The pursuit to provide quality education to learners is a commitment that the University of Batangas has been upholding throughout the years. Rising above all the adversities, the institution had continuously lived up to its tagline “Undeniably the Best” by giving undeniably the best service to all its stakeholders. As the years progress, the institution, without a doubt, would still want to uphold these ideals and give the learners the best they can, even undertaking necessary changes in terms of learning delivery to cater to the learners' needs. These necessary changes are done to ensure that learning remains to be an active and continuous process, and they are also vital most especially for the past three academic years when the pandemic hit the world (Carandang et al., 2024).

While the country is still facing the challenges of the pandemic, the institution continues to thrive in providing learners with quality education. It is a known fact that the set of learners continuing their education for the past three academic years have experienced a great deal of adjustments all throughout their tertiary level of education. Some of these learners completed the preliminary years of their education through face-to-face classes but shifted to online learning during the pandemic for their later years of education, making them hybrid learners. The necessary adjustments both on the learners' part and the instructors' part were worked out. The institution is fortunate enough to have a learning management system (LMS), NEO-LMS, which complies with the distance learning guidelines set by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Along with the LMS, learning materials in the form of modules that could be accessed both online and offline were provided for the continuous learning process. After a while, CHED compliant guidelines were set for the conduct of classes and regular online classes were done through various platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet. Recorded discussions were also provided to the learners as additional reference. All of these are deemed helpful in the assessment of learning that were done through activities provided in the LMS or activities provided in other digital learning platforms. The consistent exchange of information between the learners and instructors also didn't waive with the aid of the messaging functions of the LMS, online classes platforms, chat functions and social media platforms. With all these combined online learning opportunities for the learners, the assurance that the standard of providing quality education never became inferior to what was given pre-pandemic.

Another set of hybrid learners anticipated to be soon completing their corresponding degree programs are coincidentally also the set of learners who are the pioneer batch of the K to 12 program implementation in the Philippines. The Commission on Higher Education also applied the required changes in revising the curriculum for tertiary students to the set of learners previously mentioned. These learners were the pioneer batch who experienced these changes upon entering the tertiary level. Included in the changes are the required general education subjects for the students. According to CMO no, 20, s. 2013 (CHED, 2013) wherein the pursuit of ongoing educational reforms included already the upgraded basic education curriculum under K to 12 such as the GE Courses previously offered in tertiary education, it has created a window for the revision of the previously used GE courses to the new GE curriculum. The CMO also states that the new GE curriculum aims to expose undergraduate students to various domains of knowledge and ways of comprehending social and natural realities, developing in the process, intellectual competencies, and civic capacities. As cited from the Memorandum from CHED (2016), the new GEC shall be implemented starting Academic Year 2018 – 2019 and that the sample or suggested syllabi may be adopted in teaching and in the delivery of the content of the new GEC. Adhering to these policies, the institution has been utilizing an adapted curriculum aligned with the CHED guidelines with minor modifications which would also meet the institutional objectives.

The revisions made in the General Education curriculum encompassed all course subjects, including Mathematics as one of the required general education courses. Previously, the curriculum prescribed sixty-three (63) units of General Education, with six (6) units specifically allocated for Mathematics (CHED, 1996). Under the revised framework, the core courses were reduced to a minimum of thirty-six (36) units, which included eight identified core courses, among them Mathematics in the Modern World (CHED, 2013). This course explores the nature of Mathematics, fosters appreciation of its practical, intellectual, and aesthetic dimensions, and emphasizes the application of mathematical tools in everyday life. Several batches of learners have undergone the said curriculum revisions and as per practice of the institution, most of these learners had the opportunity to take the course subject MMW in their first year of tertiary education. Over the past years also, there have been batches of learners who received the instructional delivery of this subject on the traditional basis of having face to face classes. When the pandemic began, instructional delivery shifted to online mode and the recent batches of learners have been learning through this manner.

