Online Learning in COVID-19 Pandemic: An Investigation of Mathematics Teachers’ Perception

Abstract

As an effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic, The Ministry of Education in Indonesia commands distance learning, particularly online learning. The change in learning methods from face-to-face into learning through the network certainly raises various teachers, particularly mathematics teachers. This study aims to reveal the mathematics teacher's perception of online mathematics learning challenges and possibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used a purposive-survey method. The researchers give online questionnaires to mathematics teachers who teach in Indonesia. Forty-eight respondents with various educational backgrounds, including bachelor degree, professional teacher education program, and master degree. This survey results indicate that educational experience is one of the things that will vary the ability of teachers in presenting online learning. The analysis of survey results reveals that mathematics teachers had a positive perception of online learning implementation. However, teachers face some challenges to implement online learning, such as teacher readiness in running applications to carry out online learning, online learning facilities for students, limitations in achieving learning that demands mathematical thinking, and constraints in giving feedback to students. Meanwhile, some teachers also think that online learning has various advantages including encourage students to learn more independently, encourage students and teachers to master ICT, study time is more flexible, accommodate students to be more creative in doing assignments and looking for lesson references, and the material that has been delivered can be stored better, in other words, the digital footprint that has been left can help students who want to repeat their lessons.