Problem-Based Learning Assisted by Student Worksheets to Improve Mathematical Problem-Solving Skills of Primary School Students

Source abstract

Mathematical problem-solving is a foundational competency in elementary education, yet many fourth-grade students continue relying on procedural, drill-oriented strategies rather than systematic reasoning when facing non-routine problems. This study aimed to describe the implementation of a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model supported by structured worksheets aligned with Polya's four problem-solving indicators, understanding, planning, implementing, and reviewing, and to analyze the resulting improvement in fourth-grade students' mathematical problem-solving skills. A Classroom Action Research (CAR) design, following the cyclical model of planning, action, observation, and reflection, was conducted with 35 fourth-grade students at a private elementary school in Yogyakarta during the 2025-2026 academic year, using total sampling. Data were collected through a problem-solving ability test and a lesson-implementation observation sheet, and analyzed descriptively across two cycles. Results showed that the percentage of students achieving "good" or "very good" problem-solving categories rose from 31.43% in the pre-intervention phase to 37% in Cycle I and 86% in Cycle II, exceeding the study's 70% success criterion. Improvement occurred unevenly across indicators, with reviewing showing the largest gain yet remaining the weakest by the end of the intervention, while implementation fidelity increased steadily from 80% to 100% across six meetings. These findings indicate that embedding Polya's indicators within PBL-aligned worksheets can progressively strengthen elementary students' problem-solving skills, offering teachers a practical, classroom-tested strategy for mathematics instruction.