Recognizing that one of the institution's goals is to uphold academic excellence by continually seeking the application of truth, knowledge, and wisdom through both conventional and alternative approaches to instructional delivery; promote moral and spiritual development through an integrated educational process that will enhance human character and dignity; develop cultural, economic, and socio-civic conscience through an educational content relevant to national development needs, conditions and aspirations; strengthen involvement in community services through varied economic and environmental projects; attain institutional self-reliance through responsive programs for staff, facilities and systems development; and ensure financial viability and profitability, initiatives to review and revise the existing syllabus of every course subject were repeatedly considered over the past years. As another academic year is approaching, the researchers who are also part of the Mathematics department of the institution are also working their way towards assessing the instructional delivery of the course subject MMW and reflecting upon the modifications that could be done for the succeeding academic years. There is no doubt that the instructors of the subject will have a say on the modifications that could be done on the subject but the perceptions of those who are on the receiving end of this instructional delivery and learning the course subject will also have the great bearing on the possible modifications and these are the learners of the course subject. Hence, this is one of the matters that the researchers have taken into account.

In keeping abreast with producing “champions” which are learners who received quality education from their corresponding degree programs from the institution, the modifications that would be done will be deemed valuable. Over the past two academic years, it was observed that there has been improvement on the general performance of the students taking the subject MMW. Coincidentally, these learners have undergone the online learning of the course subject. The researchers would then want to dig into how the learners perceived their learning of the subject based on some factors to be considered that could have affected this improvement in their performance for the previous years. These learners were able to overcome the challenges brought about by the pandemic; however, it would be more meaningful to examine both the positive and negative aspects of their online learning experience in Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW). Taking all of these into consideration, the modifications on the instructional delivery of the course subject for the succeeding years will be derived on how the learners perceive their learning of the course subject and will hence be more appropriate for the learners of the next generation (Ramos et al., 2024).

As learning is a two-way street between the educators and the learners, the assessment of the learners' perception of their learning would also be digging into the teachers' contributions to the effectiveness of the instructional delivery of the subject. Harefa and Sihombing, (2022) noted: “implementing learning, teachers must consider the use of teaching methods, and the methods should vary.” As there are numerous course programs and sections who are taking the course subject, the need for different sections to be handled by different instructors could also be examined since different teaching methods could have been applied in teaching the course subject. One learner's perception of his/her instructor teaching the course subject may vary from another learner. This also implies that one instructor's teaching methods may vary from another instructor. Thus, it would be better to also inspect the impact of the different practices applied from each instructor and consider the best practices that could be adapted by other instructors and would be helpful in the improvement of some areas of concern in the teaching methods of the instructors handling the subject. Looking into this aspect would be advantageous in the overall improvement of the instructional delivery of the course subject as the instructors are the ones who will impart the learning that will be provided from the improved course subject syllabus and learning materials.

The purpose of this research is to explore the way the learners perceive their learning of the subject Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) which could be valuable in improving the delivery of the course subject. Hence, this could be adopted to provide quality learning of the course subject which is continuously in the best interest of the institution. This research will also give insight not only on the best practices of the delivery of learning of MMW but also on the weak points that could be improved on. This could all be done based on the evaluation of the learners who have taken the subject. The adaptation of these practices with corresponding adjustments will be helpful in the delivery of learning of MMW in the incoming academic years to learners who will be experiencing face to face classes on the said subject already. The research will also pave the way for rooms for improvement of continuous delivery of learning in an online basis specifically to the learners undergoing the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP). In general, the findings obtained could be an innovation in the delivery of learning of course subjects not only in MMW but also for other course subjects. With the continuous quest to provide quality education to the learners during this period and through the succeeding years, this led the researchers to:

Measure the students' perception of their online learning of Mathematics in the Modern World course in terms of:

• Course Structure/Organization;

• Learner Interaction;

• Student Engagement

• Instructor Presence

• Student Satisfaction; and

• Perceived Learning

2) Identify the issues and challenges that students face in studying Mathematics in the Modern World online.

3) Identify the teachers' best practices and improvements that could be done in teaching Mathematics in the Modern World.

4) Suggest ways for the enhancement of teaching Mathematics in the Modern World online.

