Abstract
Geography education plays a pivotal role in fostering spatial literacy, environmental awareness, and analytical reasoning among learners. Despite its importance, conventional lecture-based instruction in Geography often emphasizes rote memorization, thereby restricting active engagement and higher-order thinking. To address this gap, the present study examines the effectiveness of the Problem-Solving Method (PSM) as a learner-centered pedagogical approach. A quasiexperimental design was employed with a sample of 120 secondary school students drawn from four schools. Students were divided into experimental and control groups, where the experimental group received instruction through PSM while the control group was taught using traditional lecture methods. Data were collected using pre-test and post-test assessments, supported by a Problem-Solving Skill Inventory (PSSI). The findings reveal a significant improvement in the post-test scores of the experimental group compared to the control group, demonstrating the effectiveness of PSM in enhancing academic achievement. Descriptive statistics indicated notable mean score differences, while correlation analysis revealed a strong positive relationship (r = 0.82) between problem-solving skills and academic performance. Regression results confirmed the predictive validity of problem-solving ability, with PSM emerging as a significant determinant of student performance. These outcomes underscore the pedagogical value of integrating problem-solving approaches into Geography teaching. By situating learning within meaningful and context-driven problems, PSM enables students to construct knowledge actively, apply concepts in novel contexts, and develop transferable skills. The results align with constructivist principles of education and support prior research highlighting the benefits of active and participatory learning strategies (Prince, 2004; Bonwell & Eison, 1991; Kumar & Gupta, 2018; Hussain & Sharma, 2019). The study concludes that adopting problem-solving strategies in Geography not only enriches subject understanding but also nurtures critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and real-world application—competencies vital for 21st-century learners.
