GDZ: effective use of ready-made homework to improve academic performance

ANDThe abbreviation GDZ is familiar to every modern schoolchild and his parents. But does everyone always understand what exactly is hidden behind these three letters? GDZ are ready-made homework assignments, processed collections of solutions to exercises and problems from school textbooks. It would seem, why are they needed if a child must independently gnaw on the granite of science? In fact, the purpose of the GD is not to mindlessly cheat, but to help the student better understand the material and learn to solve problems without outside help.

1. The meaning and purpose of using GDZ

Ready-made homework assignments are not just cheat sheets for lazy losers, as it might seem at first glance. This is an important additional resource that, with the right approach, can really improve the effectiveness of standard training. With the help of GDZ, a student can:

• Fill in certain knowledge gaps if you missed an important topic due to illness or travel
• Independently analyze difficult points that you did not fully understand in class.
• Check your solution with the proposed sample and identify errors
• Practice solving problems of increased complexity in preparation for a test or exam

According to a study conducted by the US National Center for Education Statistics, students who regularly complete homework are, on average, 40% more successful than those who do not [1].

If we pay attention to real living examples, then GDZ according to literature for grade 5 for Korovina's textbook is a high-quality selection of exercises ordered by meaning from absolutely all sections of the textbook by the mentioned author.

The main thing is to remember that GDZ should be an assistant and a simulator, and not a replacement for independent thinking. Mindlessly rewriting canned answers will not bring any benefit, but will only harm you in the long run.

2. History and evolution of the GDZ

Ready-made homework assignments have been around for a long time, and over their history they have come a long way from handwritten notebooks to modern online services. Let's trace the main milestones in the development of this convenient educational tool.

Origin of GDZ

Did you know that the pioneers in the creation of state educational institutions in our country were not cunning schoolchildren, but the teachers themselves? Yes, yes, don't be surprised! In the early 90s, when education was going through hard times, teachers took matters into their own hands. They independently solved all the tasks from the textbooks and, based on them, compiled uniform training manuals for themselves and their colleagues. This made it easier and faster for them to check their students’ notebooks and save valuable time.

Development of GDZ in modern education

Years passed, progress did not stand still, and gradually GDZ migrated from printed publications to the vast expanses of the Internet. Today, online solvers are very popular among both schoolchildren and their parents. And this is not surprising, because virtual GDZ has a lot of advantages:

• No need to carry heavy books with you, just have a gadget with Internet access at hand
• You can find the desired subject, class and exercise number in a couple of clicks
• Most solvers on the Internet are available completely free of charge.
• Online GDZ is always at hand, wherever you are - at home, at school or at your grandmother’s dacha

According to a survey conducted in 2020, 78% of Russian schoolchildren use online solvers to prepare homework [2].

But here it is important not to get into trouble and not run into low-quality products. Choose only trusted sites where the solutions are compiled by experienced teachers and provided with detailed explanations and comments.

3. The influence of GDZ on learning

GDZ has long been firmly established in the lives of modern schoolchildren. But how exactly do they influence the learning process? Let's figure it out together.

The influence of GDZ on academic performance

Many parents and teachers fear that GD is a direct path to cheating and degradation of independent thinking. But is the devil as terrible as he is painted? Let's figure it out. Of course, if a child mindlessly copies ready-made answers into a notebook, then there can be no talk of any learning effect. But if you approach the matter wisely, then GDZ can work real miracles:

• A student who missed an important topic or did not fully understand the teacher’s explanation can figure it out on his own with the help of detailed solutions
• After checking the answers in the workbook, the student sees his own mistakes and learns from them so as not to repeat them in the future.
• High-quality GDs with explanations will explain complex issues no worse than a tutor and help bring the solution to automation.

A study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology found that using detailed solutions and explanations for problems helped students better understand the material and improve their performance [3].

