Reflecting on dilemmas in digital resource design as a response to COVID-19 for learners in under-resourced contexts
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting school closures in South Africa necessitated a major shift in how to support learners’ ongoing mathematics learning. For 10 weeks learners were strictly confined to their homes with restrictions that prohibited seeing any person outs...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Pythagoras |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://pythagoras.org.za/index.php/pythagoras/article/view/599 |
| _version_ | 1817983365547032576 |
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| author | Pamela Vale Mellony H. Graven |
| author_facet | Pamela Vale Mellony H. Graven |
| author_sort | Pamela Vale |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting school closures in South Africa necessitated a major shift in how to support learners’ ongoing mathematics learning. For 10 weeks learners were strictly confined to their homes with restrictions that prohibited seeing any person outside of their household. The only means to access learners and parents in their homes was to reimagine our South African Numeracy Chair Project work and transform it from predominantly face-to-face interventions to digital modalities. As a result, we initiated a project of digital resource development and distribution, particularly focused on our local community in the Eastern Cape. Twenty-two existing resources and 36 purpose-designed resources were shared via Facebook. Through in-depth post hoc reflection of the rapid digitalisation of our materials and ways of working we address these questions: (1) In relation to learners’ new ‘ecology of learning’ during lockdown what digital access modality and platforms were most fit-for-purpose in sharing mathematics learning resources? (2) What principles informed resource design and adaptation for digital distribution and use? (3) What dilemmas were confronted in making decisions about resource design and distribution?. These questions are answered through a document review and post hoc reflections on the noted dilemmas. We share some feedback received and discuss implications of our work and the dilemmas confronted for the provision of quality digital resources for supporting mathematics learning in historically disadvantaged and under-resourced communities in a post pandemic world. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T23:32:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3b3309dd59814dc7996518e5072c24b1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1012-2346 2223-7895 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T23:32:19Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pythagoras |
| spelling | doaj.art-3b3309dd59814dc7996518e5072c24b12022-12-22T02:24:52ZengAOSISPythagoras1012-23462223-78952021-11-01421e1e1710.4102/pythagoras.v42i1.599251Reflecting on dilemmas in digital resource design as a response to COVID-19 for learners in under-resourced contextsPamela Vale0Mellony H. Graven1Department of Education, Faculty Education, Rhodes University, MakhandaDepartment of Education, Faculty Education, Rhodes University, MakhandaThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting school closures in South Africa necessitated a major shift in how to support learners’ ongoing mathematics learning. For 10 weeks learners were strictly confined to their homes with restrictions that prohibited seeing any person outside of their household. The only means to access learners and parents in their homes was to reimagine our South African Numeracy Chair Project work and transform it from predominantly face-to-face interventions to digital modalities. As a result, we initiated a project of digital resource development and distribution, particularly focused on our local community in the Eastern Cape. Twenty-two existing resources and 36 purpose-designed resources were shared via Facebook. Through in-depth post hoc reflection of the rapid digitalisation of our materials and ways of working we address these questions: (1) In relation to learners’ new ‘ecology of learning’ during lockdown what digital access modality and platforms were most fit-for-purpose in sharing mathematics learning resources? (2) What principles informed resource design and adaptation for digital distribution and use? (3) What dilemmas were confronted in making decisions about resource design and distribution?. These questions are answered through a document review and post hoc reflections on the noted dilemmas. We share some feedback received and discuss implications of our work and the dilemmas confronted for the provision of quality digital resources for supporting mathematics learning in historically disadvantaged and under-resourced communities in a post pandemic world.https://pythagoras.org.za/index.php/pythagoras/article/view/599south africacovid-19digital resourcestask designecology of learningunder-resourced communities |
| spellingShingle | Pamela Vale Mellony H. Graven Reflecting on dilemmas in digital resource design as a response to COVID-19 for learners in under-resourced contexts Pythagoras south africa covid-19 digital resources task design ecology of learning under-resourced communities |
| title | Reflecting on dilemmas in digital resource design as a response to COVID-19 for learners in under-resourced contexts |
| title_full | Reflecting on dilemmas in digital resource design as a response to COVID-19 for learners in under-resourced contexts |
| title_fullStr | Reflecting on dilemmas in digital resource design as a response to COVID-19 for learners in under-resourced contexts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reflecting on dilemmas in digital resource design as a response to COVID-19 for learners in under-resourced contexts |
| title_short | Reflecting on dilemmas in digital resource design as a response to COVID-19 for learners in under-resourced contexts |
| title_sort | reflecting on dilemmas in digital resource design as a response to covid 19 for learners in under resourced contexts |
| topic | south africa covid-19 digital resources task design ecology of learning under-resourced communities |
| url | https://pythagoras.org.za/index.php/pythagoras/article/view/599 |
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