Learners’ Perceptions of the Challenges and Improvement Strategies in Distance and Online Undergraduate Mathematics Learning

In order to address the diverse needs of the present-day distance and online Mathematics learners, it is necessary to obtain the opinions of the learners on the improvement strategies of their Mathematics programmes. In distance and online learning (DOL) education in Nigeria, different strategies to improve mathematics learning have been initiated. The aim of this paper is to provide students’ standpoint on the challenges and improvement strategies of learning mathematics through the distance and online method of education. The study explores how internet connectivity issues, institutional strategies and facilitation skill development impacted upon mathematics students’ engagement in distance and online mode of learning. In this study, distance and online mathematics learners from two Open and Distance Learning (ODL) universities who were in the third year of their study were interviewed. A thematic analysis and a word-for-word narrative inquiry approach that encourages students to tell their story were adopted in the analysis. The findings indicated among others a need for provision of efficient, viable and affordable internet connectivity in their schools. Moreover, inclusion of several online mathematics activities for students learning in this mode and provision of relevant mathematical resources for effective learning were evident. It was recommended that the school in collaboration with the government should provide costless personal computers equipped with mathematical capabilities for effective mathematics learning. The students’ opinions presented in this paper can be used as informed improvement strategies designed to enhance distance and online mathematics learning in ODL universities in Nigeria.