Mathematical representation ability viewed by mind styles on solid geometry

Abstract

Mathematical representation ability is one of mathematical competencies that should be mastered by students. One of the factors influencing student mathematic representation ability is students' characteristics of mind styles. This research aimed to analyze students' mathematic representation ability viewed from mind styles on the solid geometry topic. The subjects of this research were 95 students that were reduced to 12 students of State Islamic Junior High School at Kepulauan Meranti Regency. It was qualitative descriptive research, and the instruments of collecting the data were in the forms of a test of mathematic representation ability, a questionnaire of students' characteristics of mind styles, and an interview of both the test and the questionnaire. All data were analyzed through reducing, presenting, and concluding and verifying data. The research findings showed that firstly, the CS students dominantly mastered both the visual and symbolic representation instead of the verbal one; secondly, the AS students were better in both the visual and verbal representation than in the symbolic one; thirdly, the CR students highly understood both the visual and verbal representation besides the symbolic one; and fourthly, the AR students generally mastered the visual and symbolic representation instead of the verbal one. This research recommends for teachers considering the right methods and strategies in upgrading the students' mathematical representation ability depending on their own students' mind styles.