PROBLEMS OF ONLIN
E MATHEMATICS
TEACHING AND LEARNING DURIN
G THE
PANDEMIC: A REVERBERATION IN
TO THE
PERCEPTION OF PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS
Roshni K S
Assistant Professor, Dr. Ambedkar College of Education, Kasaragod, Kerala (India).
E-mail: roshniks487@gmail.com
ORCID: 0000-0003-3304-5195
M N Mohamedunni Alias Musthafa
Professor, Department of Education, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala (India).
E-mail: musthafaedn@cukerala.ac.in
ORCID: 0000-0003-3752-0301
Recepción: 17/10/2022 Aceptación: 01/11/2022 Publicación: 29/12/2022
Citación sugerida:
Roshni K.S. and M.N. Mohamedunni (2022). Problems of online mathematics teaching and learning during the
pandemic: A reverberation in to the perception of prospective teachers. 3C Empresa. Investigación y
pensamiento crítico, 11(2), 153-162. https://doi.org/10.17993/3cemp.2022.110250.153-162
https://doi.org/10.17993/3cemp.2022.110250.153-162
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ABSTRACT
Mathematics teaching and learning has been a special focus in the academic discourse due to its felt
complexity in teaching and learning. This felt complexity originate from the teacher preparation
process itself. Covid 19 pandemic had given a drastic blow to all the educational activities. This has
affected the curricular practices in an unimaginable way. An attempt is made here to examine the
various problems faced by prospective teachers in online mathematics teaching and learning during
the pandemic period. Samples were selected from government/aided/unaided colleges using stratified
random sampling technique with the help of a questionnaire developed for the purpose. Analysis of the
data has been carried out by using techniques such as percentage, t test and ANOVA. It is concluded
from the study that the several hurdles and difficulties has been there specific to mathematics teaching
and learning and majority of them were unhappy with the online mathematics teaching and learning.
KEYWORDS
Perception, Online Learning, Mathematics Learning, Online Teaching
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1. INTRODUCTION
All teaching procedures centred around three pivotal factors: the students, the teacher, and the subject.
Out of these three factors, the teacher is the medium of communication between the
other two.
Pandemic has brought out drastic necessities in paradigms and operations to meet with the changing
demands. Teachers of all levels were trying to adjust with the new normal. However, it is interesting to
note that during the pandemic period, prospective teachers insisted on adopting “online mode”
teaching to cope up with the existing practice. Here the important question raises: what is effectiveness
output of online teaching and learning? Since it is a very new experience for prospective teachers, the
effectiveness of online mode of teaching and learning needs to be considered as an important study to
improve to prospective teachers who teach and learn very fundamental
subjects, like Mathematics.
Thus, “online mode” needs to be considered as a fourth important factor in addition to the above
mentioned three facts; because of the new experience of handling classes by the prospective teacher
without any prior knowledge and experience or training; as well as the learning experience gained by the
students.
Online Mathematics teaching and learning, how much time should be allotted for mathematical
education for helping them gain higher level competency and accuracy in basic computational
procedural skills need to be strictly evaluated. Similarly, how much time needs
to be allotted for
learning higher order skills such as problem solving, problem presentation, solving complex problems,
and transforming mathematical knowledge and skills to problems in non-mathematical disciplines is
also to be considered. Mathematics as a subject is difficult to learn through online medium.
Mathematics contains a number of concepts which require interaction, continuous support, monitoring
from the teacher. These aspects were lacking in the online mode of
teaching and learning. In the
learning process the prospective teachers faced general problems such as lack of internet facility,
problems with the learner's understanding level, problems with the absence of mind and less student-
teacher interaction and they are losing the learning capacity
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many countries to close schools and
universities. To
help students continue learning, a common policy evolved was to provide instructions in the online
context. Online teaching and learning are an unprecedented experience for most teachers and students;
consequently, they have a limited
experience with it. Mathematics is a subject which needs a lot of
illustration for its effectiveness in the teaching and learning context. Hence it is interesting to analyse
how mathematics teaching and learning customised to suit with the change in paradigm. In this
context, this paper, tried to understand the varied problems and perspectives of online Mathematics
Teaching and learning among Prospective Teachers During the Pandemic as perceived by the
prospective teachers at secondary level
2. EMPIRICS AND LEARNING FROM LITERATURE
Substantive number of studies were done concerning problems faced by online mathematics teaching
and learning in various forms by many researchers. However, only a few have come up with the form
and pattern required for this study. Nevertheless, a review of the studies shown-below has thrown
some light on the fact that problems faced by online mathematics teaching and learning are more or
less related and dependent on each other.
