AI-Assisted Mathematics Learning: Jeneponto Salt Production Ethnomathematics And Junior High Students' Problem-Solving Ability

  • Syaharuddin Syaharuddin Institut Turatea Indonesia, Jeneponto, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9830-3269
  • Sumiati Sumiati Institut Turatea Indonesia, Jeneponto, Indonesia
  • Nurqiyamah Hamid Institut Turatea Indonesia, Jeneponto, Indonesia
  • Hasmawati Hasmawati Education and Culture Office of Jeneponto Regency, Indonesia
  • Muh. Usman Taufik Institut Turatea Indonesia, Jeneponto, Indonesia
  • Adryan Putra Pratama Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia
Keywords: AI chatbot, ethnomathematics, salt production, mathematical problem-solving ability, mathematics learning

Abstract

Mathematical problem-solving ability among junior high school students remains a challenge in mathematics learning, while the integration of artificial intelligence with local cultural contexts has received limited attention when examined simultaneously. This study aimed to analyze the improvement in the mathematical problem-solving ability of ninth-grade students through Problem-Based Learning (PBL) assisted by an AI chatbot in the context of salt-production ethnomathematics in Jeneponto, both overall and at each problem-solving stage. The study employed a quantitative approach with a one-group pretest–posttest design involving 30 ninth-grade students from a junior high school in Jeneponto Regency who were selected purposively. Mathematical problem-solving ability was measured using an ethnomathematics-based contextual essay test and analyzed using the Shapiro–Wilk test, paired-samples t-test, Cohen's dz, and N-Gain. The mean score increased from 33.13 on the pretest to 80.80 on the posttest. This increase was statistically significant, t(29) = 17.419, p < .001, with a very large effect size (Cohen's dz = 3.18). The N-Gain of 0.707 indicated a high level of improvement. Analysis by problem-solving stage showed improvement across all indicators, with the largest absolute increase occurring at the carrying out the solution stage (D3), followed by the checking the result stage (D4). The findings indicate that the integration of PBL, AI chatbot support, and salt-production ethnomathematics has the potential to support contextual mathematics learning and the development of students' problem-solving ability.

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Published
2026-10-15
How to Cite
Syaharuddin, S., Sumiati, S., Hamid, N., Hasmawati, H., Taufik, M. U., & Pratama, A. P. (2026). AI-Assisted Mathematics Learning: Jeneponto Salt Production Ethnomathematics And Junior High Students’ Problem-Solving Ability. Paedagogia: Jurnal Pendidikan, 15(2), 267-288. https://doi.org/10.24239/pdg.Vol15.Iss2.1478