Evaluating the Impact of AI-Supported Inquiry-Based Learning on Students' Creative Mathematical Performance, Critical Problem-Solving Skills, and Attitudes Toward Mathematics

Synthesis: This quasi-experimental study of secondary students (mean age 12.79) compared AI-supported inquiry-based learning against conventional instruction in mathematics. AI-supported IBL significantly improved students' creative mathematical performance and attitudes toward mathematics — but did not produce a statistically significant improvement in critical problem-solving skills. Multivariate analysis confirmed a significant overall group effect; the authors conclude AI-supported IBL mainly supports creativity and affective development, with limited effect on problem-solving.

Key Findings

1. Creative performance and attitudes improved. AI-supported IBL significantly improved creative mathematical performance and attitudes toward mathematics compared with traditional instruction.
2. Critical problem-solving did not improve significantly. The intervention did not produce a statistically significant improvement in critical problem-solving skills — a cautionary result for claims that AI + IBL automatically strengthens higher-order reasoning.
3. Positive inter-correlations. Correlation analysis showed positive relationships among creative performance, problem-solving, and attitudes in both groups; multivariate analysis confirmed a significant overall group effect.
4. Efficiency mechanism. The authors suggest AI-supported IBL may improve instructional efficiency through guided exploration, adaptive feedback, and reduced cognitive load.

Implications

This study tempers the enthusiasm for AI-in-IBL: it shows AI-supported inquiry can reliably boost creativity and engagement but does not automatically transfer to critical problem-solving. For mathematics and secondary instruction, it reinforces that AI-supported inquiry needs deliberate problem-solving scaffolds — the very finding the wiki's AI-in-IBL cluster surfaces across studies. It connects to the broader performance-learning gap literature: AI can elevate performance and affect while learning of transferable skills lags.

Connected Concepts

• Inquiry Based Learning
• Generative AI
• Math Education
• K 12
• Critical Thinking
• Cognitive Offloading
• Scaffolding
• Active Learning
• Metacognition

Connected Articles

• Luo Ibl Patterns LLM Bloom 2026 — IBL patterns in LLM-driven environments (Bloom's perspective)
• Zhao GenAI Higher Order Thinking Meta 2026 — GenAI and higher-order thinking meta-analysis
• Jiang Chatgpt Inquiry Steam Review 2026 — ChatGPT for inquiry-based learning in STEAM
• Generative AI Reduced Study Time Math — GenAI and reduced study time in math
• Stromberg Generative AI Learning Penalty Secondary 2026 — Generative AI learning penalty in secondary students

Citation

Mujib, M., Suherman, S., & Mardiyah, M. (2026). Evaluating the impact of AI-supported inquiry-based learning on students' creative mathematical performance, critical problem-solving skills, and attitudes toward mathematics. Journal on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education and Science, 19(2), 142–153.