The contribution of homework quality into learning: An action research

This study aims to evaluate the effect of the quality of homework types (practice, preparatory, and extension) on student achievement and to examine the cognitive characteristics and attitudes of teachers and students towards homework quality before and after the action plan, the problems encountered during this process and the solution offers for them. In this study technical/scientific/collaborative action research methodology was implemented. The action plan was designed, prepared, implemented, and evaluated within the scope of the research context. During the preparation of the action plan, 68 students attending in three distinct classes of the fourth grade of a state primary school during the spring term of the 2021-2022 academic year, the teachers of these classes and the Science course "Lighting and Sound Technologies" unit were determined as the research context. The action plan was designed to use different types of homework (practice, preparatory, and extension), and in line with this, homework with different qualities was developed to be used within the scope of the plan. By training teachers about homework, the implementation of action plan two was started after action plan one was first implemented. Multiple choice tests, tests based on SOLO taxonomy, interview protocols, and the researcher's diary were the instruments of the study. In data analysis, for multiple-choice tests, repeated measures ANOVA based on Bayesian statistics; a rubric for the tests based on SOLO taxonomy; and a descriptive analysis technique for the data obtained from the teacher and student interviews were used. The research concluded that all homework types contribute to learning while extension homework is more effective than other homework types. It was observed that the cognitive characteristics of teachers and students towards homework have increased, and a positive change has been created in students' attitudes towards homework. Keywords: homework, homework quality, extension homework, primary school, Bayesian statistics