Examination of Student Final Task
Name of Student: Heri Prasetyo
Departmen: Mathematics Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Yogyakarta State Yogyakarta
Address: Pagotan, Arjosari, Pacitan, East Jawa
Identity : 04301244051, HP: 081911551439
Supervisor: Edy Prajitno, MPd, Endang L,MS
Examiner : Dr Marsigit MA
Day/date: Wednesday, 19th August 2009
Time: 11.00
Chapter I
Title:
Improving Creativity and Understanding of Mathematical Concept through Contextual Approach for Junior High School Students Grade 2, SMP N I Arjosari Pacitan
Backgroud:
Results from observation :
The students were still passive in teaching learning process of mathematics; the level of students curiousity is still low; the students did not brave to deliver the questions; the students were still afraid and not confident to express their ideas; the motivation to solve problems using alternative method were still low; the students only copy the teacher's method.
When the teachers order the students to solve the problems, the students confused how to solve them; the students tended to wait teacher's initiative.
Students' perception:
Most of the students felt to have difficulties to understand mathematical concepts e.g. the students could not solve the problems after getting explanation from the teacher; the students felt to easily forgot mathematics concepts.
Teacher's perception:
The students had their difficulties in learning mathematics; there were the problems how to prepare the students to get high achievements in the national final examination (leaving examination).
Identification of the research's problems:
1. Students' passiveness in learning mathematics
2. Low motivation of students in learning mathematics
3. There are difficulties how to solve problems using various methods
4. Students lack of confident in delivering the question
5. Students curiosity were still low
6. Contextual approach is perceive as one alternative to improve students' creativity and understanding of mathematical concepts.
Limitation of problems:
Research was limited at teaching learning the Cube and Cuboid at the 2 grade of Junior High School.
The aspect of creativity covers (William in Munandar, 1992, p 88): thinking smoothly, thinking flexible, thinking originality, thinking specifically, taking the risk, challenging, curiosity, and respecting.
The aspect of understanding (Sri Wardani, 2006 p 8): representing the concepts, classifying the object in term of their characteristics, determining the examples as well as non-examples, employing and selecting certain procedure, applying the concepts to solving the problems.
Problems Formulation:
How to conduct teaching learning of mathematics through contextual approach which can improve students' creativity and understanding of mathematics of Grade 2 Students of Junior High School.
The Aim of the Research:
To improve students' creativity and understanding of mathematics through contextual approach which can improve students' creativity and understanding of mathematics of Grade 2 Students of Junior High School.
The Benefit of the Research:
1. To empower the teacher in teaching learning mathematics through contextual approach.
2. To empower the students' competencies in improving their creativities and understanding the concepts of mathematics.
3. To improve students' achievement in mathematics
4. To empower the school in innovating mathematics teaching learning process.
Chapter II: Theoretical Review
Definition of mathematics; Learning concept; Teaching learning concept
Creativity; Understanding the concept of mathematics, Contextual Approach
Chapter III: Method of Research
Type of research: Collaborative Class Room Action Reearch
Setting: Venue: SMPN I Arjosari, Pacitan; Time: March-April 2009
Subyect: 36 students of Grade 2 SMPN I Arjosari; 17 male students and 19 female students
Design of the research: Kemmis and Taggart model of CAR: Planning, Action, Observation, reflection
Instruments: Researcher, Questionnaire for students' creativities, Observation Sheet, Interview Guide, Field Note, and Test
Data collection: Observation, Interview, Docummentation,Questionnaire, Test
Analyses Data: Data Reduction, Table of Data, Triangulation of Data, Conclusion.
Indicators: Improvement the average of the percentage of aspects of students' creativity from Cyclus; Improvement the average of the percentage of students' understanding of mathematics from cyclus one to others.
Chapter V: Conclusion
1. Constructing the mathematical concepts: teaching learning process was started by contextual problems and employing concrets materials.
2. Finding out the mathematical concepts: through students works sheets which were developed based on contextual problems. These students works sheets were completed by cube and cuboid models.
3. Questioning the mathematical concepts: the students delivered the questions to their mates or teacher. The teacher should actively initiated to stimulate students' mathematical thinking.
4. Learning society: the optimum number of students in the group to actively discuss is 4 students.
5. Modeling of mathematical concepts: the models could come from the students when they present their answer in front of the class. Modeling could also come from the teacher.
6. Reflecting the results of learning: teacher conducted dialog with the students about the results of learning. The teacher could also give the students problems.
7. Authentic assessment: the teacher assess the students activity, their discussions, their presentations, and the results of students works sheets.
