Models of Secondary School Students' Interest in Homework: A Multilevel Analysis

This aim of this study was to test empirical models of variables posited to predict homework interest at the secondary school level. Student- and class-level predictors of homework interest were analyzed in a survey of 1,046 8th graders from 63 classes and of 849 11th graders from 48 classes. Most of the variance in homework interest occurred at the student level, with grade level appearing as the only significant predictor at the class level. At the student level, the variation in homework interest was positively associated with affective attitude toward homework, motivational orientation toward homework, student initiative in monitoring homework motivation, teacher feedback, and self-reported grade. Girls reported statistically significant higher scores in homework interest than did boys.