ONeill_Janelle_OnlineHomeworkSystems_ResearchPaper

PERCEPTIONS OF AN ONLINE HOMEWORK SYSTEM O’Neill, 1
Student and Teacher Perceptions
Of an Online Homework System
In the Mathematics Classroom
Janelle O’Neill
Hunter College

Problem and Purpose
In a mathematics classroom, a teacher has only a certain amount of time to deliver a lesson and
model the process for solving a problem. When the bell rings, a teacher expects that students will
revisit the problem solving process and practice with assigned homework problems. Hauk and Segalla
(2005) cite homework as important for the advanced cognitive development expected in high school
and college math. “College instructors tend to agree that homework is a useful mechanism for
deepening student understanding of the material covered in a course, because it gives students practice
with concepts and applications” (Doorn, Janssen & O’Brien, 2010) There are, however, inconsistencies
between teachers’ homework expectations and student homework completion.
First, academic dishonesty can occur when students complete mathematics homework
assignments. Students copying math and science homework occurs more frequently than copying
during an exam or plagiarizing on a term paper (Hirsch, 2010). Students may not understand that
copying homework, especially problems that require an algebraic response, can lead to poor grades on
similar problems on a final exam even if the student starts the course with equal ability related to peers
(Hirsch, 2010).
Second, if a teacher decides to collect written homework assignments, providing timely
feedback can be an issue. It is problematic if a student receives feedback from written homework only
after having moved on to new material, especially if the new material requires understanding the
concept they have yet to receive feedback about (Butler & Zerr, 2005). Also, if homework is not
returned in a timely fashion, students may just look at the grade and not at the comments about what
they got wrong because the feedback is not pertinent to current material (Baron, 2010). This reaction
by students reduces the chance of correcting any misconceptions (Affouf & Walsh, 2007).
Lastly, student interactions with mathematics outside of the classroom should include a healthy
level of struggle. "Ultimately, math comes easy to no one. It is precisely in the struggle that math

offers the most to our youngsters" (Sutton, 1997, p. 43). This struggle is often misinterpreted by
students and can result in anxiety. Students need to understand mathematics takes time because
students are asked to think in ways which they are not used to thinking (Sutton, 1997). Homework
should provide an opportunity for students to grapple with the struggle of learning mathematics alone
and unhurried, to foster responsibility and confidence (Sutton, 1997). There is a positive correlation
between completing homework and achievement in school, therefore teachers should design
homework assignments to address the issues stated above to make math homework count. (Affouf &
Walsh, 2007; White, 2007).
According to Nguyen, Hsieh and Allen (2006) the 21st
century is no longer a “penmanship”
century in the United States. Instead of consistently using pencil and paper, many instructors have
begun to implement an online homework system into the classroom representing a pedagogical shift in
the way homework is designed and assessed. Current research reveals discrepancies among teachers
about how to implement an online homework system and its effects on student performance. Studies
by Hirsch and Weibel (2003), Zerr (2007), and Affouf and Walsh (2007) reveal a connection between
implementing an online homework system and improvement in student performance, whereas
Bonham, Beichner, and Deardorff (2001), Hauk & Segella (2005), Demirci (2007) and Lenz (2010)
argue that the method of collecting and grading homework makes no significant difference to student
performance. These studies mainly explore whether an online homework system is beneficial to
student grades. Student and teacher perceptions of an online homework system in the mathematics
classroom open the possibility of integrating web-based homework with the current traditional method
of paper-based homework to provide additional academic benefits. The term “perception” is used here
as an umbrella to encompass the following: student and teacher engagement, attitudes, and beliefs with
regards to how the online homework system personally affects the students and teachers.

