IMPLEMENTING INQUIRY BASED LEARNING TO ENHANCE GRADE 10 STUDENTS PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS IN QUADRATIC INEQUALITIES: THE CASE OF DEGOLO PREPARATORY AND GENERAL SECONDARY SCHOOL, JAMMAWOREDA, AMHARA REGIONAL STATE

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the implementation of inquiry based learning strategy to enhance grade 10 students’ problem solving skills inquadratic inequalities. The study was conducted in Degolo preparatory and general secondary school. In order to achieve the stated objectives, a quasi experimentalpre test-post test control group research design was employed. Simple random sampling technique was used to select participants in the study. Questionnaires, pre-test and post-test were the instruments used to collect quantitative data from a sample of 7 teachers and 52 students of grade 10 mathematics class. The data were analyzed using percentage, mean and independent t-test. In addition, the researcher used computer software SPSS version 22 to analyze the data collected through closed ended questions and student’s achievement test.The results of the pre-test showed that there was no a statistically significant difference in test results between the control and experimental groups. The results of the post-test showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the control and experimental groups. This indicates that inquiry based learning method was found to be effective in improving students problem solving skills. The findings of the studyshowed that extent ofimplementation of inquiry based learning in quadratic inequalities in Degolo preparatory and general secondary school was medium. The other findings showed that the major factors affecting the implementation of inquiry based learning in mathematics class were: shortage of time, lack of instructional materials, lack of administrative support, large classes, the amount of content that needs to be covered, lack of awareness of teachers and students, negative attitudes of teachers and students towards inquiry based learning, lack of training of teachers and domination of some students over the others during group work. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher strongly recommends that inquiry based learning approach as a preferred teaching method to enhance students' problem solving skills. Thus teachers should take prior training about inquiry based learning in order to reduce factors hindering the implementation of inquiry based learning and implementing inquiry based learning to improve student’s problem solving skills.