Evaluating the Media Platforms, Devices and Challenges Associated with Online Teaching and Learning of Mathematics during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The study investigates the usage of online educational media platforms and devices used to access online Mathematics learning. It also identifies the challenges Mathematics pre-service teachers encountered in teaching and learning of Mathematics during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Northern Region of Ghana. The research design was descriptive cross-sectional survey with a sample of 345 Mathematics pre-service teachers selected from four (4) Colleges of Education in the Northern Region via simple random and purposive sampling techniques. Close ended questionnaire was developed by the researchers via Google forms and used as the main research instrument. Data were collected via a link sent through WhatsApp and Telegram to the pre–service teachers. The results revealed that Zoom, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Google Classrooms were the mostly used online learning platforms. Again, the devices used were desktop computers, laptops, tablets, iPads, with smartphones being the most commonly device used. The results further indicated that most challenges were; high cost of internet data subscription, lack of smart device due to its high cost, poor internet services in remote areas, pre-service teachers not seeing their lecturers face-to-face for more active interaction and real time feedback, inadequate electricity supplies to keep device always charged before online lectures and the issue of eye straining. It was recommended that   Government should assist tertiary institutions with internet facilities to improve access to online learning and teaching of Mathematics.