Background Information
Brief Overview of the Systems
Over the past two decades there has been increasing movement towards the use of computers
and the internet in conjunction with many courses across the educational spectrum (Doorn et al., 2010).
“One Internet-based accessory to STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] learning
gaining popularity in the U.S. is web-based homework” (Hauk & Segalla, 2005, p. 230). Online
homework systems provide an electronic platform for teachers to create assignments using the internet
and students to complete assignments using a computer. Students and teachers receive feedback from
the online system once the assignment is completed. Although each online homework system has
similar features, some features on certain programs are unique because each is owned and operated by
a different organization. The main online homework systems in current research include Internet-based
systems, such as WeBWorK, WebAssign and MyMathLab, and course management systems, such as
Blackboard.
WeBWorK was created by mathematicians in 1994 and is currently operated by the
Mathematical Association of America (MAA) and supported by the National Science Foundation
(NSF). There is no cost to departments or institutions who wish to host their own WeBWorK server
(Mathematical Association of America, 2013). WeBWorK is an open-source homework generating
program in which teachers have access to a National Problem Library for mathematics and science
courses, or teachers can create and index their own questions for students (Baron, 2010; Lucas 2012;
Mathematical Association of America, 2013). Upon submitting answers, WeBWorK tells the student if
their answer is correct, but does not give them the correct answer so students are able to re-try the same
question (Hauk & Segalla, 2005; Weibel & Hirsch, 2002). A reported WeBWorK score can reveal the
number of questions answered correctly, as well as the number of incorrect attempts at each question
(Lucas, 2012).

WebAssign is a company that works closely with book publishers and hosts the online
homework system on a website which avoids any installation on a computer (Cox & Singer, 2011;
Malevich, 2011). WebAssign features a database of more than 100,000 problems and allows teachers
to share assignments or sets of questions (Cox & Singer, 2011; WebAssign®, 2013). WebAssign can
be integrated with multiple disciplines including accounting, astronomy, biology, chemistry,
engineering, geoscience, mathematics, physical science, physics, social studies, and statistics
(Malevich, 2011). With a subscription, WebAssign also offers complete technical support by phone or
email (WebAssign®, 2013).
MyMathLab was developed in 2001, along with MyStatLab and MathXL, to accompany
mathematics and statistics textbooks published by Pearson Education (Pearson Education®, 2013).
MyMathLab offers online help such that students can view an example similar to the given problem,
watch a step-by-step solution to the given problem then try a new question, view pages from the
textbook related to the given problem, or email the professor with a link to the given problem (Lenz,
2010). Also, after three unsuccessful tries, MyMathLab automatically generates a new question similar
to the one the student just tried to solve (Lenz, 2010).
Blackboard is a course management system with online assignment capabilities (Zerr, 2007).
Assignments can contain a variety of question types, but no database exists so the instructor must
design and classify all questions along with supplying any detailed feedback, such as a complete
solution (Zerr, 2007).
Advantages and Disadvantages
There are perceived advantages and disadvantages for each of the online homework systems
described. One advantage of every online homework system is the ability to create and choose
questions with a variety of delivery methods. Questions can be multiple choice, choose all that apply
true or false, fill in the blank, numerical response, symbolic response, free response and survey

questions (Bonham et al., 2001; Lenz, 2010; Titus, 2000; Zerr, 2007). Questions can also include
dynamic visuals such as animations, videos and Java applets to manipulate objects and observe a
response, along with links to Internet sites to collect data, all of which paper-and-pencil homework
cannot (Titus, 2000; Zerr, 2007). Along with the ability to supply diverse question types, a
randomizing feature is included with all algorithmically designed numerical questions for the Internet-
based systems, such as WeBWorK, WebAssign and MyMathLab. Therefore, students may work
together but complete separate assignments, so students must share how to do the problem and not just
the final answer (Affouf & Walsh, 2007; Baron, 2010; Bonham et al., 2001; Doorn et al., 2010;
Nguyen et al., 2006; Titus, 2000). The algorithmic feature helps to reduce academic dishonesty with
homework assignments because students report copying online homework less than written homework
(Hirsch, 2010).
Another advantage, which supports timely feedback of homework assignments, is the instant
and immediate feedback students receive with the automated grading feature of each online homework
system. Immediate feedback is effective in reinforcing current concepts and correcting any
misconceptions right away before the curriculum continues (Affouf & Walsh, 2007; Baron, 2010;
Butler & Zerr, 2005; Cox & Singer, 2011; Doorn et al., 2010; Lenz, 2010; Lucas, 2012; Nguyen et el.,
2006; Titus, 2000; Zerr, 2007). In 2012, Lucas assigned WeBWorK questions as a pre-assignment
based on a textbook reading assignment in an Introduction to Programing course and Probability &
Statistics course. Immediate feedback was especially important because some students lacked
experience reading mathematics and the WeBWorK assignment helped to guide their comprehension
of the text (Lucas, 2012). Immediate statistics available to teachers can also help plan lessons that meet
the needs and progress of a specific class (Baron, 2010; Titus, 2000).
Since the online homework system instantly tells students if they got a question right or wrong,
it has been shown that students who fail to answer a question correctly tend to reattempt the problem

