EFFECT OF LEARNING USING MATHEMATICA SOFTWARE TOWARD MATHEMATICAL ABSTRACTION ABILITY, MOTIVATION, AND INDEPENDENCE OF STUDENTS IN ANALYTIC GEOMETRY

Abstract

Rapid development of technology for the past two decades has greatly influenced mathematic learning system. Mathematica software is one of the most advanced technology that helps learn math especially in Geometry. Therefore this research aims at investigating the effectiveness of analytic geometry learning by using Mathematica software on the mathematical abstraction ability, motivation, and independence of students. This research is a quantitative research with quasi-experimental method. The independent variable is learning media, meanwhile the dependent variables are students’ mathematical abstraction ability, motivation, and independence in learning. The population in this research was the third semester students of mathematics education program and the sample was selected using cluster random sampling. The samples of this research consisted of two distinct classes, with one class as the experimental class was treated using Mathematica software and the other is the control class was treated without using it. Data analyzed using multivariate, particularly Hotelling’s T2 test. The research findings indicated that learning using Mathematica software resulted in better mathematical abstraction ability, motivation, and independence of students, than that conventional learning in analytic geometry subject.

Keywords

• analytic geometry
• learning independence
• learning motivation
• mathematica
• mathematical abstraction