Most educators assign homework because it signals effort, but research tells a different story. At the elementary level, homework has near-zero effect on learning outcomes. At the secondary level, it works, but only under three specific conditions that most assignments never meet.

This episode draws in part on research in:

• Homework effectiveness and effect sizes (Cooper, Hattie)
• Retrieval practice and memory consolidation (Roediger, Karpicke)
• Cognitive load and task design (Sweller, Kirschner)
• Feedback and learning gains (Hattie, Timperley)
• Spaced practice and long-term retention (Cepeda, Pashler)