Didactic innovation to transform mathematical learning: effective strategies in the fourth year of basic education

Abstract

Introduction: Poor performance in mathematics in basic education limits academic development and highlights the need to apply relevant teaching strategies. The aim of this research was to propose teaching strategies to improve mathematics performance in fourth-year basic education students at an educational institution in Ecuador during the 2024–2025 academic year. Difficulties related to numerical patterns, numerical representation, and perimeter measurement were addressed, seeking to transform traditional practices into active and contextualized learning. Methodology: A mixed approach, explanatory level, and pre-experimental design with initial and final measurements were used. The diagnosis identified conceptual weaknesses, innovative methodologies, and limited family support. Based on this, teaching strategies were designed and implemented with active activities, clear objectives, relevant content, and formative assessment. Results: The comparison between measurements showed significant improvements in academic performance, especially in conceptual understanding, application of procedures, and problem solving related to the selected indicators. Discussion: The results confirm that contextualized, student-centred pedagogical planning strengthens mathematical learning. Active strategies promoted participation, logical thinking, and the relationship between content and real-life experiences, overcoming the limitations of traditional approaches. Conclusions: The proposal implemented improved mathematics performance and demonstrated its potential for applicability in similar contexts. A coherent, contextualized, and participatory teaching intervention is an effective alternative for transforming learning in basic education.