ASSESSMENT AND SELECTION OF REMOTE LEARNING PLATFORMS FOR ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DURING THE PANDEMIC: A FOCUS ON BEST PRACTICES AND APPLICATIONS

Abstract

This article addresses decision-making in basic education during the pandemic, focusing on children. We conducted a study applying the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) method, developed by Saaty in 1970, to facilitate complex decisions. The AHP integrates mathematics and psychology, enabling the evaluation and prioritization of options in decision-making. We iidentified relevant criteria and alternatives, where decision-makers assign numerical values to the relative importance among criteria using a comparative scale. The comparison matrix is then normalized to calculate the weights of the criteria. This is followed by a consistency analysis to verify the reliability of the assessments. Our findings indicate WhatsApp as the most suitable tool for teaching and learning in this context, due to its accessibility and ease of use. Video conferencing tools, such as Teams, Meet, and Zoom, are highlighted for their real-time interaction capabilities, despite having lost some presence in daily life. Traditional distance education tools, like Classroom and Moodle, are considered less suitable due to their complexity. It is important to acknowledge the limitations of the study, such as the lack of novelty in the theme and the pandemic-related restrictions that limited interaction among authors. We suggest future fi eld research to validate the eff ectiveness of the tools as per the presented classifi cation. Th is work signifi cantly contributes to society by providing clear guidelines for selecting teaching and learning tools during crises, thereby improving the quality of early childhood education. Th e AHP plays a crucial role in this process, allowing for a more precise and well-founded choice in educational approach.