So, dear parents, do not rush to scold your children for using GDZ. It’s better to explain to them how to use this tool correctly so that it brings benefit and not harm.

Psychological and pedagogical aspects of GDZ

In addition to purely educational aspects, working with ready-made homework brings other bonuses to children. Judge for yourself, GDZ help develop:

• Skills in independent search and analysis of information
• Ability to check your work and critically evaluate the results
• The habit of finishing what you start and not quitting halfway
• The ability to admit your mistakes and learn from mistakes
• Confidence in one's own abilities and knowledge

According to child psychologist Elena Smirnova, the use of GD for self-test increases students’ sense of responsibility for their work and motivates them to achieve better results [4].

Agree, these are important qualities not only for studying, but also for future adult life. But even here there are pitfalls. If a child begins to get too carried away with cheating and forgets about the independent functioning of the brain, then no GDS will help him. So, dear mothers and fathers, do not forget to be interested in how exactly your child uses solution books.

4. Recommendations for using GDZ

We have already seen that GDs can be an excellent help in studying if you approach them wisely. It remains to figure out exactly how to do this. Here are some tips from experienced parents and teachers.

Effective use of GDZ

So, you have decided that ready-made homework assignments are a good aid in your child’s learning. Where to start? Here are some tips for working effectively with GDZ:

1. Choose high-quality solution books compiled by professional teachers and provided with detailed explanations.
2. Teach your child to first solve a problem on his own, and only then check the ready-made answer. If there are discrepancies, look for your mistake, and not mindlessly rewrite.
3. GDZ is a friend, not an enemy. Use them to analyze complex topics, and not to completely copy all your homework.
4. Explain to the student that a solution book is just an additional tool that does not replace the work of one’s own head.

As practice shows, students who use GD for self-testing and analyzing their mistakes learn the material better and receive higher grades [5].

Tips for parents and students

• Beware of fraudulent sites with aggressive advertising that require registration and paid subscriptions. Look for GDZ on trusted resources with a good reputation.
• Agree with your child that he will not just copy, but explain to you exactly how he solved this or that problem. You can even arrange a game of teacher and student.
• Praise children for their independent efforts, even if they are not always able to come up with the correct answer. The main thing is not to give up and try again.
• Do not force the student to immediately run to the school for help if the task does not work the first time. Let him try it himself first, and use the solution book to check and work on errors.
• Don't forget to occasionally review the websites and apps that your child uses. This way you will be aware of what he is doing and will be able to adjust the process in time.

This is how, with the help of simple rules and trusting dialogue, you can turn the GDZ from a potential enemy into a reliable ally. Your child will learn independence, responsibility and critical thinking. He will become more confident in himself and his knowledge, will be able to catch up on lost time and improve his performance.

And you, dear parents, will always be there to support, advise and, if necessary, point in the right direction. Remember that GDZ is just a tool, and the most important thing in learning is the desire and aspiration of the student himself. So believe in your children, keep them interested in knowledge and never stop learning with them!

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1. National Center for Education Statistics. (2007). Parent and Family Involvement in Education, 2006-07 School Year. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2008/2008050.pdf
2. VTsIOM research. (2020). Distance learning: assessments of Russians. https://wciom.ru/analytical-reviews/analiticheskii-obzor/distanczionnoe-obuchenie-oczenki-rossiyan
3. Roelle, J., & Berthold, K. (2017). Effects of incorporating retrieval into learning tasks: The complexity of the tasks matters. Learning and Instruction, 49, 142-156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2017.01.008
4. Smirnova, E. O. (2020). Homework: pros and cons. Public Education, (7), 101-108. http://narodnoe.org/journals/narodnoe-obrazovanie/2020-7/domashnee-zadanie-za-i-protiv
5. Rudman, N. P. C. (2014). A review of homework literature as a precursor to practitioner-led doctoral research in a primary school. Research in Education, 91(1), 12-29. https://doi.org/10.7227/RIE.91.1.2