PEMBELAJARAN DENGAN PENDEKATAN METAPHORICAL THINKING UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KEMAMPUAN PEMAHAMAN MATEMATIK, KOMUNIKASI MATEMATIK DAN KEPERCAYAAN DIRI SISWA SEKOLAH MENENGAH PERTAMA

摘要

This research presents the findings from a pretest-posttest experimental control group design by using metaphorical thinking approach conducted to investigate students’ mathematical understanding and communication and self efficacy. The study involved 237 seventh grade students from three junior high schools of high, medium, and low cluster. The instruments of the study were a mathematical understanding and communication, and a set of mathematical self efficacy scale. The data were analyzed by using two paths ANOVA and Scheffe test. The study found that metaphorical thinking approach, school cluster, and prior mathematical ability had significant influence toward mathematical understanding and communication. Metaphorical thinking approach was able to improve students’ mathematical understanding and communication far better than that of conventional approach, the higher school cluster and students’ prior mathematical ability, the higher students’ mathematical understanding and communication. However, on mathematical understanding and communication abilities, the metaphorical thinking approach had the biggest influence compare to the school cluster and students’ prior mathematics ability, and students’ prior mathematics ability had bigger influence compare to the school cluster. Students of medium school cluster and of medium prior mathematical ability thought by using metaphorical thinking approach attained higher on mathematical understanding and communication than that of students of high school cluster and high prior mathematical ability thought by conventional approach. Moreover, on mathematical self efficacy, students’ of metaphorical thinking approach was better than that of conventional students. Besides those findings, the study also found high association between mathematical understanding and communication, between prior mathematical ability and mathematical understanding, between prior mathematical ability and mathematical communication, and between prior mathematical ability and self-efficacy.