Researchers found no strong correlation between the use of homework and school results in Norway

In countries where teachers and students spend much time in the classroom are were the impact of homework and school results are the most, according to an analysis of 16 OECD countries. Girls who get homework is performing better than the analysis presented in the discussion paper "Homework assignment and student achievement in OECD countries" by professor Torberg Falch at NTNU and researcher Marte Rønning at Statistics Norway.

Researchers are studying the effects of homework on school results to nine year olds by taking data as reported by16 OECD countries in the 2007 TIMSS survey (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study). Participating countries have reported on school results and lesson practice. Data for the time spent in the classroom as well as the length of the school day are drawn from the OECD report "Education at a Glance, 2011".

In the United States, the researchers found that the effects of homework and school results is the largest contributor to better achievement. Scientists, however, found no strong correlation between the use of homework and school results in Norway, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, Denmark, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Slovakia, England and Scotland. Sweden is a special case, because the researchers found a negative effect of homework, that is, students who get homework makes it worse.

In almost all countries, including Norway, the effects of homework are greatest for girls.