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Primary and Secondary Students’ Usage of Digital Platforms for Mathematics Learning during the COVID-19 Outbreak: The Case of the Gaza Strip

Author

Listed:
  • José M. Marbán

    (Department of Didactics of Experimental, Social and Mathematical Sciences, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain)

  • Eqbal Radwan

    (Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip 79702, Palestine
    Directorate of Education-East Gaza, Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Gaza Strip 79702, Palestine)

  • Afnan Radwan

    (Faculty of Education, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip 79702, Palestine)

  • Walaa Radwan

    (Faculty of Education, Ummah Open University, Gaza Strip 79702, Palestine)

Abstract

During the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, digital learning has reshaped mathematics education in different ways. In particular, different social media platforms have acquired an unforeseen prominence as a way to enhance mathematics learning and to model somehow the face-to-face classroom interactions abruptly interrupted. How primary and secondary students have reacted or responded to these changes in the initial learning conditions is the main aim of this study. With this purpose in mind data was collected from 3179 students from the Gaza Strip by means of a validated rating scale and then a cluster analysis approach was applied that revealed the existence of three clusters. K-means cluster analysis was applied to analyze data as an exploratory approach to identify structures within the data. Also, chi-square was applied to identify differences between the clusters with regard to demographic characteristics. Regarding the grouping of participants in clusters the analysis performed lead to the identification of three clusters: Cluster 1, 2 and 3 had 2001, 824 and 354 cases, respectively. These clusters were grouped depending on employ social media platforms used by the students to reinforcement their mathematics learning. Participants in Cluster 3 exhibited the highest proficiency in the usage of social media for mathematics learning as compared to those in Cluster 1 and Cluster 2. This means that students in cluster 1 are more likely to exhibit negative attitudes and low levels in the skills related to using digital technology and the employment of social media in mathematics learning. The results showed that there were no significant differences between cluster-groups with regard to gender, age, and type of school. In contrast, significant differences were found among the three clusters with regards to the educational level of parents and the economic status of the family. However, the overall results show that digital learning is considered a positive response to the school closure in the time of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Suggested Citation

  • José M. Marbán & Eqbal Radwan & Afnan Radwan & Walaa Radwan, 2021. "Primary and Secondary Students’ Usage of Digital Platforms for Mathematics Learning during the COVID-19 Outbreak: The Case of the Gaza Strip," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-21, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jmathe:v:9:y:2021:i:2:p:110-:d:475807
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. -, 2020. "Education in the time of COVID-19," Coediciones, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), number 45905 edited by Eclac.
    2. repec:ecr:col016:45905 is not listed on IDEAS
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    Cited by:

    1. Ryan Joseph M. Salaño, 2023. "YouTeaching in the New Normal: Effectiveness of Teacher-Made YouTube Video Lessons in Improving Students’ Learning Performance on Random Variables," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(3), pages 20-35, March.
    2. Mar-ju Delon O. Gumabay & Char Mae J. Laconde & Grace Lou Marie C. Meneses & Jason O. Manaois, 2024. "The Moderating Effects of Social Media Networking Usage on Adversity Quotient and Academic Performance among Filipino High School Students," International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 11(1), pages 54-64, January.

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