In the study reported on here we explored how the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has transformed the dynamics of educational support for secondary education mathematics students in Melilla, Spain, focusing on the roles of peer support, family involvement, private tutoring, and individual study. These traditional forms of support, pivotal in academic development, have undergone substantial changes due to pandemic-related restrictions, impacting both collaborative learning and self-management capabilities in mathematics. A non-experimental ex post facto quantitative design was employed, collecting data across 2 periods (2019 and 2024) from a representative sample of secondary school students in Melilla. The data were gathered through a structured Likert-scale questionnaire and analysed using generalised linear models to examine the interaction between temporal and educational variables. The results reveal significant changes: peer support and family involvement markedly decreased at higher educational levels after the pandemic, while this support remained relatively stable at lower educational levels. Conversely, individual study increased at higher educational levels, reflecting a shift towards greater autonomy. Support from private tutors and academies also declined significantly, particularly at advanced grades. The changes in educational support dynamics for mathematics highlight an adaptation towards autonomous learning at higher educational levels and the continuity of collaborative support at lower educational levels. These findings underscore the need to adjust post-pandemic educational strategies, fostering self-management and structured support tailored to academic levels.

https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v46n3a2731

ORCiD iDs of authors:
Nabil Mohamed-Chemlali - https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5758-4783
Hassan Hossein-Mohand - https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5766-767X
Hossein Hossein-Mohand - https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7230-4711
Sara Osuna-Acedo - https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5454-6215