Common Difficulties of 8th Grade Students When Solving Non Routine Problems

Ratnasari Ratnasari, Desyarti Safarini TLS

Abstract


Abstract: The study's objective is to investigate common difficulties experienced by 8th-grade students when solving non-routine mathematics problems. This study used a qualitative descriptive method, and the research participants were eighth-graders students at one of the private middle schools in Jakarta. The researchers used a convenience sample to obtain a group of six students available for an in depth interview session and willing to solve two non routine problems related to algebra topic. The study showed that the participants experienced difficulties when solving non routine mathematics problems. They could not read the problem comprehensively they had trouble converting the word problems into mathematical sentences. They also had difficulty in carrying out their plans. In other words, students did not have the strategy to solve the problem. They had errors in the calculation and had incorrect formulations when solving the given problems. It is suggested that the teacher provide students with guiding instructions to assist students in going through the problem-solving phases step by step. The teacher can also highlight the non-routine problem's keywords and give a representation that helps students understand the problem.

Keywords: learning difficulties, middle school students, mathematics problems

 

Abstrak: Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menyelidiki kesulitan umum yang dialami oleh siswa kelas 8 ketika memecahkan masalah non-rutin matematika. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif, dan partisipan penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas VIII di salah satu SMP swasta di Jakarta. Para peneliti menggunakan sampel kenyamanan untuk mendapatkan sekelompok enam siswa yang tersedia untuk sesi wawancara mendalam dan bersedia untuk memecahkan dua masalah non-rutin yang berkaitan dengan topik aljabar. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa partisipan mengalami kesulitan dalam menyelesaikan soal matematika non rutin. Mereka tidak bisa membaca masalah secara komprehensif mereka mengalami kesulitan mengubah kata masalah menjadi kalimat matematika. Mereka juga mengalami kesulitan dalam menjalankan rencana mereka. Dengan kata lain, siswa tidak memiliki strategi untuk memecahkan masalah. Mereka memiliki kesalahan dalam perhitungan dan memiliki formulasi yang salah ketika menyelesaikan masalah yang diberikan. Disarankan agar guru memberikan siswa dengan petunjuk petunjuk untuk membantu siswa dalam melalui tahap pemecahan masalah langkah demi langkah. Guru juga dapat menyoroti kata kunci masalah non-rutin dan memberikan representasi yang membantu siswa memahami masalah.

Kata kunci: kesulitan belajar, siswa SMP, soal matematika.

 

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23960/jpmipa/v23i1.pp67-77


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