RETHINKING HOMEWORK BETWEEN DIALOGIC SPACE AND INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN

Barbara B. Bocchi

Abstract


This paper explores the role of homework within instructional design, framing it not merely as an assessment tool, but as a dialogic space where implicit conceptions of learning, design choices, and student agency intersect. Homework is understood as a mechanism through which pedagogical intentionality becomes visible, clarifying the relationship between objectives, activities, and evaluation. The unit of analysis is the Task-Mediated Design Episode (TMDE), observed as a situated configuration of practices, discourses, and artifacts. Addressing the limited attention this topic has received in Italian literature and its often individual, non-collegial management, this project aims to rethink homework as a lever for dialogic, reflective, and inclusive teaching. It also explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence tools to support teachers in designing tasks aligned with learning goals.


Keywords


Homework; Instructional Design; Dialogic Space; Dialogic Teaching; TMDE.

Full Text:

PDF PDF

References


Alexander, R. J. (2001). Culture and pedigree: International comparisons of primary education. Taylor & Francis / Routledge.

Alexander, R. J. (2006; 2017). Towards Dialogic Teaching: rethinking classroom talk (5th ed.). York: Dialogos.

Alexander, R. J. (2020). A dialogic teaching companion. Routledge.

Athienitis, A. (2022). The homework debate: Past, present, and future directions. Educational Review, 74(3), 312-329.

Bakeman, R., & Quera, V. (2011). Sequential analysis and observational methods for the behavioral sciences. Cambridge University Press.

Bakhtin, M. M. (1986). Speech genres and other late essays. University of Texas Press.

Bogdan, I. (2018). Active learning and homework assignment in primary education. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 2(1), 45-58.

Bushi, A., Jani, M., & Dyrmishi, A. (2024). Teachers’ practices and perceptions regarding homework in primary and low secondary schools. Journal of Educational Studies, 12(2), 89-104.

Canter, L., & Hausner, L. (2002). Homework without tears: A parents' guide for motivating children to study and do homework. HarperCollins.

Caronia, L., & Colla, V. (2024). I compiti a casa: linguaggio e apprendimento quando la scuola entra in famiglia. Raffaello Cortina Editore.

Children’s School Lives. (2024). Longitudinal study on primary schooling in Ireland. UCD School of Education.

Cooper, H. (1989). Homework. Longman.

Cooper, H. (2001; 2006). The battle over homework: Common ground for administrators, teachers, and parents (3rd ed.). Corwin Press.

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.

Corno, L., & Xu, J. (2004). Homework as the job of childhood. Theory Into Practice, 43(3), 227-233.

Di Pietro, R. (2009). Genitori e compiti a casa: Strategie di alleanza e confini educativi. Erickson.

Doyle, W. (1983). Academic work. Review of Educational Research, 53(2), 159-199.

Epstein, J. L., & Van Voorhis, F. L. (2001). More than minutes: Teachers' roles in designing homework. Educational Psychologist, 36(3), 181-193.

Frost, S. (2020). The affective cost of homework: Disengagement and avoidance strategies in primary school. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 90(2), 411-426.

Gage, N. L., & Berliner, D. C. (1998). Educational psychology (6th ed.). Houghton Mifflin.

Gill, B. P., & Schlossman, S. L. (2004). Villain or savior? An historical perspective on homework in American education. Theory Into Practice, 43(3), 174-181.

Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Routledge.

Hogan, J. (2021). Rethinking the purpose of homework in the 21st century. International Journal of Primary Didactics, 15(4), 202-218.

Holte, K. L. (2016). Homework in Scandinavia: A threat to the quality of childhood? Nordic Studies in Education, 36(2), 114-130.

Horvat, M. (2020). Time spent on homework among upper primary school students. Croatian Journal of Education, 22(3), 745-762.

Ivić, V. (2017). Učenička percepcija svrhe i korisnosti domaće zadaće. Napredak, 158(1-2), 85-102.

Jackson, P. W. (1968). Life in classrooms. Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

Jackson, E., & Harbison, L. (2014). The implementation of formative feedback in primary school homework practices. Irish Educational Studies, 33(3), 275-291.

