The challenges of virtual learning: an exploratory study among Orang Asli Pupils from the mathematics teachers’ perspectives

ABSTRACT

The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic subsequently led to the digitalization of education, whereby globally virtual learning was implemented to sustain learning. This study aims to explore the challenges faced by Orang Asli pupils when carrying out virtual learning from the mathematics teachers’ perspectives. By employing exploratory qualitative research design and purposive sampling, five teacher participants from two schools in two states in Malaysia were selected. Data was collected from two online and face-to-face focus group interviews. Thematic analysis identified four major themes, which are challenges related to language proficiency, logistic, home and classroom. Based on these emergent themes, various stakeholders can focus their efforts to address these challenges to mitigate Orang Asli pupils’ potential learning loss in the post-Covid era and thus, ensure they remain abreast to current mathematics learning. Further studies should explore on mobile and modular learning as promising alternatives means of content delivery for their future virtual learning.

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) of Malaysia through Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS/1/2021/SSI01/UUM/02/1) and the researchers would like to thank the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia for funding this research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia [FRGS/1/2021/SSI01/UUM/02/1].

Notes on contributors

S. Kanageswari Suppiah Shanmugam

S. Kanageswari Suppiah Shanmugam, served at SEAMEO RECSAM as a Mathematics Education Specialist before joining the School of Education, Universiti Utara Malaysia. She has a doctoral degree in Psychometrics and Educational Evaluation. She is an active member of the National Council on Measurement in Education, the International Community of Emergent Researchers in Mathematics Education (University of Hamburg, Germany). She is also the Associate Member for the Network on Education Quality Monitoring (Asia-Pacific UNESCO Bangkok) and is on the advisory board for the Philippines Basic Education Math Teacher’s Society. She is currently the Chief Editor of the Malaysian Journal of Learning Instruction (SCOPUS Q1). Her specialisation is on cross-cultural assessments, particularly mathematics.

Arsaythamby Veloo

Arsaythamby Veloo is in the field of Psychometric and Assessment in Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) since 2003. He has broad teaching experience, which is focused on various undergraduate and post-graduate courses. He has worked enthusiastically at various training programs such as Instrument Development and data analysis Using SPSS.

Yus’aiman Bin Jusoh

Yus’aiman Bin Jusoh@Yusoff Uholds a PhD in Education and is a senior lecturer at the School of Education, Universiti Utara Malaysia. His research interest has led to many books authored by him.