Students' Representation in Mathematical Word Problem-Solving: Exploring Students' Self-efficacy

• Published in: Journal of physics. Conference series 2018-01, Vol.947 (1), p.12059
• Main Authors: Sahendra, A, Budiarto, M T, Fuad, Y
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Physics; Problem solving; Qualitative research; Representations; Sketches; Students
• ISSN: 1742-6588; 1742-6596; 1742-6596
• DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/947/1/012059

This descriptive qualitative research aims at investigating student represented in mathematical word problem solving based on self-efficacy. The research subjects are two eighth graders at a school in Surabaya with equal mathematical ability consisting of two female students with high and low self-efficacy. The subjects were chosen based on the results of test of mathematical ability, documentation of the result of middle test in even semester of 2016/2017 academic year, and results of questionnaire of mathematics word problem in terms of self-efficacy scale. The selected students were asked to do mathematical word problem solving and be interviewed. The result of this study shows that students with high self-efficacy tend to use multiple representations of sketches and mathematical models, whereas students with low self-efficacy tend to use single representation of sketches or mathematical models only in mathematical word problem-solving. This study emphasizes that teachers should pay attention of student's representation as a consideration of designing innovative learning in order to increase the self-efficacy of each student to achieve maximum mathematical achievement although it still requires adjustment to the school situation and condition.