Exploring Learning Loss in Mathematics for Lebanese Secondary School Students during Economic and Health Crisis

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to explore the effect of school closure during the economic and health crises on the learning loss of mathematics concepts of secondary students in public and private schools in Lebanon. This mixed research study used concurrent exploratory design involving quantitative data collection through teachers’ questionnaires and qualitative through a comparison of the official examinations in mathematics and CERD documents before and after the crisis. Data analysis was conducted along descriptive and inferential statistics for the questionnaire while document analysis was used to compare suspended concepts between 2019-2022 as well as a thorough analysis of the official exams for grade 12 – General Sciences. A parallel study following the same methodology was implemented for biology. The results showed that there is a significant learning loss in mathematics content along the three targeted years. The official national exams analysis grounded on Bloom’s taxonomy showed a decline in quality. Based on the teachers’ perspectives, there is a discrepancy between learning loss in private and public schools as well as between different regions. The results of this study will inspire the policymakers to implement plans for remedy and holistic measures for mathematics learning loss.