The effect of guided discovery on senior secondary students’ interest in mathematics in Nigeria

Year 2025, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 137 - 146, 26.12.2025

Kazaik Benjamin Danlami

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17995970

Abstract

In many developing countries, including Nigeria, students' interest in mathematics remains persistently low despite the subject’s centrality to national development and technological advancement. This lack of affective engagement negatively impacts student performance and long-term participation in STEM fields. Addressing this problem requires innovative instructional strategies that foster emotional and intellectual investment in learning. This study examined the effectiveness of the guided discovery strategy in enhancing secondary school students’ interest in mathematics. The research adopted a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test control group design. The sample comprised 139 Senior Secondary School Two (SS2) students drawn from public schools in Kaduna State, Nigeria, selected through multistage sampling. Participants were divided into two groups: the experimental group received instruction using guided discovery, while the control group was taught using conventional lecture methods over six weeks. The Mathematics Interest Questionnaire (MIQ), a 30-item instrument rated on a five-point Likert scale and validated by experts, was used to collect data. The instrument had a strong internal consistency (ω = 0.939). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), with pre-test interest scores controlled. Results indicated a statistically significant difference in post-test interest scores between the two groups, favoring the experimental group: F(1, 139) = 6.356, p = .013, η² = 0.044. The guided discovery group demonstrated higher interest (M = 69.43, SD = 9.13) than the control group (M = 62.10, SD = 10.08). The study concludes that guided discovery enhances students’ interest in mathematics and should be integrated into classroom instruction. It recommends sustained teacher training, curriculum reform to support discovery learning, and further research on its long-term impact across student subgroups and academic subjects.

Keywords

guided discovery , mathematics interest , instructional strategy , secondary education

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