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New research reveals two thirds of children now regularly use a computer and the internet for their homework. What’s more, within 50 years, only 1 in 5 believe handwriting will be a useful skill to have, as computers will handle all schoolwork.

The Homework Study, released today by leading printer manufacturer, Lexmark International, examined children’s attitudes to homework and what the future holds for their children’s children.

The study asked children and parents to predict the tools that will be used by 2054 for homework.  The results were surprising:
• The “Three Rs” (reading, writing and arithmetic) become two!  79% of children believed that they would no longer hand write their homework
• Technology reigns supreme. 86% of kids think that computers will be the top tool for helping them with their homework
• New delivery systems. Over half (56%) of children believe they will deliver their homework via email or interactive TV
• Safe research methods.  Books will become redundant as 41% of today’s children predict that they will use dedicated homework chat rooms to answer their homework

Homework heartache
Further results reveal the average school child spends up to an hour a night studying – far more than 50 years ago.  Nearly one in five of these children will spend more than an hour working, while boys spend longer on their homework than girls. English teachers give out the most homework followed closely by Maths. In a bid to stop this anguish, 91% of parents said they help their children with their homework.

Commenting on the research, Martin Raymond, a leading trend forecaster from the Future Laboratory said, “Homework has changed incredibly over the years from chalk and quills, to computers and the internet, so it’s no surprise that it will change again in the next 50 years. The children probably aren’t far off in their predictions,” he continued.  “Technology will undoubtedly feature highly in the delivery of homework.  We’re also likely to see ‘homework hours’ at schools.  Not only will this keep children safe after school, it’s likely to deter over keen parents from ‘assisting’ with the homework!”

Giovanni Giusti, General Manager of Lexmark International UK said, “It is eye opening to see how long children are spending on their homework, with many of them still submitting it in handwritten form. We believe we can help reduce the time they spend presenting their work and what’s more, make their finished piece look more this century than last.”

The survey, commissioned by Lexmark, questioned over 1500 children across the UK on their homework habits in order to see how Lexmark could lend a hand. As a result, from July, selected* Lexmark printers sold will include a free copy of Microsoft’s Encarta worth £30 and a Reebok backpack.

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