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Profile of Junior High School Students’ Reflective Thinking on Fraction Problem Solving Based on Gender Differences
Last modified: 2017-09-30
Abstract
Reflective thinking is a mental activity to identify and solve problems by using knowledge and experience related to the problems which is faced. Reflective thinking is one of the highest-level thinking and the most important element to learn effectively and can be applied in mathematics learning. The study aimed at describing the junior high school students’ reflective thinking in fraction problem solving based on gender differences. This research employed qualitative research with the research subjects were a male student and female student in VII class. Mathematical ability tests and attention to gender differences in subject selection. Fraction problem solving task and interviewing were collected, triangulated and analyzed with three stages: data condensation, data display and conclusion. The results showed that male subjects and female subjects did reacting, elaborating and contemplating components at the stage of understanding the problem, devising a plan, carrying out the plan and looking back in fraction problem solving. However, the devising a plan, female subjects did the contemplating is limited to believing without considering by experience. The implication of this research is that the math teacher should develop and train reflective thinking to the students, where the student can solve the problem based on his experience.
Keywords
Reflective thinking, problem solving, fraction, gender differences