(Baron, 2010). This leads to another advantage of all online homework systems which is the ability to
attempt an assignment multiple times. Students learn for their mistakes and are given another
opportunity to succeed unlike paper-based homework which only usually allows one submission
(Baron, 2010; Bonham et al., 2001; Doorn et al., 2010; Lenz, 2010; Lucas, 2012; Nguyen et al., 2006;
Titus, 2000; Zerr, 2007). Zerr (2007) argues that the same attempt-feedback-reattempt sequence that
takes place in the classroom can also be simulated using web-based assignments. This process allows
students to reflect on their mistakes and retry a similar problem to gain a deep knowledge of the
content (Lenz, 2010; Zerr, 2007).
However, with any online homework system there can be technical and design disadvantages.
If students need a computer, tablet or smartphone to access the online homework system to complete
the assigned web-based homework, then technology needs to be available to students (Nguyen et al.,
2006; Titus, 2000). Nguyen et al. (2006) reported that one student did not think computer homework
could benefit his learning because he did not have computer availability at home. Even though the
National Postsecondary Education Cooperative (2004) states that “sixty-five percent of all children
ages 3 to 17 live in a household with a computer in 2000, up from 55 percent in 1998” (p. 16), 98
percent of public school were connected to the Internet as of the fall of 2000 (p. 13). Even if students
have access to the necessary technology, network errors or internet errors can make it impossible to
access the online homework system (Doorn et al., 2010; Titus, 2000). After successfully accessing the
online homework system, there is a learning curve for both teachers and students (Doorn et al., 2010;
Lucas, 2012; Titus, 2000). Teachers must understand how the system works so it can be used as a
benefit to students and not a hindrance (Malevich, 2011). Even though teachers can create and share
questions across a database, there may be a lack of good questions to choose from, and poor indexing
can make it difficult to locate questions relevant to a topic (Baron, 2010; Titus, 2000). Students must
learn the appropriate mathematical notation for the online homework system for entering answers, such

as where to include parenthesis, how to write a response horizontally like a calculator, and knowing
when to use an exact or approximate numerical answer (Affouf & Walsh, 2007; Hauk & Segalla, 2005;
Malevich, 2011). Any syntax errors will be scored as incorrect, even if the student had a correct answer
on paper.
As a design disadvantage, if the online homework system does not provide detailed feedback
then students will not find out exactly where they went wrong, and it is just as if they looked in the
back of the book for an answer (Bonham et al., 2001; Lenz, 2010; Titus, 2000). From a teacher
perspective, with web-based homework it is hard to determine the work students put into solving each
problem (Titus, 2000). With automated grading, more emphasis is put on the final answer rather than
understanding the process to reach the final answer, and the chance to have multiple attempts may
make students used to a guess-and-check approach instead of initially trying to think through to solve
the problem (Bonham et al., 2001; Hauk & Segalla, 2005; Lenz, 2010). However, in a study by
Bonham et al. (2001) many students reported completing the web-based homework on paper, then
using the computer to check their work. Collecting student written work, and grading at least one of
the problems in detail, could help reinforce certain problem solving traits emphasized in class and on
paper-based exams where students are required to show work (Lenz, 2010; Malevich, 2001; Titus,
2000). This would also allow teachers to retain written communication with students, analyze the
students’ methodology to gain insight into their comprehension, and provide more detailed feedback
(Hauk & Segalla, 2005; Lenz, 2010) Also, if students do not keep track of the web-based homework
questions by writing down the problem and process, they will be unable to use the assignment to study
for a quiz or test (Lenz, 2010; Malevich, 2011).
There is also some debate on whether an online homework system can be developed to grade
more advanced, open-ended proofs and responses, rather than only numerical or symbolic based
questions, which are necessary in high level mathematics courses (Malevich, 2011). Currently, online

