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

The findings regarding technologies used for e- Learning during the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the variability in available technologies for communications and LMS; however, the most prevalent were Google classroom, Moodle, and WhatsApp (Agormedah et al., 2020; Irfan et al., 2020; Naidoo, 2020; Siregar et al., 2021; Sulistyani et al., 2021). It appears that few educators utilized more specialized technologies such as evaluation software or mathematical software. Some educators in Irfan et al.’s (2020) study stated that they wished there were available systems for attendance and assessment, which reflected a lack of awareness regarding such software. Such findings supported the idea that even digital natives may be unprepared for e- Learning as they may only be familiar with technologies for personal use rather than for e-Learning (Nsengimana et al., 2021). These findings also supported Ahn and Edwin’s (2018) idea that specialized software use remains scarce due to difficulties in setup and high costs. As institutions and educators continue to adjust towards e-Learning, it may be helpful to develop more user-friendly and universal software that they could use, and to raise awareness regardingthese technologies. In terms of the changes in educators’ practices for e-Learning, the main issue appeared to be the increased preparation required for teaching tasks (Cassibba et al., 2021; Lopez et al., 2021). Only Cassibba et al. (2021) reported the use of less gestures, which was purported to be a vital part of mathematics education. The increase in use of technologies reported by Lopez et al. (2021) was unsurprising as it is the main principle of e-Learning (Ayu, 2020). No other major changes in practice and strategies were reported. The finding that a majority of educators in Sulistyani et al.’s (2021) study were able to successfully achieve their goals without major changes shows some promise for the use of e-Learning in mathematics. Cassibba et al.’s (2021) participants likewise indicated that they retained the use of natural language, mathematical language, and iconic representations, which is important for the subject of mathematics (Ahn & Edwin, 2018). Although the minimal changes found in this review is promising, educators shouldalso find ways to maximize the benefits of technologies and apply positive changes to their practices and strategies. Postsecondary educators’ perceptions regarding mathematics e-Learning were somewhat mixed, with more challenges reported than benefits. The loss of student interactions and involvement in lessons and discussions appeared to be a major challenge for educators (Cassibba et al., 2021; Irfan et al., 2020; Sulistyani et al., 2021). This challenge supported Neuwirth et al.’s (2020) idea that teaching on a screen with minimal visual feedback can serve as a barrier for student engagement. This challenge also limits the opportunities for student collaboration, whichwas cited as an important factor for mathematics education (Naidoo, 2020; Nsengimana et al., 2021). Alternatively, the main advantage of e-Learning appeared to be the improvements in student involvement because of their increased responsibilities (Cassibba et al., 2021; Sulistyani et al., 2021). The increase in student responsibilities, however, may be counterproductive for students who are experiencing Covid despair (Ludwig, 2021). As educators in Lopez et al.’s (2021) study indicated work-life balance as a medium-level challenge for them, educators should also consider the needs of their students during this difficult period. Relatively more challenges with mathematics e-Learning were reported by students, while only two studies reported on benefits. The advantage of increased technological, problem solving, communication, and research skills (Nsengimana et al., 2021) support the idea that students can adjust and progress from digital immigrants to digital natives (Naidoo, 2020). Interestingly, a key advantage identified in Naidoo’s (2020) study was the creation of virtual communities, which could be a solution to the educators’ perceived challenge of loss of student interactions and collaboration (Cassibba et al., 2021; Lopez et al., 2021; Sulistyani et al., 2021). The challenges identified by the postsecondary students supported existing literature indicating lack of readiness for e-Learning (Sakhapov & Absalyamova, 2018), possible distractions at home, and other psychosocial factors (Neuwirth et al. 2020). The challenge of family responsibilities may be especially pronounced for postsecondary students who have children (Naidoo, 2020). Students should thus be given more time to adjust and training in preparation fore-Learning. Overall, mathematics e-Learning may be necessary for the time being and may have benefits, but the multiple challenges identified in this review indicate a need to further develop the field. VI. L imitations A major limitation for this systematic review is the small number of studies that met the criteria. Although this limitation could not be controlled due to the narrow focus of the review, it limits the opportunities for comparison and synthesis. Additional research is needed to provide a more solid evidence regarding the transitional experiences of postsecondary educators and students for mathematics e-Learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Notable geographical limitations were also found in this systematic review, with most studies clustering in Africa and Indonesia. Similar studies in other nations, especially in South America and Australia would be particularly helpful in providing a more diverse and global view of the field. More quantitative evidence with larger sample sizes would also be beneficial to obtain a more holistic overview of © 2021 Global Journals Volume XXI Issue XIV Version I 9 ( G ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2021 Postsecondary Mathematics during the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review