The Effect of a Digital Polya Strategy Based on the SAMR Model on Mathematical Problem-Solving Skills and Cognitive Engagement among Eighth-Grade Students in Oman

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effect of a Digital Polya Strategy based on the SAMR model on developing mathematical problem-solving skills and cognitive engagement among eighth-grade students in the Sultanate of Oman. It also seeks to examine whether differences exist in these variables according to gender. The significance of this study stems from the growing need to systematically integrate technology into mathematics education in ways that enhance higher-order mathematical thinking and promote students’ cognitive engagement in problem-solving situations within digital learning environments.

The study employed a quasi-experimental approach using the Pretest–Posttest Nonequivalent Control Group Design. The research sample consisted of 128 eighth-grade students from Sur Al-Sahel Basic Education School and Sultan Said bin Taimur Basic Education School in Sur, South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, Oman, during the second semester of the 2025/2026 academic year. The participants were divided into two groups: an experimental group consisting of 63 students and a control group consisting of 65 students.

The experimental group was taught the “Ratio and Proportion” unit using a Digital Polya Strategy grounded in the SAMR model, which focuses on progressive levels of technology integration in teaching and learning. In contrast, the control group was taught the same unit using conventional instructional methods. To achieve the study objectives, a mathematical problem-solving skills test and a cognitive engagement scale were administered as pretests and posttests. Data collection has been completed, and statistical analyses are currently underway to determine the impact of the proposed strategy on the dependent variables. The findings are expected to provide a practical framework for integrating the SAMR model into mathematics instruction to enhance students’ problem-solving skills and cognitive engagement.