<![CDATA[This study highlights the weak mastery of problem-solving skills among students. This issue occurs because established learning models, such as PBL, still have gaps that need to be addressed in training those skills. Efforts to fill this research gap are carried out through the development of a learning model. The objective is to examine the practicality and effectiveness of the Heuristic Oriented Problem Solving (HOPS) model in enhancing the problem-solving skills of students in elementary teacher education programs. The study employed a pre-experimental design using a one-group pretest-posttest approach involving 47 students from two randomly selected classes at a university in Surabaya. Data were collected through observation sheets, problem-solving tests, and student response questionnaires. The results indicate that the HOPS model is highly practical, as reflected by an average implementation score of 3.99 (very good category). Its effectiveness is supported by four findings: (1) an average N-Gain score of 0.87, categorized as "high," indicating substantial improvement in students' problem-solving skills; (2) a significant difference between pretest and posttest scores based on the paired t-test (p < 0.05) with a strong effect size (d = 4.61); (3) no significant difference between the two classes based on the independent t-test (p > 0.05), indicating consistent improvement; and (4) highly positive student responses ranging from 91% to 97%, categorized as "very effective." In conclusion, the HOPS model is both practical and effective in improving problem-solving skills and can serve as an alternative instructional model in higher education contexts. The implication is that the HOPS model has the potential to enhance problem-solving skills for students in elementary teacher education programs in various science-related courses.]]>