The pursuit to provide quality education to learners is a commitment that the University of Batangas has been upholding throughout the years. Rising above all the adversities, the institution had continuously lived up to its tagline “Undeniably the Best” by giving undeniably the best service to all its stakeholders. As the years progress, the institution, without a doubt, would still want to uphold these ideals and give the learners the best they can, even undertaking necessary changes in terms of learning delivery to cater to the learners' needs. These necessary changes are done to ensure that learning remains to be an active and continuous process, and they are also vital most especially for the past three academic years when the pandemic hit the world (Carandang et al., 2024).

While the country is still facing the challenges of the pandemic, the institution continues to thrive in providing learners with quality education. It is a known fact that the set of learners continuing their education for the past three academic years have experienced a great deal of adjustments all throughout their tertiary level of education. Some of these learners completed the preliminary years of their education through face-to-face classes but shifted to online learning during the pandemic for their later years of education, making them hybrid learners. The necessary adjustments both on the learners' part and the instructors' part were worked out. The institution is fortunate enough to have a learning management system (LMS), NEO-LMS, which complies with the distance learning guidelines set by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Along with the LMS, learning materials in the form of modules that could be accessed both online and offline were provided for the continuous learning process. After a while, CHED compliant guidelines were set for the conduct of classes and regular online classes were done through various platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet. Recorded discussions were also provided to the learners as additional reference. All of these are deemed helpful in the assessment of learning that were done through activities provided in the LMS or activities provided in other digital learning platforms. The consistent exchange of information between the learners and instructors also didn't waive with the aid of the messaging functions of the LMS, online classes platforms, chat functions and social media platforms. With all these combined online learning opportunities for the learners, the assurance that the standard of providing quality education never became inferior to what was given pre-pandemic.

Another set of hybrid learners anticipated to be soon completing their corresponding degree programs are coincidentally also the set of learners who are the pioneer batch of the K to 12 program implementation in the Philippines. The Commission on Higher Education also applied the required changes in revising the curriculum for tertiary students to the set of learners previously mentioned. These learners were the pioneer batch who experienced these changes upon entering the tertiary level. Included in the changes are the required general education subjects for the students. According to CMO no, 20, s. 2013 (CHED, 2013) wherein the pursuit of ongoing educational reforms included already the upgraded basic education curriculum under K to 12 such as the GE Courses previously offered in tertiary education, it has created a window for the revision of the previously used GE courses to the new GE curriculum. The CMO also states that the new GE curriculum aims to expose undergraduate students to various domains of knowledge and ways of comprehending social and natural realities, developing in the process, intellectual competencies, and civic capacities. As cited from the Memorandum from CHED (2016), the new GEC shall be implemented starting Academic Year 2018 – 2019 and that the sample or suggested syllabi may be adopted in teaching and in the delivery of the content of the new GEC. Adhering to these policies, the institution has been utilizing an adapted curriculum aligned with the CHED guidelines with minor modifications which would also meet the institutional objectives.

The revisions made in the General Education curriculum encompassed all course subjects, including Mathematics as one of the required general education courses. Previously, the curriculum prescribed sixty-three (63) units of General Education, with six (6) units specifically allocated for Mathematics (CHED, 1996). Under the revised framework, the core courses were reduced to a minimum of thirty-six (36) units, which included eight identified core courses, among them Mathematics in the Modern World (CHED, 2013). This course explores the nature of Mathematics, fosters appreciation of its practical, intellectual, and aesthetic dimensions, and emphasizes the application of mathematical tools in everyday life. Several batches of learners have undergone the said curriculum revisions and as per practice of the institution, most of these learners had the opportunity to take the course subject MMW in their first year of tertiary education. Over the past years also, there have been batches of learners who received the instructional delivery of this subject on the traditional basis of having face to face classes. When the pandemic began, instructional delivery shifted to online mode and the recent batches of learners have been learning through this manner.

