year meta-analysis, 1986–2015. 2017 Homework 28 NA 61 0.45
Issues in Educational Research Bas, Senturk, & Cigerci Homework and Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analytic Review of Research 2017 Homework on achievement 11 862 11 0.23
Report Scheerens, Hendriks, Luyten, Sleegers, & Cees Productive time in education. A review of the effectiveness of teaching time at school, homework and extended time outside school hours 2013 Homework on achievement 17 NA 19 0.09
Dissertation DeBaz A meta-analysis of the relationship between students' characteristics and achievement and attitudes toward science 1994 Homework in science 77 41,828 77 0.39
Research/Practice Cooper Homework research and policy: A review of the literature 1994 Homework on learning 17 3,300 48 0.21
Review of Educational Research Cooper, Robinson, & Patall Does Homework Improve Academic Achievement? A Synthesis of Research 1987-2003 2006 Homework from studies 1987-2004 32 286,656 69 0.32
Educational Psychology Ozyildirim Time Spent on Homework and Academic Achievement: A Meta-analysis Study Related to Results of TIMSS. 2021 Homework time 48 225,430 48 0.19
Conference paper Kwon, Majzun, & Altinsoy The effect of online homework on students' mathematics performance: A meta-analysis 2021 Homework on achievement 12 NA 12 0.23
E-Journal of Business Education and Scholarship of Teaching Bishop, Best, & Horsley Comparison of academic achievement between online vs traditional homework: A meta analysis. 2024 Online vs. traditional homework 18 NA 18 0.06
Campbell Systematic Reviews Guo, Li, Xu, Hu, Liu, Xing, Li, White, & Yng The relationship between homework time and academic performance among K-12: A systematic review. 2024 Homework vs. no homework 14 747 14 0.45
TOTAL/AVERAGE 309 560,977 478 0.27
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