<![CDATA[Developing students' mathematical problem-solving abilities (MPSA) remains a persistent challenge in vocational mathematics education. Although Problem-Based Learning (PBL), GeoGebra, and local context approaches have demonstrated positive effects on learning outcomes individually, evidence of their integrated implementation remains limited. This study examined the effects of GeoGebra-Assisted Local Context-Based Problem-Based Learning (GLoC-PBL) on vocational students' MPSA. A quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control-group design was conducted with 70 vocational high school students selected through cluster random sampling. The experimental group received GeoGebra-assisted local context-based PBL, while the comparison group received conventional instruction. Data were collected using a 5-item open-ended mathematics problem-solving test. Descriptive statistics, assumption testing, independent-samples t-test, and Hedges' g effect size analysis were used to analyze the data. The findings indicated that students in the experimental group achieved significantly higher performance on MPSA tasks than those in the comparison group. Specifically, the independent-samples t-test revealed a significant difference between the two groups, t(68) = 4.42, p < 0.001, with the experimental group obtaining a higher mean score (M = 78.46, SD = 8.21) than the comparison group (M = 69.17, SD = 9.34). Furthermore, the intervention demonstrated a large practical effect (Hedges' g = 1.03, 95% CI [0.53, 1.53]). The results showed that integrating problem-based learning, GeoGebra, and a culturally relevant local context fostered active engagement, collaborative knowledge construction, and deeper conceptual understanding, thereby improving students' MPSA. This study contributes to the growing literature on technologically enhanced and culturally responsive mathematics education by providing empirical evidence that integrating pedagogy, technology, and local culture offers an effective framework for improving MPSA in vocational education.]]>
