Learning Mathematics of Financial Operations during the COVID-19 Era: An Assessment with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all walks of life, including education. Universities have been forced to teach in a blended or online environment, which has led professors to adapt their traditional teaching–learning methodologies. The professors of Mathematics of Financial Operations at the University of Almeria (Spain) have created video tutorials so that students can autonomously prepare the theoretical part of the subject, leaving the face-to-face classes for practical exercises. This article aims to analyze the effectiveness of video tutorials and the autonomy finally achieved by students in their learning. For this purpose, a questionnaire was carried out in which, through 21 questions, the constructs Autonomy, Effectiveness, Depth, Format, Challenge, and Use were assessed. Based on these six latent variables, the proposed model using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) methodology revealed that students considered the Format and Depth of the video tutorials crucial for genuinely effective performance learning and promoting their autonomy. On the other hand, the variables Challenge and Use were poorly rated. This article presents an original valuation model, which has the virtue of achieving a prediction of 78.6% and, in addition, has high predictive power.

Challenges and Opportunities: Experiences of Mathematics Lecturers Engaged in Emergency Remote Teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Reports on mathematics support during the initial university closures detail the greatly reduced numbers of students availing of services of this kind [6,7], which is an issue of concern. Others have focused on preservice mathematics teachers, looking at how they made the transition to using digital resources for mathematics [8,9], while more considered the teaching of specific subject areas [10,11] or age-groups [12,13]. More generally, some have researched specifically what mathematics educators in institutes of higher education can learn from their experience of these times [14].…”

Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Mathematics Achievement? A Case Study of University Students in Social Sciences

“…Several studies tried to explain the impact of the rapid transition to online mathematics teaching during the pandemic on students' academic development [12][13][14][15][16][17]24,26,28]. In April 2021, Soesanto et al [9] encouraged researchers to bridge the still large research gap regarding the causality of implementing online mathematics learning in times of crisis in order to contribute to developing pedagogical strategies to improve university students' mathematics performance and attitudes.…”

“…structural equation modelling (SEM) was the most used quantitative method, and questionnaires were the most widely used instruments of data gathering [23]. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze a questionnaire related to the performance of mathematics teaching during the COVID-19 era in [24]. According to the topic of the present study, special attention was paid to comparative studies (pre-pandemic vs. pandemic) of mathematical achievements.…”

Attitude towards dengue control efforts with the potential of digital technology during COVID-19: partial least squares-structural equation modeling

“…This study uses PLS-SEM analysis which was selected because it is variance-based and estimates composite components and factors. 34 The PLS analysis is a multivariate statistical technique that compares several responses and explanatory variables. [35][36][37] Through this approach, it is possible to make appropriate structural equations toward dengue control related to the perception of environmental factors on the threatened perception of dengue, program constraints, program benefits, and digital technology needs.…”