An initial observation of learning devices and mathematical problem solving ability of senior high school students

Abstract

Abstract A good learning devices will deliver students to have good mathematical problem solving skills. This type of research was a descriptive research by qualitative approach. The initial observation was aimed at finding out, reviewing and explaining problem-solving ability of high school students in mathematics learning and condition of learning devices used and developed by teachers, then whether it was necessary to continue research development based on realistic mathematics education to improve the mathematical problem solving ability. The results of observations at SMAN 14 Padang and SMAN 15 Padang, can be concluded that the learning devices used do not link to real life problem that the instructional becomes meaningless. Learning devices used were still general and have not been able to facilitate the students to find their own concepts and did not help the students to improve problem solving ability. An approach that can accommodate it is a realistic mathematics education. The result needed to follow-up in form of research on development of realistic mathematics education based learning devices to improve the mathematical problem solving ability of senior high school students.