Submit a Manuscript

Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education

Studying the impact of online homework on the perceptions, attitudes, study habits, and learning experiences of chemistry students
Issa I Salame 1 * , Enji Hanna 2
More Detail
1 The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York of the City University of New York
2 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, the City College of New York of the City University of New York
* Corresponding Author
Full Text (PDF)
Research Article

Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 2020 - Volume 16 Issue 4, Article No: e2221
https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/8543

Published Online: 18 Sep 2020

Views: 225 | Downloads: 165

Open Access
How to cite this article
APA 6th edition
In-text citation: (Salame & Hanna, 2020)
Reference: Salame, I. I., & Hanna, E. (2020). Studying the impact of online homework on the perceptions, attitudes, study habits, and learning experiences of chemistry students. Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 16(4), e2221. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/8543
Vancouver
In-text citation: (1), (2), (3), etc.
Reference: Salame II, Hanna E. Studying the impact of online homework on the perceptions, attitudes, study habits, and learning experiences of chemistry students. Int J Env Sci Ed. 2020;16(4):e2221. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/8543
AMA 10th edition
In-text citation: (1), (2), (3), etc.
Reference: Salame II, Hanna E. Studying the impact of online homework on the perceptions, attitudes, study habits, and learning experiences of chemistry students. Int J Env Sci Ed. 2020;16(4), e2221. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/8543
Chicago
In-text citation: (Salame and Hanna, 2020)
Reference: Salame, Issa I, and Enji Hanna. "Studying the impact of online homework on the perceptions, attitudes, study habits, and learning experiences of chemistry students". Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education 2020 16 no. 4 (2020): e2221. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/8543
Harvard
In-text citation: (Salame and Hanna, 2020)
Reference: Salame, I. I., and Hanna, E. (2020). Studying the impact of online homework on the perceptions, attitudes, study habits, and learning experiences of chemistry students. Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 16(4), e2221. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/8543
MLA
In-text citation: (Salame and Hanna, 2020)
Reference: Salame, Issa I et al. "Studying the impact of online homework on the perceptions, attitudes, study habits, and learning experiences of chemistry students". Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, vol. 16, no. 4, 2020, e2221. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/8543
ABSTRACT
The importance of providing students with opportunities to solve problems and providing them with feedback on their learning cannot be underscored. Providing individualized feedback to students in large enrollment classes, such as general chemistry, is an impossible task for instructors. Online homework provides a solution to this problem. College faculty have overall been supportive of online homework and learning resources because it reduces the time they spend grading, entering grades, and returning paper-based homework especially that the class sizes have been steadily increasing over the past several years. The purpose of this paper is to study students’ perceptions about the usefulness of online homework, the role it plays in improving their problem solving skills and study habits, and the effect it has on their attitudes and learning. Data was collected using a Likert-type and open-ended questionnaire from students enrolled in general chemistry courses. Our data suggests that online homework had a positive impact on students’ perceptions, attitudes, learning experiences, understanding, and learning outcomes.  It also increased the amount of time on tasks for students which has the benefit of meaningful learning, engagement in the content, and achievement. Finally, our data suggests that online homework contributed to students’ improved active engagement in the course, study habits, and understanding.
KEYWORDS
Chemistry education research general chemistry online homework
REFERENCES
  • Allain, R., & Williams, T. (2006). The effectiveness of online homework in an introductory science class. Journal of College Science Teaching, 35(6), 28-35.
  • Arasingham, R. D., Martorell, I., & McIntire, T. M. (2011). Online homework and student achievement in a large enrollment introductory science course. Journal of College Science Teaching, 40(6), 70-79.
  • Ausubel, D. P., Novak, J.D., & Hanesian, H. (1978). Educational psychology: A cognitive view (second edition). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
  • Bonham, S. W., Deardorff, D. L., & Beichner, R. J. (2003). Comparison of student performance using web and paper-based homework in college-level physics. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40(10), 1050-1071. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.10120
  • Charlesworth P., & Vician, C. (2003). Leveraging technology for chemical sciences education: an early assessment of WebCT usage in first-year chemistry courses. Journal of Chemical Education, 80, 1333-1337.
  • Chickering, A., Gamson, Z., & Poulsen, S. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 17, 140-141.