homework systems are limited in the types of questions that can be assigned, and it is not possible to
automatically grade essay questions or questions which require an explanation from the student (Lenz,
2010).
Literature Review
Student Perceptions
Engagement. When an online homework system becomes part of a student’s out of class
assignments, students attempt more problems. In a study by Hirsch and Weibel (2003), 807 students in
a college calculus course, which excluded engineering, physics, chemistry and mathematics majors,
whom were assigned WeBWorK homework, produced a strong, positive correlation of r = 0.944
between attempts on a problem and percentage of problems solved. This significant connection reveals
that once a student began a problem they persisted until they had solved it. This statistic is also an
indicator of effort and engagement with the program because in an analysis of variance only 9% of the
variability in WeBWorK scores could be attributed to prior skill level (Hirsch & Weibel, 2003).
Zerr (2007) measured student engagement by the percentage of almost perfect online
homework, and 65% of the grades earned by the 27 college calculus students were higher than 90%. If
students were not retaking the assignment then the grades would appear more normally distributed,
therefore students were actively participating in the online homework system (Butler & Zerr, 2005;
Zerr, 2007). This data suggest that providing students with multiple opportunities to attempt a problem
encourages students to spend more time with the program to attain a higher level of achievement
(Nguyen et al., 2006).
Lenz (2010) saw similar results of students attempting more problems after a 5 semester study
of 191 students enrolled in a Finite Mathematics course. Students enrolled in the web-based section
attempted 88% of the online assignments, where only 80% of students enrolled in the paper-based
section attempted the written assignments. Students enrolled in a section which used both web-based

and paper-based assignments attempted 84% of the web-based assignments and only 73% of the paper-
based assignments. Both of these differences were significant and show student engagement
with the online homework system more than the written homework (Lenz, 2010).
In some studies, there is a discrepancy in the length of time students spend on web-based verse
paper-based assignments. In a study by Cox and Singer (2011) of 87 students enrolled in a college
calculus course using WebAssign, 48 out of 87 students (approximately 55 percent) reported spending
one hour or less on web-based assignments, but only 26 of 87 students (approximately 30 percent)
reported spending one hour or less on paper-based assignments. Students spent more time completing
paper-based homework. Additionally, Doorn et al. (2010) reports students either spending less time on
web-based homework (44.1 percent), or students perceive no difference in the time it takes to complete
web-based verse paper-based homework (43.5 percent).
Conversely, both Bonham et al. (2001) and Demirci (2007) report physics students spending
more time completing web-based homework. For Bonham et al. (2001), students in the web-based
homework section for calculus-based physics report spending 3.3 hours per week on homework,
whereas students in the paper-based homework section spent 2.4 hours per week on homework.
Students in the web-based homework section for algebra-based physics reported spending 4.4 hours
per week on homework, whereas students in the paper-based homework section spent 3.4 hours per
week on homework (Bonham et al., 2001). These differences are statistically significant with
on a two-tailed t-test (mean and standard deviation not reported). In the study by Demirci
(2007), a 21-question survey was administered to 103 students in a general physics course about their
perceptions of online verse paper based homework. Of 56 students enrolled in the web-based section,
only 16 (28.6 percent) agreed or strongly agreed that they send less time when doing homework online.
Of 46 students in the paper-based section, 26 (55.3 percent) disagree or strongly disagree that they
spend more time when doing paper and pencil homework with groups (Demirci, 2007). In a study of

