Developing Creative Thinking Skills Through Strengthening Prior Knowledge in Mathematical Literacy

Mathematical literacy is a key twenty-first-century competence that relies on creative thinking to interpret contexts, select flexible strategies, and generate original solutions. Drawing on constructivist learning theory, this study conceptualizes prior knowledge activation as a regulatory mechanism that supports meaning-making and strategic reasoning in contextual mathematical tasks. Using a randomized experimental design with 96 eighth-grade students, the experimental group engaged in structured prior knowledge activation through guided questioning, real-world problem prompts, and collaborative discussion before completing mathematical literacy tasks, while the control group received conventional instruction without preparatory activation. The data were collected using validated instruments measuring mathematical literacy and creative thinking (fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration). Statistical analyses showed that structured prior knowledge activation significantly enhanced mathematical literacy and fostered higher levels of creative thinking. These findings extend prior research by demonstrating how deliberately designed prior knowledge activation, embedded within contextual mathematical literacy tasks, functions as a pedagogical mechanism for strengthening creative thinking rather than merely improving procedural performance.