Mathematics teachers’ perceptions and practices of inquiry-based teaching in basic education schools in the Sultanate of Oman

This study examined mathematics teachers’ perceived effectiveness, reported instructional practices, and perceived implementation challenges related to inquiry-based teaching in Omani public basic education schools. It further explored variations across gender, academic qualification, years of experience, and school location. A descriptive–analytical cross-sectional survey design was employed. Data were collected from a stratified random sample of 365 teachers using a structured questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis supported a stable two-factor structure for the perceived effectiveness and instructional practices dimensions, explaining 59.01% of the total variance (KMO = 0.70, p < .001). Reliability coefficients indicated strong internal consistency (α = 0.92 for perceived effectiveness; α = 0.84 for instructional practices). Results indicated generally high perceived effectiveness (M = 4.08, SD = 0.89) and high levels of reported instructional practices (M = 3.87, SD = 1.01). Significant gender differences were observed in perceived effectiveness (p < .001, d = 1.02) and instructional practices (p = .041, d = 0.22), favoring female teachers. Academic qualification was strongly associated with instructional practices, with postgraduate teachers reporting substantially higher implementation levels (p < .001, d = 1.49). Urban teachers demonstrated markedly higher instructional practices than rural teachers (p < .001, d = 1.99). Years of experience showed a large effect on instructional practices (η² = 0.35) and a small effect on perceived effectiveness (η² = 0.03). Perceived challenges did not significantly vary across demographic variables. Overall, the findings indicate strong conceptual endorsement of inquiry-based teaching alongside uneven implementation influenced by professional and contextual factors. The results underscore the importance of sustained professional development, equitable resource distribution, and institutional support to strengthen inquiry-based mathematics instruction in Oman.