Last modified: 2018-07-07
Abstract
This study aims at describing the cognitive process of junior high school student with high mathematics ability in solving the word problem on fraction. Cognitive process is an activity to process information in students’ mind involved receiving, processing, storing and retrieving the information.
Besides, the cognitive process is based on four steps in solving problems proposed by Polya. This is an explorative study with qualitative approach. To get the data, the writer took two students, a male and a female, as the subjects of this study. However, to get the subjects, the researcher gave mathematic test taken from elementary school exam as the replacement of national exam. The subjects were given problem solving task and in-depth interviews. Besides, triangulation time is done by giving equivalent task and interview at different times.
The results showed that at the stage of understanding the problem, the cognitive process of female subject is relatively similar to cognitive problem of the male subject. Both subjects receive information from reading questions, processing information by mentioning what is known and what is being asked.
At the planning stage of the settlement, the cognitive process of female and male subjects is relatively different. The female processed information by plotting a square diagram and tended to resolve visually, whereas the male subject planned to make a class diagram before and after a switch and completed with algebraic calculations. In the problem-solving stage, the cognitive process of female and male subjects is relatively the same. Both are able to call information by implementing the settlement plan that has been made.
In the process of re-examining the settlement, the cognitive process of female and male subjects is relatively the same. Both subjects checked the job by looking back at the settlement they had made.
It can be concluded that the cognitive process of female and male students is relatively the same. The difference is only in calling the previous information. Female student called past information about fractional concepts as part of the whole to plan and resolve problems visually, whereas male student called past information about fractional concepts as ratios in planning and solving algebraic problems