Applying the REACT strategy in teaching derivatives to enhance students’ academic achievements and mathematical problem-solving skills

Mathematical problem-solving is a key goal of mathematics education, and many teaching strategies have been used to support the development of this competence in classroom practice. This study examines the feasibility and effectiveness of applying the REACT strategy (“Relating, Experiencing, Applying, Cooperating, and Transferring”) to the teaching of derivatives in Vietnam’s high school mathematics curriculum. A quasi-experimental design was conducted with 64 eleventh-grade students, including an experimental group taught with the REACT strategy and a control group taught with traditional instruction. Quantitative data were analyzed using JASP through independent samples t-tests, paired samples t-tests, and effect size calculations. The findings show that the REACT strategy improved students’ learning outcomes and strengthened their ability to solve mathematical problems. Students in the experimental group also demonstrated higher learning interest and engagement. These results suggest that the REACT strategy can be a useful approach for supporting active and contextualized learning in mathematics. Implications for teaching practice and directions for further research are discussed in relation to the study’s limitations.