A Study of Mathematical Problem-Solving Ability and Mathematics Learning Achievement through the 5E Inquiry-Based Learning Model of Grade 4 Students at Laem Phanwa School, Phuket

Abstract

The purposes of this study were: 1) to investigate the mathematical problem-solving ability of Grade 4 students taught through the 5E Inquiry-Based Learning approach, and 2) to examine their mathematics academic achievement after the implementation of the 5E Inquiry-Based Learning approach.

            The target group consisted of 21 Grade 4 students at Laem Phanwa School during the second semester of the 2025 academic year, selected through purposive sampling. The research instruments included: 1) lesson plans based on the 5E Inquiry-Based Learning approach, 2) a mathematical problem-solving ability test, and 3) a mathematics achievement test. The data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and percentage.

            The findings indicated that: 1) the students’ mathematical problem-solving ability on addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers after the implementation of the 5E Inquiry-Based Learning approach was at a good level; and 2) the students’ mathematics academic achievement showed a mean score of 14.75 (S.D. = 3.37), which was higher than the pre-test mean score of 8.62 (S.D. = 1.60).