Students’ experiences in distance learning and in solving problems assessing numeracy

Minimum Competency Assessment, which measures students’ numeracy in Indonesia, has been implemented in the pandemic era when learning is forced to shift from offline to online. However, little research on online mathematics learning discusses the students’ experience while students play a significant role in learning. This qualitative descriptive research explores the gap between the distance learning conducted by teachers and how students experience learning regarding numeracy. Through a survey of 264 students, an interview with two mathematics teachers, class observations, and a numeracy test, this research found that students perceived that online mathematics learning does not accommodate their needs for further discussions and detailed explanations. Concerning numeracy, the lack of context in learning activities might cause students difficulty processing information in a passage. The results suggest collaborative learning employing real-life context and digital technology to develop students’ conceptual understanding, which is the foundation of numeracy skills.