Impact of Active Learning on Mathematical Achievement: an Empirical Study in Saudi Arabia Primary Schools

Abstract

As learning at a primary school level is a critical process in setting foundations for individuals’ development, a sensitive and meticulous approach should be taken in the process of instruction and teaching strategy development for various subjects of the school curriculum. Learning can be divided into various types, with cooperative and active being recognized as a key component that may result in better study outcomes. Active learning has been a subject of this study. The paper explores the ways to achieve superior job math achievement among students through impacting their motivation. The study aims to explore the methods of active learning applied in primary school math classes. After the research model has been developed, a similar questionnaire survey was constructed and conducted on the sample of Saudi Arabian pupils and teachers. The subject of the study is Saudi Arabia, a developed economy that based most of its development on oil exports. To stay competitive, new strategies and ways of competitiveness need to be found. The education of its nationals is an important pillar in achieving the overall competitiveness of the country. The data was collected in primary schools in Makkah city. 1060 students and 61 teachers participated in the project. The data was analyzed using SPSS. The quantitative analysis consisted of descriptive statistics calculation, assumption testing, correlation analysis and regression analysis. The findings of the research suggest that active learning enhances student motivation. Another finding of the paper shows that increasing certain factors of student motivations will result in better math achievement. Thus, the findings of the research can be useful for the educators and policymakers to suggest introducing more active learning into the curriculum.