Developing Ethnomathematics-Based Geo-Puzzle Math Using the Pucuk Rebung Motif to Enhance Junior High School Students’ Problem-Solving Skills

This study aimed to develop and evaluate Geo-Puzzle Math, an ethnomathematics-based manipulative learning medium incorporating the Acehnese Pucuk Rebung motif, to support eighth-grade students’ mathematical problem-solving skills in geometry based on Polya’s framework. Employing a Research and Development (R&D) approach using the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation), the study involved expert validators, mathematics teachers, and 30 junior high school students in Langsa City, Aceh, Indonesia. Data were collected through expert validation sheets, teacher and student practicality questionnaires, and mathematical problem-solving pretests and posttests. Descriptive statistics and normalized gain (N-Gain) analysis were employed to evaluate product validity, practicality, and learning improvement. The results showed that Geo-Puzzle Math achieved an overall expert validation score of 90.25% (Very Valid) and a practicality score of 89.82% (Very Practical). Students demonstrated improvements across all four Polya problem-solving indicators, with N-Gain values ranging from 0.60 to 0.76 (Medium to High). The highest improvement occurred in understanding the problem (N-Gain = 0.76). These findings suggest that integrating culturally meaningful geometric patterns with hands-on manipulation may facilitate mathematical reasoning and contextual understanding while introducing local cultural heritage. Nevertheless, the limited sample and absence of reported controlled comparisons constrain causal interpretation. Further studies involving larger samples and comparative designs are recommended to establish the medium’s effectiveness and generalizability.