Elementary School Students’ Numeracy Profiles and the Need for Problem-Based Learning Grounded in Toba Batak Culture

Abstract

This study was conducted to describe elementary school students’ numeracy skills and identify the need for problem-based learning that incorporates Toba Batak culture as a learning context. It employed a descriptive exploratory design involving 60 fifth-grade students and eight teachers from four public elementary schools in Samosir Regency. Data were collected through three diagnostic numeracy tasks, student and teacher needs questionnaires, and an examination of students’ written responses. The students obtained a mean score of 4.93 out of a maximum score of 12, equivalent to an attainment level of 41.1%. This result indicates that their numeracy skills require further development. The proportions of students who met the criterion also varied considerably across the three tasks, reaching 25.0% on the first task, 1.7% on the second, and 6.7% on the third. Their response patterns showed that the difficulties involved not only calculation but also analysing information, selecting appropriate solution strategies, and interpreting results in relation to the problem context. The overall student needs index was 84.4%. The highest need concerned the use of Toba Batak cultural contexts, at 86.9%, followed by PBL, at 85.4%. Among teachers, the overall needs index reached 92.0%, including 95.3% for cultural integration and 93.0% for PBL. The consistency between the diagnostic findings and the needs analysis provides an empirical basis for developing PBL grounded in Toba Batak culture to address students’ numeracy learning needs.