Difficulties in initial algebra learning in Indonesia

Within mathematics curricula, algebra has been widely recognised as one of the most difficult topics, which leads to learning difficulties worldwide. In Indonesia, algebra performance is an important issue. In the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007, Indonesian student...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Mathematics education research journal 2014-12, Vol.26 (4), p.683-710
Main Authors: Jupri, Al, Drijvers, Paul, van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, Marja
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic Achievement
Algebra
Arithmetic
Comprehension
Curricula
Data Analysis
Education
Equations (Mathematics)
Foreign Countries
Indonesia
Interviews
Learning problems
Linear equations
Literature Reviews
Mathematical concepts
Mathematical thinking
Mathematics Achievement
Mathematics Education
Mathematics Instruction
Mathematics skills
Mathematics Tests
Middle School Students
Original Article
Problem Solving
Secondary education
Secondary school mathematics
Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)
Word problems (Mathematics)
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Summary:Within mathematics curricula, algebra has been widely recognised as one of the most difficult topics, which leads to learning difficulties worldwide. In Indonesia, algebra performance is an important issue. In the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007, Indonesian students' achievement in the algebra domain was significantly below the average student performance in other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. This fact gave rise to this study which aims to investigate Indonesian students' difficulties in algebra. In order to do so, a literature study was carried out on students' difficulties in initial algebra. Next, an individual written test on algebra tasks was administered, followed by interviews. A sample of 51 grade VII Indonesian students worked the written test, and 37 of them were interviewed afterwards. Data analysis revealed that mathematisation, i.e., the ability to translate back and forth between the world of the problem situation and the world of mathematics and to reorganise the mathematical system itself, constituted the most frequently observed difficulty in both the written test and the interview data. Other observed difficulties concerned understanding algebraic expressions, applying arithmetic operations in numerical and algebraic expressions, understanding the different meanings of the equal sign, and understanding variables. The consequences of these findings on both task design and further research in algebra education are discussed. [Author abstract]
ISSN:1033-2170
2211-050X
DOI:10.1007/s13394-013-0097-0