<![CDATA[Mathematical creative and critical thinking are essential competencies that need to be developed among prospective mathematics teachers. However, studies directly comparing inquiry learning and problem-based learning (PBL) in terms of these two competencies simultaneously, while accounting for prior mathematical ability (PMA), remain limited. This study aimed to compare students’ mathematical creative and critical thinking outcomes between inquiry learning and PBL groups after adjustment for PMA. A quasi-experimental design was employed involving 50 second-semester mathematics education students from two intact classes, with 25 students in each group. PMA was measured before the intervention and treated as a covariate, whereas mathematical creative and critical thinking were assessed after three instructional sessions. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). The results showed that, after adjusting for PMA, no statistically significant simultaneous difference was found between the inquiry learning and PBL groups in the two outcomes, Pillai’s Trace = 0.017, F(2,46) = 0.388, p = 0.680, partial η² = 0.017. The follow-up univariate analyses likewise indicated no significant differences in either mathematical creative thinking or mathematical critical thinking. Thus, within the context and duration of this study, inquiry learning and PBL did not produce statistically distinguishable outcomes after adjustment for PMA.]]>
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