Students' Online Learning Experiences with First-Year Mathematics Courses at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus

Abstract

Online learning has become the most appropriate learning mode in numerous universities because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, at the University of Guyana, there was little to no preparation in place to deal with the shift from face-to-face to the online mode of learning. During the pandemic, it was online learning that facilitated the university to keep its doors open. This study aimed at investigating students’ online learning experiences with first-year Mathematics courses in the Department of Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus. The intended purpose of this study was to bring awareness of students’ satisfaction with the online environment. Students’ satisfaction with the online learning environment is critical to learning since their satisfaction is directly related to their learning experiences. In fact, literature suggests that satisfaction is positively correlated to academic performance. This research utilized questionnaires for the collection of data from students doing first-year Mathematics courses. To analyze the responses of the students’ online learning experiences of mathematical concepts, descriptive statistics were used. The analysis of the results revealed that 40% of the students indicated that the online learning environment helped to improve their learning experiences. When it came to the learning of mathematical concepts and the meeting of learning needs, 40% of the students agreed that the online learning environment had a positive effect. Additionally, the majority of students were satisfied with their online learning experiences. The results of this study can be used to bring greater awareness and to help improve the online mode of delivery in first-year Mathematics courses at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus.