The Enhancement of Junior High School Students’ Abilities in Mathematical Problem Solving Using Soft Skill-Based Metacognitive Learning

Abstract

The aim of this study is to know the differences of enhancement inmathematical problem solving ability (MPSA) between the studentswho received soft skill- based metacognitive learning (SSML) with thestudents who got conventional learning (CL). This research is a quasiexperimental design with pretest-postest control group. The populationin this study is the students of Junior High School in Pekanbaru city.The sample consist of 135 students, 68 of them are from the high-levelschool, and 67 students are from the middle-level school. The instruments are mathematical prior knowledge (MPK) test, MPSA test,instruction observation sheet, students journal about the lesson, and the guideline for interview. The data was analyzed using t-test and two way ANOVA. The result of data analysis indicates: (1) overall, theenhancement of students’ MPSA with SSML approach significantly ishigher than those with conventional learning (CL); (2) there is nointeraction between the learning approach (SSML and CL) with theschool level (high and middle) toward the enhancement of MPSA; (3)there is no interaction between the learning approach (SSML and CL)with MPK (upper, middle, and low) toward the enhancement of MPSA.

Keywords

• Mathematical Problem Solving Ability
• Soft Skills-Based Metacognitive Learning