Comparison of the Effects of Problem-Based Learning and Inquiry-Based Learning on Students' Mathematical Creative Thinking Skills

Developing students’ mathematical creative thinking skills is important because these skills enable them to generate alternative solutions to problems. However, interviews with mathematics teachers at SMP Negeri 2 Cilegon indicated that students struggled to explore ideas and develop problem-solving strategies independently. This study aimed to compare students’ mathematical creative thinking skills and improvements in these skills following problem-based learning (PBL) and inquiry-based learning (IBL). A quantitative, quasi-experimental study was conducted using a nonequivalent pretest–posttest comparison-group design. The sample comprised 70 seventh-grade students selected through cluster random sampling: 35 students from Class VII B formed the PBL group, and 35 students from Class VII J formed the IBL group. Both groups received four instructional sessions on plane figures. Data were collected using a mathematical creative thinking test, an observation sheet, and a student response questionnaire. The test comprised four constructed-response items assessing fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. All test items were reported as valid, with validity coefficients ranging from 0.74181 to 0.79536, and the test demonstrated internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.767. Data analysis included normality and homogeneity tests, an independent-samples t-test, and normalized gain (N-gain) calculations. The mean posttest scores were 82.77 for the PBL group and 76.63 for the IBL group, while the corresponding mean N-gain values were 0.77 and 0.69. The independent-samples t-test indicated a statistically significant between-group difference, t(68) = 3.761, p < .001. Overall, the PBL group achieved higher mean posttest scores and greater mean normalized gains than the IBL group. These findings suggest that PBL is a promising instructional approach for supporting students’ mathematical creative thinking in the context studied.