358 students enrolled in a college algebra class, Hauk and Segalla (2005) reported the frustration of
about 10% of students over spending more time on web-based assignments than paper-based
assignments in previous courses because of the possibility of multiple attempts.
Attitude. In many different studies, students expressed a positive level of satisfaction with the
online homework system. Zerr (2007) analyzed a student survey about Blackboard with a Likert scale
of 1 representing a student strongly agrees, 2 representing a student agrees, 3 representing a student is
neutral, 4 representing a student disagrees, and 5 representing a student strongly disagrees. The
question “The online homework system provided a worthwhile addition to this course” received a 1.16
average. Doorn et al. (2010) completed a study in which 687 students enrolled in an economics
course, ranging from introductory to advanced sections, completed a survey after a semester’s
experience with an online homework system. “Overwhelmingly, 85.4 percent of the students surveyed
responded that graded homework is useful in learning the material, while less than 1 percent
considered assigned homework useless” (Doorn et al., 2010, p. 8).
In the Bonham et al. (2001) calculus-based physics course using WebAssign, approximately
60% of students indicated they would like to continue using the online homework system. Lucas
(2012) reported that 10 of 12 students in an Introduction to Programming course preferred having
WeBWorK questions rather than no WeBWorK questions by the end of the semester. With Lenz
(2010), 87.5% of the students in the web-based section and 69.2% of the students in the web-and-
paper-based section responded that they liked using the MyMathLab web-based homework for the
course. Additionally, 79.17% of the students in the web-based section and 57.69% of the students in
the web-and-paper-based section would prefer to take the course with web-based homework. Students
in the combination course may have recognized the benefits of receiving more detailed, individualized
feedback on the paper-based assignments resulting in a lower percentage (Lenz, 2010).

Other features students enjoyed were being allowed multiple attempts to submit answers to the
problems, the ability to complete the web-based homework at any time of day, and receiving instant
feedback on whether their answers were right or wrong (Affouf & Walsh, 2007; Butler & Zerr, 2005;
Cox & Singer, 2011; Demirci, 2007; Doorn et al., 2010; Lenz, 2010; Zerr, 2007). Demirci (2007)
found that 21.4% agreed and 64.3% strongly agreed that instant feedback motivated the student. While
most of the studies reveal overwhelming student support for the use of online homework systems,
some students expressed reservations that there was no partial credit for web-based assignments
(Affouf & Walsh, 2007). Other students developed a negative attitude towards the online homework
system due to complications and technical difficulties in the first few weeks of the course (Bonham et
al., 2001). Dimirci (2007) found that 35.7% of students agreed or strongly agreed with having some
difficulty accessing a computer and/or the Internet to complete the homework online, however 57.1%
reported disagreeing or strongly disagreeing with this statement.
Beliefs. Once students experienced an online homework system, they developed ideas about
how the encounter affected their learning of mathematics. There was a discrepancy in the way students
perceived whether the online homework system prepared them for an in-class exam. In a college
calculus course using WebAssign, students thought paper-based homework better prepared them for
course exams (Cox & Singer, 2011). However, in another college calculus course, Zerr (2007) used the
same Likert scale previously described and found students responded favorably with a 1.53 average
when answering the statement “Homework provided adequate preparation for the exam/quiz”. Demirci
(2007) found that 57.1% of students agreed or strongly agreed that web-based homework prepared
them for exams in physics, and Doorn et al. (2010) found that 71.2% of students agreed or strongly
agreed that web-based homework prepared them for exams in economics.

Another belief shared by many students is that other courses should adopt an online homework
system. Zerr (2007) found that students overwhelmingly agreed with the statement “I would like to see
a similar online homework system adopted in other math courses” because it received a 1.05 average
with the Likert scale. Demirci (2007) reported that 64.2% of students agreed or strongly agreed that
they want other teachers and courses to use a similar online homework system, though the online
homework system used was not explicitly described in the study.
Concerning the user interface of the online homework systems, Demirci (2007) stated that
64.3% strongly agreed, 32.1 % agreed, 3.6% had no opinion, and 0% disagreed or strongly disagreed
that the online assessment and its directions were easy to use and read on the computer screen, and the
online homework system was user friendly. Interview results from Nguyen et al. (2006) showed that
41 seventh grade students thought the activities on the computer were easy to read because they
incorporated tables and charts and were full of color. Hauk and Segalla (2005) analyzed a student
survey about WeBWorK with a Likert scale with 1 representing a student strongly disagrees, 2
representing a student disagrees, 3 representing a student is neutral, 4 representing a student agrees,
and 5 representing a student strongly agrees. Survey responses from 358 students enrolled in a college
algebra class revealed a score of 3.1 for the question “in general I found the WeBWorK program user-
friendly” (Hauk & Segalla, 2005, p. 240). Lastly, 96.4% of students in a web-based section agreed or
strongly agreed that doing homework online is a modern approach to traditional paper-based
homework, while 63.8% of students taking paper-based homework also agreed or strongly agreed to
this statement (Demirci, 2007).
Teacher Perceptions
Teacher reactions to implementing an online homework system show a varying degree of
satisfaction. Hauk and Segalla (2005) found that teachers who reported seeing little positive value in

