Läxhjälpen
tidsstjälare eller en resurs för elever att nå målen?
HomeworkHomework assistanceUpper secondary schoolSenior high schoolMotivationLäxorLäxhjälpStudiehjälpGymnasietMotivationElevansvar
For most pupils homework is a natural part of school and their education and there are several providers of homework assistance: the pupil's parents, sibblings, friends, Internet forums, hired private tutoring, non-profit organisations and at times even the pupil's school. This study has investigated the use of the school-based homework assistance programme at the Upper Secondary School of Psychology in Stockholm and why the programme is not more frequently used by its pupils. The school offers homework assistance two hours each Thursday afternoon, with at least two teachers being present to tender for the school's 127 pupils. The cost of the programme has been estimated to approximately 12 500 Swedish kronor per week. Through the main use of a questionnaire given to both the school's students and teachers, as well as an interview with the school's headmaster, this study will show that despite receiving the opportunity few pupils take part of the programme on a regular basis. Although approximately seventy percent of all pupils claim to have attended the program at least once during the springterm, the main reason has been to re-take tests and not to receive help with their schoolwork. The school's main purpose with the homework assistance programme is to give all its pupils the same opportunity to receive help with their studies and thus reach the national goals. However, some pupils find both the programme and homework in general to be a waste of their leisure time. This study shows that the pupils. use of the homework assistance programme most often is connected not only to individuals' needs for extra assistance with schoolwork, but also with their own maturity and insight of the responsibilities they have towards their studies.