A mixed method quasi experimental study: Teachers' perspectives and student outcomes of innovative mathematics teaching through project-based learning, digital tools, peer collaboration, mathematical experiments, and interdisciplinary teaching

This study investigates the effectiveness of innovative teaching methods in improving the mathematical skills and literacy of middle school students. A mixed-method quasi-experimental design was used that included 310 middle school students, who were split into experimental groups (n = 155) and a control group (n = 155). The quantitative data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics and SmartPLS 4, while the qualitative data obtained from 19 mathematics teachers were analysed using QDA Miner software based on thematic analysis. The results showed that innovative methods in learning mathematics have positive effects on students' mathematical competencies and mathematical literacy. The positive influence of project-based learning on mathematical modeling skills was observed (β = 0.570, p < .001), whereas digital tools had a positive effect on imagination and data analysis skills (β = 0.579, p < .001), peer collaboration had a positive effect on logical reasoning abilities (β = 0.598, p < .001), mathematical experiments had a positive effect on procedural fluency (β = 0.526, p < .001), and the interdisciplinary approach positively influenced mathematical literacy (β = 0.179, p = .001). The mediation analyses confirmed significant indirect effects on mathematical literacy through procedural fluency (β = 0.094, p = .003), imagination and data analysis skills (β = 0.087, p = .004), mathematical modelling skills (β = 0.108, p = .001), and logical reasoning abilities (β = 0.065, p = .027). Qualitative results confirmed quantitative results, and teachers emphasized that innovative teaching methods were effective in stimulating learners' active involvement, conceptual development, and meaningful learning of mathematics. The findings suggest that the innovative mathematics teaching methods are effective for developing mathematical competence and literacy in middle school students with a learner-centered teaching model. The results provide implications for enhancing mathematics instruction and curriculum development using innovative pedagogical practices, grounded in constructivist learning theory.