IMPROVING LEARNING ACTIVITY AND STUDENTS' PROBLEM SOLVING SKILL THROUGH PROBLEM BASED LEARNING (PBL) IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

The aim of this study to determined whether the implementation of Problem Based Learning Learning (PBL) model could improve learning activities and problem solving skills of mathematics students in class VIIB SMP Negeri 3 Medan (Seventh Year Juniour High School), amounting to 30 students. The type of this study was a classroom action research that took two cycles. Data collection was done through tests and observations. The results of the research in the Cycle 1 showed that the average value of observation of the research activity was 2.9 with good category, and the percentage of student learning activity was 57% with less active category. The average value of problem solving ability is 4.87 with very low category. The results of the research in Cycle 2 showed the average value of observation 3.65 with very good category. Percentage of student learning activity was 79% with active category. The average problem solving ability of student math was 8.38 with high ability category. The result of the research showed that the implementation of Problem Based Learning (PBL) model could increased learning activity and problem solving ability of student mathematics in class VIIB of SMP Negeri 3 Medan.