Math Learning Deteriorates Due To Covid-19 Pandemic: Report

Cuemath offers after-school classes in math and coding. The company recently commissioned a study with market research firm AC Nielsen to highlight the learning challenges faced by students during the pandemic.  

The study was conducted to understand parent perceptions and concerns in their child's learning, measuring their learning gap in learning. 1200 samples, split equally across cities and grades, were collected across 6 metros: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad, for Grades from 1 to 12. 

The nationwide report put forth the high learning loss amongst children across grades, especially in math. According to the survey, 1 in every 4 parents of students up to Grade 5 believes learning loss to be severe in math in the past 18 months. So what does learning loss mean to parents? 

1. 5 out of 10 parents feel that learning loss leads to forgetting basic concepts and the inability to grasp fundamentals between Grade 1 and Grade 5. 
2. 4 out of 10 parents of these kids also feel that important foundational topics such as Numbers and Operations have become increasingly difficult to grasp for their children
3. While 1/5 parents of higher grades feel Geometry and mensuration have become difficult to comprehend during covid, indicating a weaker foundational understanding of math.

The study also highlights 44 per cent of parents have reported fear of math as a prominent factor for learning loss. This is one of the reasons why 1 in every 3 parents of children from Grade 1 to Grade 3 feel additional pressure while teaching their kids. Furthermore, 6 out of 10 parents feel that enhanced classroom teaching methods such as interactive videos, game-based learning, and DIY activities by either schools or EdTech platforms are lucrative solutions to address this learning loss. This finding is supported by the fact that online learning platforms are preferred over offline neighbourhood tuitions by a whopping 150 per cent.

87 per cent of the parents surveyed in the study also feel that edtech will continue to stay relevant in a post-pandemic world and that the future of education will be hybrid i.e. a physical classroom and an edtech platform. 

Cuemath recognises the importance of reducing learning loss in math and building the next generation of problem-solvers; the startup has launched 1-year free access to its award-winning Math curriculum. Cuemath’s learning program is designed to supplement the school syllabus with a smart curriculum that will be critical for conceptual understanding and help lessen the effect of learning loss in Math for K-12.

Key highlights from the report:

Struggle to understand math during COVID-19

Parents felt that their children were unable to grasp mathematical concepts compared to other subjects in the past 18 months. Parents also feel that these issues sprout at an early age amongst students. These parents believe early intervention is needed to focus on the subject, preferably from Grade 1 (28 per cent) or Grade 3 (26 per cent) onwards. However, parents of older students (Grade 6-12) feel that they must start building focus later, i.e., Grade 5 onwards. 

40 per cent of the parents feel that children struggle with concepts such as numbers and operations, which are introduced in early grades. This, they feel, makes learning math in later grades tougher, resulting in math anxiety. Math anxiety and confusion are cited as significant concerns of learning loss for parents in cities such as Mumbai (40 per cent), Bangalore (37 per cent), Kolkata (35 per cent), and Chennai (43 per cent).

Learning Loss Intensified

46 per cent of parents are worried about their children forgetting the concepts once the topic is over in class, while 43 per cent are concerned about the impact of this learning loss on future clarity on concepts. Reduced marks in Math are a significant concern for parents of students below grade 6 (40 per cent) and those in grades 11 and 12 (39 per cent). 

Parents of middle and higher-grade students (6–12) worry that inefficient learning of Math may lead to reduced marks in that subject. Moreover, peer pressure is identified as a prime concern for 40 per cent of parents of students in 11th-12th. 47 per cent of parents in Hyderabad and Bangalore agreed that learning loss impacts the clarity of concepts among students in the future. Inability to solve an indirect question is seen as the key impact of learning loss among students for 44 per cent of parents in Kolkata. They feel this will impact their child’s learning ability in the future when they are introduced to more complex topics.

Positive Disposition Towards EdTech Platforms

87 per cent of the parents feel that EdTech platforms will be as important to their children today, even after schools reopen in post-COVID times. This reflects in their positive feedback for EdTech platforms/online methods of teaching. 57 per cent of parents at an overall level see enhanced classroom teaching as a solution for addressing learning loss. Cities such as Bengaluru (63 per cent) and Chennai (60 per cent) emphasize enhanced classroom experience. Delhi and Hyderabad, on the other hand, with over 50 per cent opt for need-based doubt clearing sessions.

Six out of 10 parents see enhanced classroom teachings like interactive videos, game-based learning, and DIY activities by either schools or EdTech platforms as a solution for addressing learning loss. However, parents of senior students (Grades 11 & 12) still bestow higher confidence (42 per cent) to offline tuitions and video recording of sessions.