Effects of Contextual Problem-Based Learning on Creative Problem-Solving Skills in Environmental Education: A Study of Pre-Service Biology Teachers

Abstract

Environmental education requires learners to generate original and feasible responses to complex, ill-structured problems, yet previous studies have more often emphasized environmental literacy or critical thinking than creative problem-solving among pre-service biology teachers. This study examined whether Contextual Problem-Based Learning (CPBL), which integrates authentic environmental contexts with a structured problem-solving cycle, is associated with stronger creative problem-solving performance. A posttest-only, nonequivalent-groups quasi-experimental design involved two intact Environmental Education classes a public university in Ternate, Indonesia (CPBL n = 29; conventional instruction n = 27). Creative problem-solving was assessed using an expert-reviewed instrument with acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.76). The CPBL group achieved a higher mean score (M = 11.724, SD = 1.750) than the control group (M = 8.778, SD = 1.601). The between-group difference was statistically significant, t (54) = 6.56, p 0.001, with a mean difference of 2.946 (95% CI [2.05, 3.85]) and a large effect size (Cohen's d = 1.75). These findings indicate that CPBL is a promising course-level approach for strengthening creative problem-solving in environmental teacher education. However, the use of intact classes, the absence of a documented baseline measure, and the single-institution sample limit causal and generalizable claims.