THE CONCRETE – PICTORIAL – ABSTRACT (CPA) APPROACH IN LEARNING SINGLE-VARIABLE LINEAR EQUATIONS: A COMPARISON OF GENDER-BASED STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Main Author: Ba’ka’ Pongsigala, Filya
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/77639
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Visual mathematics is a potential solution to students' mathematical difficulties in learning single-variable linear equations. However, its application is underexplored, one of which is the gender-based paradigms of differential visual perception abilities, which may lead to differences in learning outcomes between male and female students. This study aimed to determine gender-based student learning outcomes using a Concrete-Picture-Abstract (CPA) approach. This study was conducted in a secondary school in Northern Toraja using an unbalanced mixed model. The main data source was the gap between the initial and final test scores, while secondary data were obtained from students’ answer descriptions, student interviews, and teacher interviews. The results show that: (1) The CPA approach can improve learning outcomes, (2) the students’ learning outcomes are not different in terms of gender, and (3) the CPA approach provides learning experiences that explain mathematical concepts in various forms. This allows students to explore various forms of representation in problem-solving flexibly. (4) Students still have difficulty modeling word problems involving single-variable linear equations. In conclusion, this study suggests that the CPA approach can be applied effectively regardless of gender and that further research is needed to address the remaining challenges in modeling word problems