Exploring problem-solving competence in Indonesian language learning: An EFA study using ecological image stimuli

The necessity of problem-solving skills has become a core competency that university students must possess, particularly through the appropriate and accurate use of the Indonesian language. This study aims to construct a theoretical framework of problem-solving abilities by analyzing the composition of opinion texts in Indonesian language learning. The research employs Polya’s theoretical approach, integrated with recent studies, and utilizes a quantitative methodology through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). This method is used to examine the validity of the theoretical construction of problem-solving skills within the context of writing opinion texts in Indonesian language learning. The problem-solving theory derived from opinion-based learning was developed to produce a valid measurement instrument. The study began with the development of indicators drawn from various studies on problem-solving competencies. The resulting instrument consists of 19 items administered to students from both science and social studies tracks. A total of 298 first-semester students from Central Java participated in this study. The test reliability estimation yields a standardized alpha of 0.71. The findings include: (1) the adequacy of the sample was confirmed with a KMO-MSA value > 0.5, specifically 0.71, and a significance level of 0.001 on the Bartlett’s test; (2) all items were found to measure problem-solving skills, indicated by anti-image correlation values > 0.5; and (3) the study identified four dimensions of problem-solving skills based on opinion text analysis: initial problem identification, problem resolution, taking tangible action, and evaluation of implemented solutions solution reflection.