Hi there. In this education post, I cover the importance of math homework. It is obvious that homework is important from a learning perspective. In this post I cover why math homework is important.
The contents in this post is based on my own experiences and things I have observed as a student and as an educator/employee in the private educational services sector.
Improving Problem Solving Abilities Through Practice Problems
Mathematics in its nature is a difficult subject to learn for many. There are many things to memorize, many different rules to follow and the problem solving aspect in mathematics is not easy. The amount of mental effort required to get good at mathematics (university/college level) is demanding.
Homework and practice problems in mathematics helps with building memory as well as developing problem solving skills. When it comes to problem solving many of the problems presented have a format of getting from point A to point B or even going from point A to point B to point C and point D.
Some of the problems in mathematics are even difficult to understand. Mathematics has a fair bit of jargon and its own set of definitions that are difficult to understand for both mathematicians and even regular people. One can view mathematics as a language as language learning does require a lot of practice to be fluent.
Active Recall
Active recall is a learning method as well as a study method that is effective for exam prep by students. According to this website active recall is one of the most popular study methods out there and is popular amongst medical students. This is focused on information retrieval and repeated testing. It is aimed to improve retention, memorization and comprehension. Flashcards are very popular when it comes to active recall. Practice quizzes and tests help with active recall as well.
Understanding Processes & Steps Instead Of Just Focusing On The Answer
In high school mathematics and above there are almost always answer keys at the back of the book. This is for checking your work. Getting answers right in practice is important but it is also important to understand the steps and the thinking behind getting correct answers. Sometimes getting a wrong answer can result from
- not reading the question properly
- a typo mistake
- a negative sign mistake
- an incorrect assumption being made
- not seeing a certain algebra step
- or just getting stuck
In my opinion it is important to make sure that good problem solving steps are followed then the correct answers will follow. This is easier said than done.
The Dangers Of Reading Over Notes Only In Mathematics & Other Technical Subjects
Rereading notes sounds like a good idea in theory but there are better ways to test your knowledge than rereading. You would want to test your knowledge with the use of flashcards, practice quizzes, practice problems from homework and even practice tests if available. Being able to recall something from memory as well as problem solve takes a lot more mental effort than rereading. You want to test your brain when it comes to memory retrieval.
