Research article | Open Access
International Journal of Progressive Education 2025, Vol. 21(2) 16-28
A Comparative Study of Parent Engagement in Homework: The Case of Private and Government Secondary Schools in Addis Ababa
pp. 16 - 28 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.29329/ijpe.2025.1298.2
Publish Date: April 22, 2025 | Single/Total View: 11/10 | Single/Total Download: 11/10
Abstract
This study examined parent engagement with their children's homework in public and private secondary schools in the city of Addis Ababa. Through a qualitative case study approach, the researchers interviewed a total of 30 participants: 12 teachers, 12 parents, and six school leaders. Member checking and peer review were conducted within the research team to ensure validity and reliability, and the findings were then summarized by theme. Overall, the study highlights the complex relationships between school type, socioeconomic status, parental academic support, and supportive environments. The findings suggest that parental engagement is significantly higher in private schools, where well-educated and affluent parents are more likely to be involved in their children's homework. In contrast, public schools, which serve predominantly low-income families, struggle with parental involvement, citing communication and socioeconomic barriers. Notably, the study highlights the varying strategies employed by schools to promote parental involvement, with private schools focusing on incentives and extracurricular activities and public schools offering tutoring services. While both school types emphasize a positive learning environment, the approach to homework and parental involvement differs significantly. The study's results underscore the need for schools to adopt context-specific strategies that cater to the diverse needs of their student populations, taking into account socioeconomic factors, parental academic support, and creating a conducive homework environment. By doing so, schools can foster a more inclusive and supportive environment that promotes parental engagement in homework and, ultimately, improves student academic outcomes.
Keywords: homework, parental involvement, private, and public secondary schools
APA 7th edition
Beyene, M., & Asgedom, A. (2025). A Comparative Study of Parent Engagement in Homework: The Case of Private and Government Secondary Schools in Addis Ababa. International Journal of Progressive Education, 21(2), 16-28. https://doi.org/10.29329/ijpe.2025.1298.2
Harvard
Beyene, M. and Asgedom, A. (2025). A Comparative Study of Parent Engagement in Homework: The Case of Private and Government Secondary Schools in Addis Ababa. International Journal of Progressive Education, 21(2), pp. 16-28.
Chicago 16th edition
Beyene, Melkamu and Amare Asgedom (2025). "A Comparative Study of Parent Engagement in Homework: The Case of Private and Government Secondary Schools in Addis Ababa". International Journal of Progressive Education 21 (2):16-28. https://doi.org/10.29329/ijpe.2025.1298.2
Anderson, B. (1986). Homework: What do national assessment results tell us?. National Assessment of Educational Progress, Educational Testing Service (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. 276 980). https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED276980.
Bembenutty, J., Li, J., Neier, S.M., Gillis, C.A. & Holloway, S.D. (2011). The homework experience: Perceptions of low income youth. Journal of Advanced Academics,(2):250-278. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1932202X1102200204. Paul Chapman Publishing.
Bempechat, J. (2004). The Motivational Benefits of Homework: A Social-Cognitive Perspective. Theory into Practice, 43(3), 189–196. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3701520.
Berhanu, S. (2003). School Choice and Policy Response: A Comparative Context between Private and Public Schools in Urban Ethiopia. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/africancenter_icad_archive/59.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.
Brooks, G., and Hutchinson, D. (2000). Family Numeracy adds on. Basic Skills Agency.
Cohen, D., & Crabtree, B. (2006).Qualitative research guidelines https://www.qualres.org/HomeLinc- 3684.html.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research methods in education. 8th edn. Routledge.
Cooper, H. (2001). The battle over homework: Common ground for administrators, teachers, and parents. CA: Corwin Press.
Cooper, H., Lindsay, J. J., Nye, B., & Greathouse, S. (1998). Relationships among attitudes about homework, amount of homework assigned and completed, and student achievement. Journal o f Educational Psychology, 90(1), 70–83. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-0663.90.1.70.
