Influence of a video class system on learners' study and learning strategies and their achievement in mathematics

This paper reflects on an investigation to determine the influence of a video class system (VCS) on Grade 9 learners' study and learning strategies as well as achievement in mathematics. The features of effective/expert learning and teaching of school mathematics served as framework for the planning, execution and assessment of the empirical investigation. Results firstly showed no significant changes in the mathematics achievement of either the experimental groups or the control group; secondly, it became evident that teachers involved did not adapt their teaching strategies to accommodate the VCS; thirdly, the results, however, did show that exposure to the VCS significantly improved learners' use of learning and study strategies with regard to attitude, motivation, anxiety, concentration, selection of main ideas, and the use of test strategies. In the South African context with its shortage of properly qualified mathematics teachers, the frequent teachers and learner absenteeism and many learners relying on modes of distance education, the results seem to imply that the implementation of affordable and accessible technological media that do not require the constant presence of a teacher, such as a VCS, could offer a reasonable mode of extending capacity to assist in overcoming the mentioned problems to a certain extent.