Canadian Council on Learning | Conseil Canadien sur l'Apprentissage

65% of parents can’t help their children with homework, say Canadians

Oct. 10, 2006 Ottawa—Canadians view homework as an important part of schooling that enhances learning, but two out of three parents don’t have the knowledge needed to help children with their homework, according to new large-scale survey released today by the Canadian Council on Learning.

That’s one of many findings from the first edition of the Survey of Canadian Attitudes toward Learning—a yearly barometer of opinions, perceptions and beliefs about lifelong learning in Canada.

Key Findings on Structured Learning

• While it is important to learn math and our ABCs at school to be successful in life, Canadians believe it is just as important to cultivate a love for learning.
• A majority of Canadians don’t think homework is necessarily equated with quality education.
• Canadians view large-scale achievement tests as a popular means of monitoring learning, providing better instruction and holding schools accountable.
• Homework is seen as an important part of schooling, but very few Canadian parents feel they have enough knowledge to help their children with homework assignments.

“It’s troubling that two-thirds of Canadians say parents don’t have the knowledge necessary to help with homework. This indicates a knowledge gap that has emerged over time, with the increasing complexity of our society,” says Paul Cappon, president and CEO of the Canadian Council on Learning.

The results echo findings from the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey, which show a literacy lag when comparing older Canadians to younger Canadians.

The Survey of Canadian Attitudes toward Learning (SCAL) asked 5,266 Canadians about four aspects of learning throughout the lifespan: early childhood learning; health-related learning; structured learning (elementary, secondary and post-secondary); and work-related adult learning.

The survey was designed by the Canadian Council on Learning in consultation with Statistics Canada, and was also administered by the statistical agency. Results are based on telephone interviews conducted between April 25 and May 20, 2006.

For more information, please visit www.ccl-cca.ca/scal.

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The Canadian Council on Learning is an independent, not-for-profit corporation funded through an agreement with Human Resources and Social Development Canada. Its mandate is to promote and support evidence-based decisions about learning throughout all stages of life, from early childhood through to the senior years.

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