Learning Obstacle on Addition and Subtraction of Primary School Students: Analysis of Algebraic Thinking

Abstract

This study aims at exploring learning obstacles about arithmetic operations, and problems of addition and subtraction of whole numbers in primary schools. This preliminary qualitative research used a didactic research design. The participants of this study were 50 second-grade students at primary schools in three regencies. The instruments used were test and nontest. The test technique was conducted by giving questions about algebra, whereas the nontest technique was in the form of interviews. The data were analyzed using interactive analysis by Miles & Huberman. The findings indicate that there are three types of learning obstacles, namely, (1) ontogenic obstacles with psychological and instrumental types (students feel afraid and do not understand the prerequisite material), (2) epistemological obstacles (students’ experience in working on story problems with the concept of algebraic thinking does not exist), and (3) didactical obstacle (the methods taught tend to focus on the counting process instead of understanding the concept). Learning barriers can be categorized into three types, namely, ontogenic, epistemological, and didactic barriers. With the discovery of these learning barriers, a solution is found in the form of making learning designs that are tailored to the learning obstacles found. One of them is by applying grading questions from story problems into mathematical sentences.