Changes in Teaching Styles and Students’ Learning Styles in Mathematics in Bolivian Primary Schools Before, During, and After COVID-19: An Examination of Possible Paradigm Shifts

This study examines changes in mathematics teaching practices in Bolivian primary schools before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 42 lessons recorded in 2019 (face-to-face), 57 in 2021 (online), and 10 in 2025 (face-to-face) were analyzed using 14 indicators of teacher actions (Sekiya et al., 2007) and 11 indicators of student behavior (Matsuo, 2015). Students’ mathematics notebooks were also examined to measure unit completion and learning volume. Results indicate that during online instruction, teacher-led explanations, board writing, and procedural exercises increased, while interactive and formative assessment activities declined. After COVID-19, teaching partially returned to pre-pandemic patterns, yet individualized instruction increased and student presentations nearly disappeared. Student engagement in cognitive tasks rose temporarily during online learning but decreased again in 2025, with a rise in passive and non-learning activities. These findings suggest both temporary and lasting transformations in mathematics classrooms in Bolivia, underscoring the need to support learner-centered pedagogy in the post-pandemic era.