I currently sit at my computer with a tired brain, riddled from extensive Stats homework. Is there an end? Sure, of course there is. But living in the moment is hard. Constant self doubt and a looming darkness called failure waits just over the horizon. Stress. It isn't a feeling of panic, more of dread. It's a reassurance that you are doomed versus the eternal struggle of warding off such an inevitable reality.
This is true for many people, especially when it comes to education. Stress is a real thing and we need to learn that our students feel this just as much as we do (some times more). Managing stress in our students is no easy task. We must challenge them to learn ever bit they can as we risk pushing them over the edge into an over-stressed state. One thing I do not want is my students to lose sleep over material we covered in class that they aren't able to grasp fully.
Technology can be a big help in this regard. Being able to keep track of assignments and schedules online, allowing alerts to prompt students of when things are due. Using cloud computing to shuttle assignments back and forth. Keeping students in the loop and being available to answer questions with instant messengers. Even simple things, like online timers, flash cards, and supplemental instruction can reduce the amount of things a student must do in support of a task.
Let's not forget about the instructor. We ultimately make the decisions about what our students are responsible for in regards to school work outside of school. We must rationalize the work we put on students. Frivolous work outside of the school puts burdens not only on the student, but on the family. Several times as a child I had to miss events due to the work load I was under. Even now in college I find this to be the case. We must be diligent to the duality that is homework. We must ask, is this helpful to the student, or is it justifying my need to simply assign things.
Homework is fine, I have nothing against it as long as it serves a purpose.
We have a responsibility to help keep our students confident, relaxed, engaged, and ultimately happy.
