Parental Involvement in Children's Mathematics Learning Before and During the Period of the COVID-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic created sudden and unprecedented challenges for all stakeholders in education, including pupils, teachers, policymakers, and parents. International organizations emphasized alternative teaching modes during the crisis. Traditional teaching methods were replaced by e-learning, requiring all participants to adjust and adopt innovative approaches. Most studies have focused on the difficulties and barriers faced by teachers and students. However, parents also assumed a significant role, particularly in primary and early secondary grades, as they were expected to facilitate their children's use of e-learning and support them throughout the learning process. The present study examined changes in parental involvement during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period in mathematics education. A questionnaire was administered to parents in Cyprus during the first days of the 2019-2020 school year and again in May 2020, after e-learning experiences, to assess their beliefs and self-efficacy regarding supporting their children's homework, mathematical understanding, and perseverance in problem-solving. Only parents who participated in both phases were included in the comparative analysis. Results indicated that parents, especially in primary education, were willing to support their children's learning under different teaching conditions; however, they required training to develop appropriate knowledge, relevant experience, positive beliefs, and self-efficacy.