Comparative Analysis Between Self-Autonomy and Inquiry-Based Approach
on Academic Performance in Mathematics among Grade 10 Students
Purpose of the Study:
The purpose of our study is to determine the difference between the effect of self-autonomy
and inquiry-based approach on Grade 10 students’ mathematical performance and how it would
contribute on achieving promising results in Mathematical Education.
RRL:
Demographic Profile’s Relevance in Comparing Self-Autonomy and Inquiry-Based Approach
Sex:
1. Su and Reeve (2019) – Females are more efficient in self-autonomy
Socioeconomic Status:
1. Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory (2017) / Adzido et al. (2016 – Influences motivation
affecting autonomous educational environment
2. Wang et al. (2020) / Patall et al. (2020) – Higher SES backgrounds can provide resources for
self-directed learning
Residence:
1. Mhiliwa (2015) / Zuckerman (2021) – Travelling long distance exhausts the students physical
and mental vitality
2. Matingwina (2018) – Barriers (Accessible roads, Timetables)
Technology Utilization:
1. Morales-Lopez (2019) – Increase engagement making learning meaningful promoting self-
learning.
2. Brijlall and Ally (2020 – Technology enhances learning when utilized in discussions.
Average Grades in Mathematics in Grade 9
1. Used as a determinant for choosing the participants in the study (90-94)
Evaluating the Students Based on Prior Mathematical Skills Before and After Exposure to Self-
Autonomy and Inquiry-Based Approaches
Self-Autonomy
1. Self-Regulated Learning – Improves problem-solving skills
2. Bell and Pell (2014) / Aminah et al. (2018) – SRL encourages students in taking charge over
their own learning
3. Aminah, Davis, and Pape (2018) – Motivated and responsible which results to increased
mathematical performance
4. Brijall and Ally (2020) – Students work independently and assume responsibility for their
progress; increasing motivation and perseverance
Inquiry-Based
1. Hattie (2012) / Lauren and Rasmussen (2019) – Effective in teaching students on how to learn
but are unsuccessful in cultivating problem-solving and thinking
2. Beswick (2021) / Clements and Sarama (2014) – Deepens the students’ understanding of
abstract topics such as mathematics
3. Laursen and Rasmussen (2019) – Students tend to perform better due to its collaborative
nature.
4. Heyko (2021) – Engage students in active problem-solving and critical thinking that helps
develop higher order thinking
Comparison
1. Zakariya (2019) – Both enhances mathematical skills but depends on context and individual
learner characteristics.
2. Zheng et al. (2018) – Integrating both will provide a more optical mathematics outcome
Evaluating the Impact Difference of Self- Autonomy and Inquiry-Based Approach on
Mathematical Skills
Self-Autonomy
1. Wang et al. (2020) - Students with greater levels of autonomy in math classrooms has better
problem-solving skills, more adequate use of its approaches and learning strategies, and
enhanced persistence on difficult tasks.
2. Deci and Ryan’s Self Determination Theory (2017) - Student autonomy and intrinsic motivation
was discovered to be pivotal determinants to course success
3. Reeve and Tseng (2020) - Students who studies mathematical concepts that received
autonomy-supportive teaching comprised of choices, feedback, and self- assessment exhibit
higher motivation and engagement directly impacting academic performance
Inquiry-Based
1. Furtak et al. (2016) Students in inquiry-based classrooms are likely to perform better in tests
that sought to measure conceptual understanding and the ability to apply the knowledge
gained.
2. Kiemer et al. (2018) - As seen when learners are more receptors of knowledge instead of
being processors, their motivation and performance diminish. Lack of control may cause
alienation, given that the learners may perceiving learning process as irrelevant to their needs
and preferences.
3. Henderson and Dancy (2017) - students experiencing guided inquiry activities under strict
teacher guidance of the learning path improved on illustrative problem-solving and more
profound conceptualization in mathematics.
Influence of Demographic and Academic Variables on The Mathematical Performance of
Students
Sex
1. Tan (2014) - Males favoring logical techniques and females often excelling in visual and relational
problem-solving
Theoretical Framework
Zone of Proximal Development by Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) - This study will be based on the
zone proximal development theory (ZPD) developed by a soviet psychologist and social constructivist
Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) to address the comparative analysis of self-autonomy learning and inquiry-
based approach in learning mathematics among Grade 10 students. The ZPD is the difference
among students who can learn without help and what they can do with guidance and encouragement
from a skilled individual. This concept was introduced by Vygotsky to criticize psychometric testing,
which only measured the current abilities of learners which are considered to be potential for
development. Vygotsky argued that assessment should be collaborative in revealing arising skills.
ZPD was defined as “the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by
independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem-
solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers.” (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86).
According to Vygotsky (1978), a student is in the ZPD for a particular task, students will gain
more encouragement to achieve the task, students will gain more encouragement to achieve the task
when provided by appropriate assistance. The theory is composed of four key features suggesting
that learning can be determined by active engagement, collaboration, individual improvement, and
retention rate may it be through self-autonomy or inquiry-based approach. Vygotsky (1978) claimed
that a child’s movement through the ZPD is characterized by a transition from social to individual,
mirroring the broader social origins of higher mental functions. Students gradually internalize the
knowledge and skills acquired through social interaction, transforming into independent capabilities.
Individuals internalize the dialogue and guidance previously provided by more knowledgeable others,
using it to direct their own actions and thought processes. This study aims to utilize this theory on
how it will affect the essential skills in mathematics.
Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework that will be used in this study was the Independent Variable-
Dependent Variable Model (IV-DV). The Independent Variable-Dependent framework will be used to
determine the independent and dependent variables involved in this study in order to come up with an
expected output. The independent variable is the demographic profile of the respondents which will
determine their sex, parents’ monthly income, residence, technology utilization and average grades in
mathematics in grade 9. The dependent variables is the effectuality of self-autonomy and inquiry-
based approach in mathematical skills before and after exposure: problem solving and critical
thinking, conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and data interpretation and communication.
This study will acquire the demographic profile of the respondents to determine how it affects
the application of self-autonomy and inquiry-based approach in learning mathematics among Grade
10 students.
Significance of the Study
School Administrators. The study offers valuable insights that may help administrators improve
teaching methods, student engagement, and overall academic success in mathematics. School
administrators are responsible for designing and implementing curricula. This study can help them
decide whether to incorporate more self-directed learning approaches or maintain inquiry-based
instruction in mathematics.
Teachers. By comparing self-autonomy and inquiry-based learning, the study helps teachers identify
which method works best for different student needs and contexts. Teachers can adapt their
approaches to foster better learning outcomes. The results of such a study can inform teacher
training and professional development programs, emphasizing new teaching methodologies that are
more effective in improving student achievement in mathematics.
Students. The study may be notable for shaping more effective, engaging, and personalized learning
strategies in mathematics, ultimately improving student learning outcomes and their long-term
academic success. This could support the implementation of more personalized or blended learning
approaches that cater to diverse student learning styles.
Future Researchers. The study’s significance lies in its potential to guide future researchers to
develop new educational models that integrate both approaches effectively or highlight the context in
which method would be more suitable in learning mathematics.
Research Design
1. Experimental Research – A scientific method that uses quantitative data and statistical analysis
to study the relationships between variables.
2. Quantitative Research - The study will utilize numeric data to test theories and establish causal
relationships
Statistical Treatment of Data
1. Frequency Distribution – It will be used to represent the number of times a value appears in a
set of data
2. Standard Deviation – It will be used to measure the amount of variation of the values and
variables through their means.
3. ANOVA – It will be used to statistically formulate the comparison between the variances across
the means of different groups
