Enhancing High School Geometry Learning with Inquiry-Based Teaching: Impact on Student Understanding, Performance, and Attitudes

2025-04-26T20:39:30+00:00

This study explored the impact of inquiry-based teaching on high school students’ understanding, performance, and attitudes toward geometry. Grounded in constructivist principles and the van Hiele theory of geometric thinking, the study adopted a design-based research approach within a descriptive case study framework. Eight in-service mathematics teachers (IMTs) and 87 students from two senior high schools (SHSs) participated in the study. The IMTs underwent professional development training to design and implement inquiry-based lessons. Data were collected using the van Hiele Geometry Test (VHGT), Geometry Achievement Test (GAT), and Geometry Attitude Scale (GAS) and analysed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings revealed that students who engaged in inquiry-based learning demonstrated significant improvements in their geometric thinking levels, with many progressing to higher van Hiele levels. Additionally, students showed enhanced performance in geometry and developed positive attitudes characterised by increased motivation and self-confidence. The study concludes that integrating inquiry-based teaching into constructivist classrooms fosters student-centred learning and enhances geometric reasoning. It recommends that mathematics educators adopt inquiry-based instructional strategies to improve student engagement and achievement in geometry.

African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences

Enhancing High School Geometry Learning with Inquiry-Based Teaching: Impact on Student Understanding, Performance, and Attitudes