Recognizing that one of the institution's goals is to uphold academic excellence by continually seeking the application of truth, knowledge, and wisdom through both conventional and alternative approaches to instructional delivery; promote moral and spiritual development through an integrated educational process that will enhance human character and dignity; develop cultural, economic, and socio-civic conscience through an educational content relevant to national development needs, conditions and aspirations; strengthen involvement in community services through varied economic and environmental projects; attain institutional self-reliance through responsive programs for staff, facilities and systems development; and ensure financial viability and profitability, initiatives to review and revise the existing syllabus of every course subject were repeatedly considered over the past years. As another academic year is approaching, the researchers who are also part of the Mathematics department of the institution are also working their way towards assessing the instructional delivery of the course subject MMW and reflecting upon the modifications that could be done for the succeeding academic years. There is no doubt that the instructors of the subject will have a say on the modifications that could be done on the subject but the perceptions of those who are on the receiving end of this instructional delivery and learning the course subject will also have the great bearing on the possible modifications and these are the learners of the course subject. Hence, this is one of the matters that the researchers have taken into account.

In keeping abreast with producing “champions” which are learners who received quality education from their corresponding degree programs from the institution, the modifications that would be done will be deemed valuable. Over the past two academic years, it was observed that there has been improvement on the general performance of the students taking the subject MMW. Coincidentally, these learners have undergone the online learning of the course subject. The researchers would then want to dig into how the learners perceived their learning of the subject based on some factors to be considered that could have affected this improvement in their performance for the previous years. These learners were able to overcome the challenges brought about by the pandemic; however, it would be more meaningful to examine both the positive and negative aspects of their online learning experience in Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW). Taking all of these into consideration, the modifications on the instructional delivery of the course subject for the succeeding years will be derived on how the learners perceive their learning of the course subject and will hence be more appropriate for the learners of the next generation (Ramos et al., 2024).

As learning is a two-way street between the educators and the learners, the assessment of the learners' perception of their learning would also be digging into the teachers' contributions to the effectiveness of the instructional delivery of the subject. Harefa and Sihombing, (2022) noted: “implementing learning, teachers must consider the use of teaching methods, and the methods should vary.” As there are numerous course programs and sections who are taking the course subject, the need for different sections to be handled by different instructors could also be examined since different teaching methods could have been applied in teaching the course subject. One learner's perception of his/her instructor teaching the course subject may vary from another learner. This also implies that one instructor's teaching methods may vary from another instructor. Thus, it would be better to also inspect the impact of the different practices applied from each instructor and consider the best practices that could be adapted by other instructors and would be helpful in the improvement of some areas of concern in the teaching methods of the instructors handling the subject. Looking into this aspect would be advantageous in the overall improvement of the instructional delivery of the course subject as the instructors are the ones who will impart the learning that will be provided from the improved course subject syllabus and learning materials.

The purpose of this research is to explore the way the learners perceive their learning of the subject Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) which could be valuable in improving the delivery of the course subject. Hence, this could be adopted to provide quality learning of the course subject which is continuously in the best interest of the institution. This research will also give insight not only on the best practices of the delivery of learning of MMW but also on the weak points that could be improved on. This could all be done based on the evaluation of the learners who have taken the subject. The adaptation of these practices with corresponding adjustments will be helpful in the delivery of learning of MMW in the incoming academic years to learners who will be experiencing face to face classes on the said subject already. The research will also pave the way for rooms for improvement of continuous delivery of learning in an online basis specifically to the learners undergoing the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP). In general, the findings obtained could be an innovation in the delivery of learning of course subjects not only in MMW but also for other course subjects. With the continuous quest to provide quality education to the learners during this period and through the succeeding years, this led the researchers to:

1) The study utilized the Sequential Explanatory Design mixed methods approach. A sequential explanatory strategy is characterized by the collection and analysis of quantitative data in the first phase of research followed by the collection and analysis of qualitative data in the second phase that builds on the results of the initial quantitative results (Creswell, 2009). The quantitative portion of the study used a researcher-made questionnaire with the weights assigned to the quantitative data to be gathered regarding the perception of the learners on their learning of the course subject. The qualitative portion followed the quantitative phase where results supported the results from the quantitative data delving more into the respondents' perception on their learning of the course subject.

The study was conducted at the University of Batangas with student-respondents enrolled in the course Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) during the first and second semesters of Academic Year 2021–2022. A non-probability sampling method was employed in selecting the participants, specifically purposive sampling, since a particular set of respon-dents were set as participants of the study. A random sample of 358 first year college students between 18-20 years old who took up MMW were considered as participants of the study. The respondents were composed of students taking up varying degree programs from different departments in the tertiary level.