using an online homework system, had a majority of students who commented that web-based
homework was “useless”, they “hated it” or found it “a colossal waste of time” (Hauk & Segalla, 2005,
p. 244) Other teachers expressed initial reservations, but grew to appreciate the versatility and
flexibility of the online homework system (Cox & Singer, 2011). A teacher stated that he is able to
have more valuable teaching moments with students because when he sees the answer a student typed
in, he can almost always recognize the error in the mathematical thinking and therefore can begin his
next lesson correcting the misconception (Baron, 2010). In studies by Butler and Zerr (2005) and
Lucas (2012), instructors report students being more prepared for class, and Cox and Singer (2011)
state that teachers noticed students were motivated to work on web-based assignments, where the same
students may have given up quickly on paper-based assignments. Hauk and Segalla (2005) also
reported that teachers who found the online homework system valuable had students who described it
as helpful in their endeavors.
There is a reported discrepancy in the amount of time teachers devote to homework problems.
Reports say that by implementing an online homework system teachers can spend less time grading
assignments and more time in office hours, designing new lecture material, or grading projects and
essays (Bonham et al., 2001; Doorn et al., 2010; Hauk & Segalla, 2005; Titus, 2000). Teachers also
affirm that they like not having to always correct homework exercises or spend large portions of class
time reviewing homework problems (Affouf & Walsh, 2007). However, another report says teachers
could spend more time answering student questions through emails, which could be more time
consuming and frustrating than some articles indicate (Malevich, 2011). It can also be hard to explain
where a student went wrong with a web-based problem over email (Malevich, 2011). Overall, despite
some reservations about online homework systems, the immediate feedback and statistical data
reported to teachers can help earlier identify weaker students in case an intervention is necessary
(Lucas, 2012).

Discussion
Advancements in technology have led to new methods of student assessment (Demirci, 2007).
Given that the research has shown student and teacher perceptions of web-based homework
assignments to be relatively positive, an online homework system may be a viable addition to
traditional paper and pencil homework (Demirci, 2007). Cox and Singer (2011) reported that
completing online homework did not place students at a disadvantage, and many other studies attest
that there is no significant difference in performance between students completing web-based
homework versus paper-based homework (Bonham et al., 2001; Hauk & Segella, 2005; Demirci, 2007;
Lenz, 2010). Butler and Zerr (2005) collectively summarize student comments and feedback from a
calculus course by quoting:
The online element of this class was crucial in my understanding of material and preparation
for examinations. Between the ease of use, instant feedback, and ability to redo assignments, I
cannot imagine taking the course in any other way. It’s definitely the way to do it. (Butler &
Zerr, 2005, p. 56)
Integrating an online homework system can help students develop self-awareness, self-efficacy, self-
motivation and self-confidence (Nguyen et al., 2006). Sutton (1997) states that life will naturally
present students with struggles, and they must learn there is no quick fix; mathematics offers students
an opportunity to work through the struggle by using what they know to find things they need. With an
online homework system:
Such an attempt-feedback-reattempt feature also conveys to students that it is acceptable (and
sometimes even expected) to make mistakes as they are learning mathematics, leading to
greater confidence later since they will not automatically be discouraged in the future by a
problem they cannot immediately solve." (Zerr, 2007, p. 61)

