Building a positive Senior High School Students’ Attitude towards Geometry: A guide to implementing Inquiry-Based Teaching Methods

Abstract

Even though geometry is essential in our education and daily lives, students still express low interest in learning the topic as a result of the approaches teachers adopted in teaching. Using an inquiry-based approach grounded in blended constructivist and social constructivist theories, the study aimed to develop and implement interventions that actively engage students in geometry lessons, hence improving their attitudes towards learning geometry. The study employed an explanatory sequential design, integrating quantitative data from pre- and post-intervention tests with qualitative insights from focus group discussions. The geometry attitude test instrument was used to collect data from eighty-seven students from two senior high schools. The multistage sampling technique was used to select the schools, the teachers and students who participated in this study. The quantitative data were analysed using mean, standard deviation, and an independent sample t-test, while the qualitative data were analysed thematically by themes and supported with direct quotes. The findings revealed that students' attitudes toward learning geometry before the intervention were poor; however, the implementation of an inquiry-based intervention improved students’ attitudes in terms of motivation and self-confidence. Also, across gender and school types, students saw an improvement in their attitudes. The study highlights the importance of adopting inquiry-based methods to create engaging and supportive learning environments, ultimately fostering positive attitudes and better performance in geometry.

Keywords: Inquiry-Based Learning, Attitudes toward Mathematics, Geometry, Motivation, Self-Confidence.

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/17-4-03

Publication date: April 30^th 2026