As for the instrument used in this study, a 39-item researcher-made questionnaire was used to assess the students' perception of their online learning of MMW. This instrument is composed of items that will assess their perspective in terms of Course Structure/ Organization (5 items), Learner Interaction (7 items), Student Engagement (5 items), Instructor Presence (5 items), Student Satisfaction (6 items), and Perceived Learning (6 items). The items were rated using a 6-point Likert scale with the following interpretations:

1.00 – 1.83    1 Strongly Disagree 

1.84 – 2.67    2 Mostly Disagree 

2.68 – 3.51    3 Slightly Agree 

3.52 – 4.35    4              Moderately Agree 

4.36 – 5.19    5              Mostly Agree 

5.20 – 6.00    6 Strongly Agree

Open-ended questions were also part of the question-naire, with five guide questions which aim is to expound on some areas of students' online learning of MMW. 

The researchers also assured that the ethical guidelines for research involving human participants was followed and was conducted in accordance with the study protocol approved by the College Research Ethics Committee of the University. The student-respondents were informed about the background and purpose of the study and formal consent were included in the survey-questionnaire distributed to the participants. Student-respondents were also assured that all the information that will be gathered will remain anonymous and confidential. The participants were guaranteed that partiality will not happen upon participating in the study, that no incentives were given, and that they hold the authority to accept or decline the invitation to participate. With the consideration of following the safety protocols for Covid19, the distribution of the survey-questionnaire was held online. The survey-questionnaire was transformed into an online form using Google Forms and was distributed to the participants through a link to their email addresses.

The data gathered through the survey-questionnaires were both quantitative and qualitative and were analyzed through the applicable treatment for each. The quantitative data were evaluated using the descriptive method through weighted mean and standard deviation. Responses were interpreted from the given mean ranges with scaling and verbal interpretation. On the other hand, the qualitative responses gathered from the open-ended questions were processed through thematic analysis.

This section presents, analyzes, and interprets the data gathered for this study.

Students' Perception of their online learning of Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) Course 

The table below presents the results of the data gathered concerning the students' perspectives on the effectiveness of using LMS in Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) course.

Table 1: Students' Perception of their online learning of Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) Course in terms of Content / Organization.

Legend: SA – Strongly Agree, SD – Standard Deviation

Table 1 presents the students' perspectives of the effectiveness of LMS in MMW courses in terms of content/organization. From these data, it can be said that the majority of the students have strongly agreed that they clearly know the purpose of the course presented (M=5.60, SD=0.667), however, the students need to agreed that the LMS is effective to use in teaching the content of MMW (OM=5.50). This means that students know how to access the course materials as support from the instruction given by the professors, but need to explore more on the other support navigation of the course in LMS.

This result is supported by the findings of Bradley, (2021) who emphasized that the Learning Management System (LMS) fosters an inclusive learning environment that promotes academic progress through mediating structures such as online collaborative groupings, training, discussions, and communication among users. Moreover, the LMS serves as a platform to facilitate and model discussions, organize online activities, set clear learning expectations, provide learners with varied options, and assist in problem-solving by guiding decision-making processes improve the use of course navigation in the LMS (M=5.39, SD=0.764). Generally, the students have strongly 

Table 2: Students' Perception of their online learning of Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) Course in terms of Learner Interaction.

Legend: SA – Strongly Agree, MOA – Mostly Agree, MD – Moderately Disagree, SD – Standard Deviation

Table 2 indicates the students' perspectives of the effectiveness of LMS in MMW course in terms of learner interaction. This shows that majority of the respondents have strongly agreed that there were opportunities for active learning in this course (M=5.34, SD=1.025), meanwhile there are some who have moderately agreed that LMS had the opportunity to introduce themselves to others in the class (M=2.22, SD=0.917). In general, the respondents mostly agreed that LMS is effective in improving learner interaction during MMW class (OM=4.60). This result implies that students are given different opportunities in using LMS, however, direct interaction with and among other students are limited.

This aligns with the ideas of Al-Fraihat, Joy, Masa'deh, and Sinclair, (2020) who asserted that the use of an LMS offers online learners greater opportunities by providing consistent information about their performance. It also enables learners to develop independence, while sustaining engagement as they utilize the LMS to monitor their academic progress.

