Mother as a Teacher at Home : Challenges and Opportunities for Parental Involvement in Online Mathematics Learning for Elementary School Students

Abstract

Apart from changing learning and teaching habits, the COVID-19 pandemic has also affected the way parents involve themselves in learning from home. This study explores the challenges parents face when participating in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and what ways can be done to encourage students to learn mathematics online. We use multiple case studies to achieve research objectives. This study involved eight mothers of children in elementary school. Six of them are housewives, and the rest are government employees. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data. Aside from technical constraints such as the availability of internet networks and infrastructure, the findings of this study show that technological literacy and parental involvement in cognitive, emotional, social, and pedagogical aspects are still lacking. We discussed four key findings, including issues with network availability and technological literacy, issues with parents’ routine work and how to accompany their children, parents’ beliefs about mathematics, and parental involvement in cognitive, affective, social, and pedagogical aspects. Finally, the parents’ learning community must be accommodated, developed, and assisted for their involvement to be more effective.