Using Facebook to Create Lesson Plans in a Mathematics Tutor Training Programme

Abstract

Mathematics remains a challenge for higher education institutions in South Africa. Higher education institutions have been attempting to assist in resolving the mathematics problem by adopting several strategies and processes to address the issue of mathematics comprehension. This chapter looks at the tutor intervention programme run at an institution of higher learning in South Africa and how the tutors' knowledge in creating a lesson plan can be improved by using social media. The theory that was used in this study was the community of practice. Facebook was selected as the social media platform based on an affordance analysis. The results of the proof of concept were that most of the respondents revealed that the video explained the concepts clearly to them. However, some respondents stated that the video would have been more effective if it had included aspects such as how to manage the students, prepare the lessons, and assess the work.