  • Cole, R., & Todd, J. (2003). Effects of web-based multimedia homework with immediate rich feedback on student learning in general chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education, 80(11), 1338.
  • Cooper, H.M. (2001). The battle over homework: Common ground for administrators, teachers, and parents, 2nd ed.; Corwin Press: Thousand Oaks, CA.
  • Cooper, H., Robinson, J. C., & Patall, E. A. (2006). Does homework improve academic achievement? A synthesis of research. 1987-2003. Review of Educational Research, 76(1), 1-62. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543076001001
  • Dillard-Eggers, J., T. Wooten, Childs, B., & Coker, J. (2008). Evidence on the effectiveness of on-line homework. College Teaching Methods and Styles Journal, 4(5), 9-15.
  • Doorn, D., Janssen, S., & O’brien, M. (2010). Student attitudes and approaches to online homework. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 4(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2010.040105
  • Eichler, J. F., & Peeples, J. (2013). Online homework put to the test: A report on the impact of two online learning systems on student performance in general chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education. 90, 1137-1143. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed3006264
  • Falmagne, J.C., Albert, D., Doble, C., Eppstein, D., & Hu, X., (Eds.) (2013). Knowledge spaces. Berlin, Germany: Springer.
  • Flynn, A. B. (2012). Development of online, postclass question method and its integration with teaching strategies. Journal of Chemical Education, 89, 456-464.
  • Fynewever, H. (2008). A comparison of the effectiveness of web-based and paper-based homework for general chemistry. Chemical Educator, 13, 264-269.
  • Hong, E., Wan, M., & Peng, Y. (2009). Discrepancies between students and teachers perceptions of homework. Journal of Advanced Academics, 22(2), 280-308. https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X1102200205
  • Jones, C. G. (2008). Student perception of the impact of web-based homework on course interaction and learning in introductory accounting. Issues in Information Systems, 9, 223-232.
  • Kuhn, S. W., Watson, S. W., & Walters, T. J. (2013). Online homework and correlated success in university mathematics courses. In L. Kyei-Blankson & E. Ntuli (Eds.), Practical Applications and Experiences in K-20 Blended Learning Environments (pp. 307-329). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
  • Libatore, M. W. (2011). Improved student achievement using personalized online homework for a course in material and energy balances. Chemical Engineering Education, 45(3), 184−190.
  • Malik, K., Martinez, N., Romero, J., Schubel, S., & Janowicz, P. A. (2014). Mixed-methods study of online and written organic chemistry homework. Journal of Chemical Education, 91, 1804−1809.
  • Marks, H. (2013). Student engagement in instructional activity: Patterns in elementary, middle and high school years. American Educational Research Journal, 37, 153-184. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312037001153
  • McGraw Hill Education ALEKS Home Page. https://www.aleks.com/ (accessed May 2020).
  • Nilson, L. B. (2016). Teaching at Its Best, 4th ed.; Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA.
  • Parker, L. L., & Loudon, G. M. (2013). Case study using online homework in undergraduate organic chemistry: Results and student attitudes. Journal of Chemical Education, 90, 37-44. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed300270t
  • Penn, J., Nedeff, V. M., & Gozdzik. G. (2000). Organic chemistry and the internet: A web-based approach to homework and testing using the WE-LEARN system. Journal of Chemical Education, 77(2), 227-231. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed077p227
  • Revell, K. D. (2014). A comparison of the usage of tablet PC, lecture capture, and online homework in an introductory chemistry course. Journal of Chemical Education, 91(1), 48-51. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed400372x
  • Richards-Babb, M., Drelick, J., Henry, Z., & Robertson-Honecker, J. (2011). Online homework, help or hindrance? What students think and how they perform. Journal of College Science Teaching, 40(4), 81-93. https://www.learntechlib.org/p/54012/
  • Richards-Babb, M., & Jackson, J. K. (2011). Gendered responses to online homework use in general chemistry. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 12, 409-419.
  • Richards-Babb, M., Curtis, R., Georgieva, Z., & Penn, J. H. (2015). Student perceptions of online homework use for formative assessment of learning in organic chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education, 92, 1813-1819. DOI:10.1021/acs.jchemed.5b00294
  • Richards-Babb, M. Reagan C. R., Ratcliff, B., Roy, A., & Mikalik, T. (2018). General chemistry student attitudes and success with use of online homework: Traditional-responsive versus adaptive-responsive. Journal of Chemical Education, 95, 691-699. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00829
  • Slavin, R. (2003). Educational psychology: Theory and practice; Pearson Education: Boston.
  • Smithrud, D. B., & Pinhas, A. R. (2015). Pencil−paper learning should be combined with online homework software. Journal of Chemical Education, 92, 1965-1970. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed500594g
  • Smolira, J. C. (2008). Student perceptions of online homework in introductory finance courses. Journal of Education for Business, 83, 90-94.
LICENSE
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
All Rights Reserved © 2006-2020