Because self-motivated students are likely to do well under any circumstances, an online homework
system would likely pay the greatest dividends to lower-performing students who are engaged in the
program outside of class (Zerr, 2007).
Unfortunately, many researchers approached the integration of an online homework system as
an either-or scenario; students either did web-based homework or paper-based homework (Malevich,
2011). However, the design of online homework systems, along with positive student and teacher
perceptions of web-based homework, opens the possibility of integrating web-based homework with
traditional paper-based homework to provide additional academic benefits. Lenz (2010) argues that a
combination of web-based and paper-based homework produced suboptimal results. Lenz (2010)
designed the hybrid section to receive two assignments at the end of each class that were to be
completed before the next class meeting. The number of problems was evenly split between web-based
and paper-based questions and did not exceed the number of questions assigned to the solely web-
based and solely paper-based sections (Lenz, 2010). Students felt that the homework burden was
heavier when receiving assignments in two different formats even though the total number of problems
was unchanged, and students would either only attempt homework in one format or only complete one
assignment per class meeting (Lenz, 2010). Lenz (2010) also reports that students in the combination
homework section finished the semester with lower final grades compared to the strictly web-based or
paper-based sections. However, a teacher in a study by Hauk and Segalla (2005) implemented a
modification to the above design that could optimize the use of both web-based and paper-based
homework in a course since her web-based section students had the highest average gain from a pre- to
post-test:
The benefit of delegating the masses of skill practice for which PPH [paper-and-pencil
homework] is viewed useful to a web-based interface is that it frees up instructor time and

allows instructors choice in the nature of written interaction with students. (Hauk & Segalla,
2005, p. 248)
A hybrid system would allow teachers to delegate assignments to better manage in-class time with
students, and out-of-class time for students. Hauk and Segalla (2005) suggest that teacher’s formative
and summative assessments can be chosen to more thoroughly examine a student’s problem solving
methodology to determine if the student conceptually understands the course content. Assignments that
challenge students conceptually can help give context to the skills acquired through an online
homework system (Hauk & Segalla, 2005). Hauk and Segalla (2005) also state that web-based
homework is by no means a replacement for interactions between a student and teachers, or a student
and their peers. Given that the research has shown student and teacher perceptions of web-based
homework assignments to be relatively positive, and Doorn et al. (2010) argue that online homework is
here to stay, students could reap the benefits of a well-designed hybrid system which meets the needs
of the course.
Consequently, there needs to be more exposure and more studies completed at the high school
level given that the current research has mainly focused on college level courses. Doorn et al. (2010)
found that only 16% of students in the study had taken an online quiz or test in high school, and only
19.9% had any previous experience submitting answers with an online system. This drastically
contrasts the 78% and 84.3% of respective students having these same experiences in a college course
(Doorn et al., 2010).
With every available tool there is potential for it to be used effectively or ineffectively (Titus,
2000). Therefore, recommendations also include conducting workshops to teach faculty and students
about the online homework system; the Mathematical Association of America currently provides
professional development for WeBWorK (Baron, 2010). Instructors need to understand how the online
homework system works so it can be used as a benefit to students and not a hindrance (Hauk &

Segalla, 2005; Malevich, 2011). Also, if schools supply computer lab access for students, they should
find a way to have mentors or tutors available while students are working on online homework
assignments (Butler & Zerr, 2005). Mentors or tutors could help debug any syntax errors, which could
alleviate emails to instructors.
To meet the demands of the current technological era, online homework systems are
continuously developed and adjusted to improve features and capabilities, therefore another
recommendation includes having teachers develop a relationship with a computer programmer, or the
online system provider (Hauk & Segalla, 2005; Malevich, 2011; Nguyen et al., 2006). Teachers can
provide feedback to the online system provider and work closely with computer programmers to make
sure the online homework system satisfies the expectations a teachers has for students when
completing homework online (Malevich, 2011).
Summary
Introducing and including an online homework system into the current mathematical
curriculum satisfies many societal and educational goals of further incorporating technology into the
classroom. Every online homework system has unique features available to teachers and student, but
each contains common advantages such as universal question banks, randomized question
development, instant feedback to students, and multiple submission attempts. Common disadvantages
include technical or syntax errors, a learning curve for teachers and students, developing a guess-and-
check mentality, and the unavailability to recognize if students have a conceptual understanding of the
material. Overall, students showed engagement, a positive attitude, and practical beliefs towards the
online homework system. Therefore, the design of an online homework system, along with positive
student and teacher perceptions of web-based homework, opens the possibility of a hybrid program in
which web-based homework integrated with traditional paper-based homework can provide additional
academic benefits.

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