HARNESSING PROBLEM-SOLVING STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE GEOMETRY INSTRUCTION: INSIGHTS FROM POLYA’S HEURISTIC AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING APPROACHES

Abstract

Persistent underachievement in geometry among secondary school students has become a concern for educators, particularly in Nigeria and other developing contexts. Despite curriculum reforms and increased access to digital tools, geometry instruction remains largely procedural and teacher-centred. This opinion paper advocates for a transformative shift towards problem-solving strategies anchored in Polya’s four-step heuristic and collaborative learning approaches. It argues that these methods can significantly enhance students’ conceptual understanding, reasoning skills and long-term retention. Drawing on evidence from recent African and global studies, the paper emphasises the synergy between individual reflection and group collaboration in tackling geometric problems. It concludes that systematic incorporation of these approaches in teacher training and classroom practice can revitalise geometry education and cultivate a generation of critical thinkers capable of applying mathematical reasoning to real-world contexts.