Implementing the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Model to Improve Learning Outcomes in Probability in Junior High Schools

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model in enhancing learning outcomes on probability materials among junior high school students. Employing a classroom action research design implemented over two cycles, this study involved eighth-grade students at a public junior high school in Pekanbaru. The PBL method was applied to increase student engagement in learning, facilitate a deep understanding of probability materials, and develop their problem-solving skills. The findings indicate that implementing PBL successfully increased the percentage of students achieving the minimum mastery criterion (KKM) from 30% at the baseline to 65% at the end of the second cycle. This research confirms that PBL is an effective learning strategy for probability materials at the junior high school level, with positive implications for conceptual understanding, social skills, and student learning motivation. These findings suggest that the PBL approach should be more broadly applied in the school mathematics curriculum to enhance mathematics learning outcomes.