Profiling perceived challenges in Mathematics in the Modern World to inform Math-RetoKiSS: a data-informed blended learning support system for 21st-century mathematics learning in a Philippine university

Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) is a core general education course that develops quantitative reasoning and applied problem solving, yet many first-year students struggle with its concepts and applications. Such challenges call for support designs that extend beyond remediation and function in blended learning environments. This study profiled students perceived challenges in MMW and examined their associations with examination performance to inform Math-RetoKiSS, a blended learning support system integrating asynchronous digital resources, self-assessment, and instructor-mediated remediation. Using a descriptive-correlational needs-assessment design, 371 first-year students from five campuses of a Philippine state university in 2022–2023 completed a validated questionnaire covering course content, instructional delivery, teaching strategies, and assessment methods. Midterm and final grades were obtained from course records. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlations were used. Among the four domains, course content obtained the least favorable mean (M = 2.60, SD = 0.71) and was prioritized for support. Overall performance was very satisfactory (midterm M = 2.31, SD = 0.56; final M = 2.34, SD = 0.61; lower scores indicate better performance), although campus differences were significant. All domain-performance associations were statistically significant but small to moderate (|r| = 0.138–0.349). Findings informed a modular toolkit consisting of topic guides, worked examples, guided practice, self-check exercises, and answer keys deployable in tutorials, online review, and LMS integration. Math-RetoKiSS is positioned to strengthen formative assessment, immediate feedback, self-regulated learning, digital literacy, and critical thinking. The study contributes a multi-campus diagnostic profile and a scalable, practical blended mathematics support model.