New research released today by Mathspace, a leading adaptive math platform, indicates three in four students are concerned about contracting COVID-19 this fall. The report also covers students’ sentiment towards remote learning and online tools.
“Survey results show that students are acutely aware of the threat that COVID-19 poses to their well-being, which prompts the question: As key stakeholders in any return to school plans, should students not have a greater voice in this discussion?” said Daniel Tu-Hoa, SVP of Mathspace North America.
“While many experts and stakeholders are weighing in on policy decisions around schools reopening, students’ voices have been largely absent from discussions impacting their health and education.”
Key findings include:
- Students are concerned about contracting COVID-19 at school: 76% of students are concerned about contracting COVID-19 when school resumes in the fall. Students in states with a higher incidence of COVID-19 had greater concerns about returning to school.
- Students and teachers share concerns about academic preparedness: 77% of students are concerned that they will not be academically prepared for this school year, and 89% of teachers shared similar concerns regarding students’ academic readiness for the fall.
- Digital tools that provide scaffolded support are important for the modern math classroom: 47% of students feel that math is harder to learn remotely compared to other subjects. 50% of students feel they aren’t getting the same level of feedback and support on math questions while learning at home versus learning at school.
- Students support the usage of online tools: 57% of students want to use more online tools when they go back to school.
- Educator support is crucial: 74% of students believe online learning can’t replace their teachers.
In the two surveys conducted by Mathspace, over 5,000 students and over 200 teachers from across the United States were asked about their experiences with online learning and their feelings about returning to the traditional education system. The report was created based on survey data collected between May and July 2020.
“An important aspect of digital learning is the real-time support and teacher visibility that online programs offer; technology plays an important role in offering additional support to students when teachers may not be there,” Mr Tu-Hoa said. “We built Mathspace to closely mirror the one-to-one learning experience, with teachers being able to monitor students’ progress and address challenges as needed.”
For the full survey report, please click here.
Founded in 2010 with a mission to help all students excel at mathematics, Mathspace is one of the world’s most advanced adaptive math platforms. Mathspace closely replicates the experience of having a teacher sit alongside a student. What sets Mathspace apart from other math platforms is its StepSmart technology, allowing students to show their work and get step-by-step feedback for multi-step problems. This means that Mathspace can deliver timely and tailored feedback to support students at the exact moment of misconception, providing highly individualized learning support for each student. With a built-in textbook, diagnostic and formative assessments, and thousands of curriculum-aligned lessons and videos, Mathspace is an all-in-one mathematics resource. Mathspace is used by more than 250,000 students globally.
The American Consortium for Equity in Education, publisher of the "Equity & Access" journal, celebrates and connects the educators, associations, community partners and industry leaders who are working to solve problems and create a more equitable environment for historically underserved pre K-12 students throughout the United States.
