Anonymous WhatsApp-based high school mathematics learning: Comparing teachers’ and students’ perspectives on social-emotional support

Abstract

This mixed-methods study examines how an anonymous WhatsApp-based mathematics learning program addresses students’ social-emotional needs, comparing the perspectives of 152 students and 24 teachers participating in Israel’s Bagroup project. This project creates nationwide WhatsApp groups of 100 previously unacquainted advanced mathematics students with one expert teacher, providing 24/7 peer and teacher support for matriculation exam preparation. Using questionnaires with Likert-scale items and open-ended questions and analyzing them through factor analysis and thematic content analysis, we identified key components supporting students’ social-emotional learning (SEL): availability, accessibility, peer learning, anonymity, and immediacy. While both groups valued the platform’s SEL benefits, significant differences emerged: teachers emphasized pedagogical opportunities, while students prioritized practical support and peer assistance. Anonymity features uniquely reduce mathematics anxiety by eliminating the fear of judgment. These findings indicate potentially how large-scale, anonymous digital platforms can create emotionally safe environments for mathematics learning while revealing important perception gaps between educators and learners that should inform implementation strategies.