Kremer-Sadlik, T., & Fatigante, M. (2015). Investing in children’s future: Cross-cultural perspectives on homework practices in American and Italian families. Journal of Family Communication, 15(1), 37-54.

Lazzarich, D. (2022). Progettare il tempo extrascolastico: Metodologie per un compito funzionale. Rivista di Rinnovamento Didattico, 14(2), 55-71.

Marentič Požarnik, B. (2003). Psihologija učenja in pouka. DZS.

Marujo, H. A., Neto, L. M., & Perloiro, M. F. (2002). Famiglia e compiti a casa: Stress e strategie di coping. Psicologia Educativa, 8(2), 101-115.

Meirieu, P. (1998). I compiti a casa: Genitori, figli, insegnanti. Feltrinelli.

Mercer, N., & Littleton, K. (2007). Dialogue and the development of children's thinking: A sociocultural approach. Routledge.

Michaels, S., & O’Connor, C. (2012). Talk Science Primer. Cambridge, MA: TERC.

Michaels, S., & O’Connor, C. (2015). Conceptualizing and assessing data, networks, and classroom atmospheres. In L. B. Resnick, C. S. C. Asterhan, & S. N. Clarke (Eds.), Socializing intelligence through academic talk and dialogue. American Educational Research Association.

Michaels, S., O’Connor, C., & Resnick, L. B. (2008). Deliberative discourse idealized and realized: Boldness, privacy, and reality in the classroom. Socio-Cultural Studies in Education, 37(1), 12-32.

Montalbetti, K., & Lisimberti, C. (2020). Dal confine alla soglia. I compiti a casa tra scuola e famiglia. Pedagogia Oggi, 18(1), 309-322.

Nolan, L. (2024). The Polish educational reform: Abolishing homework in primary schools. European Journal of Education Policy, 19(2), 112-126.

Nystrand, M., Gamoran, A., Kachur, R., & Prendergast, C. (1997). Opening dialogue: Understanding the dynamics of language and learning in the literacy classroom. Teachers College Press.

O'Connor, A. (2019). Gaelscoil replaces homework with acts of kindness. The Irish Times, Dec 5, 2019.

Perrenoud, P. (1995). Oficio de alumno y sentido del trabalho escolar. Editorial Popular.

Petek, M. (2012). Domače naloge v osnovni šoli: Izkušnje in pogledi učiteljev. Sodobna Pedagogika, 63(1), 42-59.

Rosário, P., Mourão, R., Núñez, J. C., González-Pienda, J., Solano, P., & Valle, A. (2005). Evaluating the efficacy of a program to enhance homework study skills in primary school. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, 3(1), 111-130.

Rønning, M. (2011). Who benefits from homework assignments? Economics of Education Review, 30(1), 55-64.

Sackett, G. P. (1979). The lag sequential analysis of contingency and cyclicity in behavioral interaction research. Handbook of infant development. Wiley.

Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Routledge.

Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Free Press.

Senekovič, M. (2007). Domače naloge kot element diferenciacije in individualizacije pouka. Revija za Elemente Pedagogike, 5(3), 77-92.

Shaffer, D. W. (2017). Quantitative ethnography. Cathcart Press.

Shaffer, D. W., Collier, W., & Ruis, A. R. (2016). A tutorial on epistemic network analysis. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 21(1), 9-45.

Silva, F. (2004). Homework and family dynamics: A systemic view. Educational Review, 56(1), 15-29.

Šimeg, M. (2020). Navike pisanja domaće zadaće učenika četvrtih razreda osnovne škole. Magistarski rad, Sveučilište u Zagrebu.

Vizek Vidović, V., Vlahović-Štetić, V., Rijavec, M., & Miljković, D. (2014). Psihologija obrazovanja. IEP-Vern.

Yavich, R., & Davidovitch, N. (2020). Homework: Past, present, and future. International Journal of Higher Education, 9(5), 144-154.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.32043/gsd.v10i4.1843

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 ITALIAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH EDUCATION, SPORT AND INCLUSIVE DIDACTICS

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Italian Journal of Health Education, Sports and Inclusive Didactics 

Publisher: Cares srl – REN Press (since 2026). Previously published by Gaia srl – Edizioni Universitarie Romane (2017–2025).

ISSN: 2532-3296 E-ISSN: 3103-5744