At school or home? Eight graders’ first practices with online geometry lessons

Abstract

Undoubtedly, one of the areas most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic process was educational activities. In this study, the eighth graders of a public elementary school in Turkey were observed for a six-week online learning period. The aim was to obtain whether any changes occur in their geometry attitudes during process and to reveal their preferences between online distance learning (ODL) and regular face-to-face education. In this context, structured as a mixed study, a Geometry Attitude Scale (GAS) and a questionnaire about online distance learning was administered at the beginning; further GAS and learners’ opinions in response to open-ended questions were administered at the end of the process. Quantitative results indicated that gender and mathematics achievement levels have no relationship with GAS and ODL. Still, the qualitative analysis provided that ODL does not cause any change in students' attitudes towards geometry lessons; moreover, students commonly prefer face-to-face education over ODL.