Homework particularities for small school children

Area of Science:

• Pedagogy
• Child Psychology
• Educational Research

Background:

• Homework completion is a key aspect of academic success for school children.
• Understanding homework habits, including duration and break strategies, is crucial for optimizing learning environments.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated the specific practices and challenges associated with homework preparation in early elementary grades.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the duration of homework preparation among young school children.
• To analyze the frequency and nature of breaks taken during homework.
• To assess the methods children use to spend their homework breaks.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted with 235 children (ages 7-10) in Oradea.
• Data was collected using an anonymous 41-item questionnaire focusing on lifestyle habits.
• The questionnaire specifically targeted homework preparation duration, break patterns, and break activities.

Main Results:

• Homework preparation time significantly decreases from 1st to 4th grade.
• 93% of children complete homework after lunch, often within an optimal timeframe.
• Half of the students do not take breaks, while others engage in non-restorative activities like computer games (46.95%) and television (46.08%).

Conclusions:

• Homework duration is grade-dependent, with younger students requiring more time.
• While most children study after lunch, a significant portion lacks effective break strategies.
• Current break activities, such as screen time, are often non-restorative and may negatively impact children's well-being and learning.