As the COVID-19 pandemic became more widespread, schools began closing and shifting to a system of e-learning where students are given assignments online. However, there are many things that need to change about this system, namely the amount of work that is assigned to students. I will acknowledge that it is important to assign homework in order for students to learn content while school is closed. But according to the educator’s website Resilient Educator, a large amount of homework, most of which is busy work, does close to nothing for furthering students’ understanding. Rather, it only makes students dislike the class and stresses them out, as there are often hours of homework to do from every class combined every day. 

Some may say that this is how work was assigned before the COVID-19 pandemic ever happened. But these are unprecedented times, and there is no need to stick to any precedent. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused all of us to feel a wide range of negative emotions, such as frustration, boredom, and loneliness. Mayo Clinic, a leader in the medical and psychological field, recognizes the various effects on mental health the pandemic has had on us all, such as widespread feelings of sadness, anxiety, fear, and overall depression. All of the damage to mental and emotional health caused by the pandemic has to be accounted for.

Homework, besides often not being effective, can actually affect students physically and emotionally, according to research from University of San Diego. Students often stay up very late doing homework, and also find it to be a primary stressor in their life. The effects of excessive homework and the COVID-19 pandemic combined can make it very difficult for students to do their homework, or find any happiness in this grim situation. For students with household issues, being stuck with their family 24/7 will make it very difficult for them to complete their work. 

I’m not arguing that homework should be banned. Learning content should be important. But I’ve often found that the principle of quality over quantity applies to homework. 50 math questions given without any solutions are less effective than one question which is explained very well. Homework is fundamentally a tool used for understanding, not for the sake of doing. I believe that e-learning can be modified in a way that it contributes to students’ understanding of the curriculum without making them feel any more anxious or stressed than they already are.