Table 3: Students' Perception of their online learning of Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) Course in terms of Student Engagement.

Legend: SA – Strongly Agree, MOA – Mostly Agree, SD – Standard Deviation

Table 3 shows the students' perspective of the effectiveness of LMS in theMMW course in terms of student engagement.  From the data gathered, it can be said that majority of the students have strongly agreed that they participated in synchronous and/or asyn-chronous chat sessions during the course (M=5.40, SD=0.852). However, some of them have moderately agreed that they discussed what they learned in the course outside of class (M=4.81, SD=1.059). As a whole, the students mostly agreed that LMS is effective in improving student engagement in MMW courses (OM=5.15). This means that LMS opens students' engagement in class by involving them in synchronous and asynchronous sessions with provided learning materials, but needs to improve the interaction after class sessions. 

The findings are further supported by Alzahrani, (2019) who highlighted that an LMS can serve as a framework for synchronous delivery methods through tools such as video conferencing and online discussions. This allows learners to interact with their instructors via video sessions, live chats, presentations, and shared documents. Such synchronous modes of communication enhance student–instructor interaction, while both synchronous and asynchronous approaches within the LMS contribute positively to facilitating student learning.

Table 4: Students' Perception of their online learning of Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) Course in terms of Instructor Presence.

Legend: SA – Strongly Agree, SD – Standard Deviation 

Table 4 presents the students' perspective on the effectiveness of LMS in Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) course in terms of instructor presence. The respondents strongly agreed that the instructor cared about their progress in the course (M=5.59, SD=0.728), while the instructor's timely feedback about the students' progress in the course was needed to continuously adapt in the LMS (M=5.47, SD=0.778). Generally, the students have strongly agreed that the LMS is effective in showing the instructor's presence in MMW courses (OM=5.51). This shows that instructors are trying their best to accommodate the needs of the students and to provide equally important and constructive feedback about their outputs.

This result is consistent with the findings of Jung and Huh, (2019) who noted that an LMS offers administrative management functions such as profile features, curriculum guidelines, assignment management, discussion boards, writing resources, and instructor updates. It also provides users with access to learning materials and information, along with instructor support, delivered through both synchronous and asynchronous modalities.

Table 5 presents the students' perspective on the effectiveness of LMS in MMW courses in terms of student satisfaction. The results showed that majority of the students have strongly agreed that they are satisfied with the instructor (M=5.66, SD=0.688) and content (M=5.66, SD=0.721) of the course. In general, the respondents have strongly agreed that LMS is effective in developing student satisfaction during MMW courses (OM=5.56). This can be interpreted that students are highly aware of the important role of LMS in the learning process including the content materials and the instructor's support given to them. These findings are consistent with the study of Alzahrani, (2019) which emphasized that videoconferencing influences student performance.

Table 5: Students' Perception of their online learning of Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) Course in terms of Student Satisfaction.

Legend: SA – Strongly Agree, SD – Standard Deviation

The outcomes of the study may be attributed to several factors, including the perceived quality of instruction, the volume of content, the teaching style employed, and the confidence of the instructor. Student feedback further revealed a preference for asynchronous videoconferencing as a mode of learning. Moreover, an online environment facilitated by a competent instructor who can effectively manage and utilize LMS resources enables students to acquire knowledge and achieve positive learning outcomes.

Table 6: Students' Perception of their online learning of Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) Course in terms of Perceived Learning.

Legend: SA – Strongly Agree, A – Agree, MA – Moderately Agree, SD – Standard Deviation

Table 6 discusses the students' perspective of the effectiveness of LMS in the Mathematics in the Modern World course in terms of perceived learning. From the data gathered, it can be said that the respondents have strongly agreed that learning tasks enhanced their understanding of the content (M=5.49, SD=0.709). However, some of them have moderately agreed that they learned less in the course than they anticipated (M=3.65, SD=1.927). As a whole, the students have mostly agreed that LMS can improve perceived learning in MMW courses (OM=5.14). This indicates that students learned well with the use of varied learning activities and tools in the LMS as a support to what was discussed during the synchronous session. 

