Learning mathematics via WhatsApp social network in Bagroup national project: Students’ perceptions

This paper describes students’ perspectives about the possible learning opportunities they experienced when participating in a WhatsApp group project created to help prepare for the final secondary school Bagrut (matriculation) exam in mathematics. “Bagroup” project was initiated by the Ministry of Education and the Center for Educational Technology and launched as a national project three months before Bagrut examination. It was meant to serve as an additional environment for learning mathematics and provide an online tool during which teachers presented specific problems via blended learning, and students had the opportunity to ask questions, present problems with which they were having difficulty, and receive feedback from teachers and peers. To obtain a complete picture of the students’ points of view, we used a mixed-method research model. Quantitative data were obtained via a questionnaire with Likert statements and open questions, and qualitative data were obtained by observing four Bagroup study groups over the three-month period. Factor analysis revealed three categories of factors: those contributing to learner’s emotional needs, those that promote learning, and those that inhibit learning. The findings may have implications for improving distance and remote learning.