Corno, L. (1996). Homework is a complicated thing. Educational Researcher, 25, 27–30. https://doi.org/10.2307/1176489.
Corno, L., & Xu, J. (2004). Homework as the Job of Childhood. Theory into Practice, 43(3), 227–233. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3701525.
Delgado-Gaitan, C. (1992). School matters in the Mexican-American home: Socializing children to education. American Educational Research Journal, 29(3), 495–513. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.2307/1163255.
Epstein, J. L. (1983). Homework Practices, Achievements and Behaviors of Elementary. ELT Journal, 27, 5, 138 – 143. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Epstein,+J.+L.+(1983.
Epstein, J. L., & Van Voorhis, F. L. (2001). More than minutes: Teachers’ roles in designing homework.EducationalPsychologist,36(3),181–193. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1207/S15326985EP3603_4.
Ermisch, J., & Di Salvo, P. (1997).The economic determinants of young people's household formation, Economica, 64, 627–44. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2555104.
Ermisch, J. & M. Francesconi .(2000).The effects of parents’ employment on children’s outcomes. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.252021.
George, T. (2022). Semi-Structured Interview | Definition, Guide & Examples. Scribbr. https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/semi-structured-interview/.
Gill, B. Gill, B. P., & Schlossman, S. L. (2004, summer). Villain or savior? The American discourse onhomework,1850-2003.TheoryintoPractice,43(3),174-181. http://www.hss.cmu.edu/history/docs/schlossman/Villiain-or-Savior.pdf.
Gill, B. Gill & Schlossman .(1996). “A sin against childhood”: Progressive education and the crusade to abolish homework, 1897-1941. American Journal of Education, 105, 27-66. https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1093&context=graduate_projec ts.
Grolnick, W. S. &Slowiaczek .(1994). Parents’ involvement in children’s schooling: A multi dimensional conceptualization and motivational model. Child Development, 65, 237-252. https://awspntest.apa.org/doi/10.2307/1131378.
Haveman, Robert; Wolfe, Barbara. (1995)."The Determinants of Children's Attainments: A Review of Methods and Findings." Journal of Economic Literature. 33: 1829-78. https://econpapers.repec.org/RePEc:lau:crdeep:00.13.
Kothari.C.R. (2004). Research Methodology, Methods and Techniques (2nd.ed). New Age International.
Kralov Kralovec & Buell. (2000).The end of homework: How homework disrupts families, overburdens children, and limits learning. Beacon Press. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED450930.
Ogula, P. A. (2005). Research Methods. CUEA Publications.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD. (2014). Does homework perpetuate inequities in education? PISA in Focus 46. https://doi.org/10.1787/22260919.
Ministry of Education,MoE.(2018). Ethiopian Education Development Roadmap. Education Strategy Center.
National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN. (2008): EDA: 755 Responsibility and Accountability in Education Management: National Open University of Nigeria.
Pring, R. (2015). Philosophy of educational research. 3rd edn. Bloomsbury Academic.
Richards-Babb, M., Drelick, J., Henry, Z., & Robertson-Honecker, J. (2011). Online homework, helporhindrance?What students think and how they perform. Journal of College Science Teaching, 40(4), 81-93. http://www.asianonlinejournals.com/index.php/EDU/article/download/3472/2483?
Salend, S. J., Duhaney, D., Anderson, D. J., & Gottschalk, C. (2004). Using the Internet to Improve Homework Communication and Completion. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 36(3), 64-73. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005990403600309.
Toney, L. P., Kelley, M. L., & Lanclos, N. F. (2003). Self- and parental monitoring of homework in adolescents:Comparative effects of parents’ perceptions of homework behavior problems. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 25(1),35–51. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1300/J019v25n01_03.
World Bank. (2005). The World Bank Annual Report 2005: Year in Review, Volume 1. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/7537 License.
Xu, J., and Corno, L. (1998). Case studies of families doing third-grade homework. Teach. Coll. Rec.
100: 402-136.
Yin, R. (2013).Case study research: Design and methods (5th ed.). CA: Sage.
