Global Journal of Human Social Science, G: Linguistics and Education, Volume 21 Issue 14

Postsecondary Mathematics during the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review Dr. Manuel Rodriguez Abstract- The Coronavirus 2019 pandemic has brought about the need for prompt and dynamic changes in the educational system, including the use of e-Learning. Mathematics is a particularlyabstract field of study that may be difficult to teach through e-Learning. Psychosocial factors pandemic may further challenge educators and students in mathematics e- Learning during the pandemic. This systematic review aims to explore the transitional experiences of postsecondary educators and students in mathematics e-Learning during the Coronavirus 2019 pandemic. Nine articles met the criteria and were included for synthesis. Findings revealed that the most utilized and preferred technologies were Google Classroom, Moodle, and WhatsApp. Changes in educators' practices included increased hours spent on teaching preparation and tasks, reduced use of gestures, sending notes prior to lessons, and reduced student interactions. Advantages of mathematics e-Learning perceived by educators included improvements in student involvement, lesson planning, teaching style, and comfort in technologies. Major challenges perceived by educators were reduced student interactions, lack of special software for mathematics, difficulty monitoring student progress, and difficulty with testing. Students' perceived advantages of mathematics e-Learning included improvements in technological skills, problem solving, and communication and research skills. Major challenges perceived by students were connectivity issues, data and device affordability, being unprepared for e-Learning, increased anxiety for mathematics e-Learning, lack of practical works or simulations, unclear instructions, insufficient feedback, and distractions and responsibilities at home. Based on these findings, mathematics e- Learning may be necessary and may have benefits but still involves several challenges for both postsecondary educators and students. Keywords: covid-19, e-learning, higher education, mathematics, systematic review. I. I ntroduction he Coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, which began in December of 2019 in Wuhan, China, has had a significant impact on various fields across the globe, including the field of higher education (Marinoni et al., 2020). Based on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reports, 185 nations declared closure of their educational institutions beginning April of 2020, thereby impeding on the education of around 1,542,412,000 learners (89.4% of overall enrolled learners) around the world (Marinoni et al., 2020). Such a large scale and dynamic change has never occurred before, and warranted extensive adjustments to educational systems (Cassibba et al., 2021). Since then, several learners and educators have experienced unforeseen radical reconstructions of education as they worked or studied from home (Neuwirth et al., 2020). Both learners and educators have had to adjust to the new system of e- Learning. E-Learning has been defined as the use of various types of information and communications technologies (ICT), such as e-mail, software, and learning management systems(LMS), among others, for the purposes of education (Ayu, 2020). E-Learning is a part of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), which involves the technological integration of the physical, biological, and digital aspects of life (Sakhapov & Absalyamova, 2018). Although the 4IR beganearlier than the Covid-19 pandemic, disparities in terms of readiness still exists between nations and between individuals (Naidoo, 2020; Sakhapov & Absalyamova, 2018). Furthermore, although individuals may be accustomed to using technologies for personal uses, e-Learning is substantially different (Nsengimana et al., 2021). The terms digital natives and digital immigrants illustrate the disparities in readiness (Naidoo, 2020). Digital natives are individuals who are well-versed in the use of latest technologies, while digital immigrants comprise those who are unfamiliar with technology and may tend to rely primarily on printed materials prior to using digital technology (Naidoo, 2020). With the sudden adjustments made due to Covid-19, digital immigrants may have difficulties transitioning to the digital lifestyle. Other psychosocial factors may also be at play during the Covid-19 pandemic. Given the new virtual classroom environment and possible distractions in the physical environment, the learners may have difficulties focusing on their lessons or participating in discussions (Neuwirth et al., 2020). At the same time, educators may have trouble adjusting to teaching on a screen with minimal visual feedback from and engagement from their students (Neuwirth et al., 2020). In addition to these obstacles, Ludwig (2021) proposed the phenomenon of Covid despair, which describes negative psychological state of individuals during the pandemic. During this difficult time, individuals may struggle with financial stress, unemployment, cramped living spaces, lack of recreation, social isolation, and immediate deportation of international students. Given these difficulties, the present generation of young adults (Gen Z) were found T © 2021 Global Journals Volume XXI Issue XIV Version I 1 ( G ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2021 Author: Ph.D, West Coast University, Doral, Florida Miami, FL 33175, United States. e-mail: manrodriguez@westcoastuniversity.edu