Evaluation of online learning for mathematics education students

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected most countries in the world, including universities in Medan, Indonesia. The spread of Covid-19 through social interaction requires the omission of face-to-face learning activities. Based on UNESCO data, 850 million students around the world, including Indonesia, study at home. For the mathematics education students in a private university in Medan, Indonesia, studying at home is a new phenomenon. Students and lecturers must change the learning method without preparation due to the sudden pressure. This article examined this phenomenon. The method used was descriptive qualitative to describe the process of implementing distance learning, the media, and evaluation used in e-learning during the Covid-19 pandemic for mathematics education students. Data collection was conducted by a questionnaire administered to 200 lecturers, interviews, and direct observation. The results show that Group Chat via WhatsApp was the most widely used online communication media, especially the Baby Boomers and Generation X, but millennials used online multimedia more frequently. The implementation has several shortcomings: the lack of interaction between instructors and students, students being asked to learn independently and do independent projects, teachers using more than one media not following the teaching-load hours or spending less time, and many experiencing technical obstacles.