Sustaining Teacher Education During COVID-19: Challenges with Remote Teaching and Learning Faced by Preservice Mathematics Teachers

Msebenzi Rabaza, Justice Enu, Annatoria Zanele Ngcobo () and Jyoti Jhagroo
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Msebenzi Rabaza: Department of Mathematics Natural Science and Technology Education, Faculty of Education, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa
Justice Enu: Mathematics Education Department, School of Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood Campus, Durban 4000, South Africa
Annatoria Zanele Ngcobo: Mathematics Education Department, School of Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood Campus, Durban 4000, South Africa
Jyoti Jhagroo: Faculty of Culture and Society, School of Education, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland Campus, Auckland 1010, New Zealand

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 21, 1-9

Abstract: Education institutions worldwide implemented remote teaching and learning to ensure the sustainability of their academic programmes and continuity of study. However, evidence from the literature revealed that remote teaching and learning posed challenges to teaching and learning. This study seeks to explore whether there is a relationship between remote teaching and learning and the challenges faced by preservice mathematics teachers when learning mathematics education during COVID-19. It focuses on remote teaching at four universities: two in South Africa, one in Ghana, and one in New Zealand. The study design followed a quantitative research approach, with 95 preservice mathematics teachers from the four universities randomly assigned to complete an online survey after signing informed consent forms. This study revealed two challenging factors facing preservice mathematics teachers during remote teaching and learning: data, and technological devices for learning. The findings revealed no significant difference ( p < 0.000) between remote teaching and learning and the challenges faced by preservice mathematics teachers when learning during the COVID era. Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected, since p < 0.05. This study concludes that a significant relationship exists between accessibility to technological devices for learning as a challenge to preservice teachers and remote teaching and learning during COVID-19. It is recommended that appropriate technological devices are provided to assist preservice teachers to study mathematics education, thus ensuring continuing access to quality education.

Keywords: sustaining teacher education programme; challenging factors; COVID era; preservice teachers; remote teaching (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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