This is supported by the findings of Murcia, (2016) who noted that when instructors encourage learner independence, students are able to complete assignments and tasks autonomously without direct instructor influence. Instructors also play a key role in facilitating and modeling discussions, organizing online activities, setting clear learning expectations, offering learners various choices, and providing guidance in problem-solving and decision-making

Issues and Challenges that Students Faced in Studying Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) Online

This section presents the issues and challenges faced by the respondents in learning Mathematics in the Modern World through online delivery.

Table 7: Issues and Challenges Faced by the Students.

The data gathered revealed that students have faced issues and challenges, which can be categorized into technical concerns and the course content, instruction, and materials. As to the technical concerns, most of the respondents have encountered unstable to weak signal and internet connection problems. Moreover, the shifting from the traditional face-to-face learning to distance learning has also brought some challenges to the students, as they are not well adapted to this kind of learning environment. This implies that there are uncontrollable issues encountered upon attending online classes. 

This is supported by the findings of (Hossain and Rahman, 2017; Tarimo and Kavishe, 2017) who emphasized the need for students to improve their internet usage skills and recommended that univer-sities provide reliable internet facilities for learners. Their study revealed that 82% of students utilized the internet for academic purposes. However, when it came to attitudes toward the use of online learning management systems, the results were largely negative. These insights highlight that internet connectivity poses both an issue and a challenge, not only for students but also for teachers and academic institutions.

Moreover, there are some issues and challenges encountered when it comes to the course content, instruction, and materials such as lack of student participation, improper alignment of the learning task with the lesson discussed, and difficulty asking for help due to poor communication. There are also instances that students had difficulty in solving math problems and doing too many activities given. This means that quality should be given more emphasis rather than quantity. Enough number of tasks must be considered so as not to burden the students too much, and that they can still focus on their studies. Instructors' support is also provided to maintain high interaction among the students. 

This is supported by the study of Venkataraman, (2020) which noted that the lack of human interaction, the absence of a teacher, and limited opportunities for peer discussion may often cause students to feel discouraged or upset. This part is ignored by many online courses and focuses primarily on theoretical material and external lessons. After conventional classroom learning, students find it hard to adapt to an online learning world immediately. They  are  unable  to  adapt  to  commuter-based  learning  due  to  the  sudden transition. Once they encounter difficulties in online learning, students start losing hope.

Teachers' Best Practices and Improvements in Teaching Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW)

The table below presents the teachers' best practices and improvements to be done in teaching Mathematics in the Modern Word (MMW).

Based on the students' responses, the results are presented in tabular form, highlighting three key themes - content, pedagogy, and assessment - which reflect the teachers' best practices and areas for improvement in teaching Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW). These results implied that teachers and professors are trying their best to explain, encourage and elaborate the content and lessons among the students. Meanwhile, in terms of teachers' pedagogy, the findings revealed that most of them are communicating and discussing lessons in synchronous and asynchronous ways. 

Table 8: Teachers' Best Practices and Improvements in Teaching MMW.

They also tried to make the lesson fun and engaging by uploading video presentations, use of other visual and creative presentations, and direct use of whiteboard to explain clearly the lessons and other mathematical computations. Furthermore, the teachers assessed students' understanding of the lesson by providing exercises and problem solving among the students. 

This aligns with the study of Sullivan et al. (2020) which emphasized that explicit explanations combined with repeated practice are well-suited for video technology, particularly instructional videos that can be pre-recorded and shared via web links. By contrast, inquiry-based approaches to learning mathematics require student-centered, mathematically rigorous discussions that are built around students' experiences of working on tasks.

Ways to Enhance the Teaching of Mathematics in the Modern World Online

Below shows the possible enhancement done to continuously improve the teaching of Mathematics in the Modern World online among the students. 

Table 9: Enhancement for Teachers Teaching MMW.

The researchers plan to propose this set of enhancement programs to continuously improve the teaching of Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW). As presented, these activities will greatly aim to allow teachers to be at their best by understanding different pedagogical techniques that can be applied in the new normal set-up including the best and most appropriate assessment tools. With this, teachers and professors can be able to maintain high quality education among the students.