Mathematics Distance Learning amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in the UAE: High School Students’ Perspectives

Abstract

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic that has resulted in several countries being locked down, there has been a paradigm shift in terms of learning worldwide. As a result, educational institutions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have acted swiftly and shifted from face-to-face education to distance learning. Thus, this study investigated high school students’ perspectives on the distance learning of mathematics. The research employed a quantitative method using a developed and validated online survey. The convenience sampling consisted of 580 high school students in Al Ain. Descriptive statistical analysis of the mean and standard deviation of scores was used and then interpreted based on Gagné’s rating (1991). In general, the results showed that the students had an ambivalent view of their distance learning experience. Notably, students’ most negative perceptions were about missing the interaction with teachers and colleagues, and disapproving of the unfavourably long screen times. Furthermore, 78.3% of the participants showed no preference for choosing to study mathematics by distance learning in the future, given a choice. This study has extra relevance since the process of distance learning has become more prevalent in the UAE owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, it is imperative that educational institutions try to understand the complexity and embedded nature of distance learning, and the challenges encountered by students while they are studying mathematics in an online environment.