The first reported work on the impact of online teaching and learning is by Li (2003) provides the
information which can be useful in implementing rational changes to mathematics teacher education.
The data analysis is concentrated on three areas: the math phobia issue, the equity issue and teachers'
beliefs about the instructional use of technology.
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Borba (2012) investigated the online mathematics education in Brazil within the context of research
on digital technology over the past 25 years. Wherein, the researcher argued that Brazilian research on
technology in mathematics education can be divided into four phases and then the author discussed in
detail with an example that “blends” aspects of the second and third phases.
Larkin et al. (2015) examined the impact of a series of design changes to an online mathematics
education course in terms of transactional distance between learner and teachers, pre-service education
students' attitudes towards mathematics, and their development of mathematical pedagogical
knowledge.
In a study by Bansilal, S. (2015) on the rapid global technological developments and that affected all
facets of life, including the teaching and learning of mathematics. This qualitative study designed to
identify the ways in which technology used and to explore the nature of this use by a group of 52
mathematics student teachers It is recommended that the education department prioritise the provision
of specialist mathematics software that can be used to improve learning outcomes in mathematics.
Adnan, M., & Yaman, B. B. (2015) considered a qualitative review of the perspectives of faculty
members teaching mathematics about teaching mathematics online. Data analysis shows that the most
important concern for mathematicians in teaching mathematics through online was the nature of
mathematics as a discipline, while for mathematics educators it was the nature of the methodology in
teaching mathematics. Istenic et al. (2016) explored an integrative approach in applying ICT in
learning with specific reference to the formation of mathematics teaching capability in preservice
teachers. The effect of online problem posing on students' problem-solving ability in mathematics
were studied by Suarsana et al. (2019).
Recent contribution of interest by Aliyyah et al. (2020) provides an overview on the effect of the
online collaborative learning between teachers, parents, and schools that impact student success.
Broadly, the success of online learning in Indonesia during the COVID-19 Pandemic was determined
by the readiness of technology in line with the national humanist curriculum, support, and
collaboration from all stakeholders, including government, schools, teachers, parents and the
community. This study explores the perceptions of primary school teachers of online learning in a
program developed in Indonesia called School from Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Fakhrunisa, F., & Prabawanto, S (2020) revealed the issues on the mathematics teacher's perception of
online mathematics learning challenges and possibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This survey
results indicate that educational experience is one of the significant factors that will vary the ability of
teachers in presenting online learning. The analysis of survey results reveals that mathematics teachers
had a positive perception of online learning implementation
Cao et al. (2021) investigated how teachers in China perceived the effects of online instruction on
mathematics learning and examined the challenges they encountered when the country shifted to
online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results showed that the teachers believed that the
effectiveness of online teaching largely depends on student self-discipline. Analysis suggested a need
to expand technology use during instruction, reshape the way teachers interact with students, and
reorganize teaching methods in face-to-face classroom instruction.
Radmer, F., & Goodchild, S (2021) studied to explore lecturers’ and students’ experiences of online
mathematics teaching and learning and to enable sharing of solutions to the challenges encountered.
The study findings show that many students missed the social contact, being physically present at the
university, and face to face interaction with their lecturers.
3. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Unlike the other sectors of life in India the progression of online culture has witnessed a slow pacing
in education. There has been no concerted effort in a scientific and methodical manner to augment the
https://doi.org/10.17993/3cemp.2022.110250.153-162
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