Solid State Technology

Volume: 64 Issue: 2
Publication Year: 2021

Implementation of Mathematica-Assisted Learning to

Improve Understanding and Problem-Solving Skills
for Prospective Teachers
Suwarno1, Nerru Pranuta Murnaka2
Primary Teacher Education Department, Faculty of Humanities, Bina Nusantara University1
Mathematics Education Department, STKIP Surya.
Jakarta, Indonesia
suwarno2@binus.edu1, Nerru.pranuta@stkipsurya.ac.id2

Abstract —Problem-Solving skills is one of the four main competencies that children must prepare and
possess to survive and succeed in facing the 21st century. This ability is not innate, so it can be taught and
improved by being encouraged by practice. To be able to solve a problem, one must have a deep
understanding. Therefore, in learning, the ability to understand is a part of which the goals are increasingly
being paid attention to for all students in each subject or course. Mathematica software is a form of
information and communication technology tools that can support the mathematics learning process. This
study's objectives are 1) to determine the average level of improvement in students' understanding skills by
learning tutorial model assisted by Mathematica software; 2) knowing the magnitude of the increase in
student problem-solving abilities by learning tutorial models assisted by Mathematica software. This
research is a quantitative study using the one-group pretest-posttest design method. The population in this
study were students of STKIP Surya who took the Calculus course. With a large sample of 30 people.
Sampling was done using purposive sampling. And the instrument used is a test. The results of the data
analysis above show that there is an increase in students' understanding and solving abilities after learning
using Mathematica Software. The amount of increase in students' mathematical understanding skills in the
high category. Likewise, the increase in mathematical problem-solving skills in the high category. This
shows that Mathematica software can be used to improve student understanding and problem-solving skills.
Keywords- Mathematica, mathematical understanding, problem-solving skills.

I. INTRODUCTION

The changing times that are so fast due to modernization and advances in science and technology are
increasingly sophisticated, have resulted in many changes. This condition requires that every human being
who lives in this era must keep up with developments in technology and information. Every human being
must also have qualified skills for survival in this century, namely the 21st century. The 21st century is also
a milestone for the birth of the 4.0 industrial revolution era where the use of sophisticated technology,
especially computers, and the internet in various life activities, is increasingly dominant. 21st-century skills
are needed to address these technological challenges. ATCS (Assessment and Teaching for 21st Century
Skills) states that there are four main things related to skills in the 21st century: ways of thinking, work,
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work tools, and life skills [1]. The way of thinking includes higher-order thinking, decision-making, and
learning skills. Therefore, every individual must have toughness and high-quality thinking skills in
analyzing, evaluating, and looking for alternative solutions to the problems at hand [2]. Providing higher-

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 Solid State Technology
Volume: 64 Issue: 2
Publication Year: 2021
order thinking skills is one of the main goals of the 21st-century learning concept [3]. One form of higher-
order thinking skills that must be provided is problem-solving skills. According to the 21st Century
Education framework developed by the World Economic Forum (WEF) states, Problem Solving skills are
among the four main competencies that children must prepare and have to survive and succeed in facing the
21st century [4].

Gambar 1 : Framework 21-st Century Skill

Problem-solving skills is a process of thinking or reasoning, someone to overcome the difficulties

encountered in solving the problem according to the knowledge and experience faced [5]. Problem-solving
skills is not an innate ability so that this ability can be taught to students [6]. This ability can also be
increased and boosted by practice [7]. Therefore, an educator needs to develop the problem-solving skills of
their students [8]. A similar sentiment was also expressed by the Committee on the Undergraduate Program
in Mathematics (CUPM) [9], which provided six basic recommendations for majors, programs, and all
mathematics courses. One suggestion is that each mathematics course should be an activity that will help
students develop analytical power, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills. According
to Krulik and Rudnik [10], problem-solving is an individual attempt to use their knowledge, skills, and
understanding to find solutions to a problem. From this, it explains that to solve a problem, one must have a
deep understanding. This is in line with Johnson [11], which states that the basis of problem-solving has a
deep understanding.

According to Gardner [12], deep understanding is the basis of learning. Understanding is a mental process
of assimilation and transformation of knowledge [12]. A person is said to have understood if he can show
the performance of his understanding in two ways, namely: can provide reasons about why and how well he
can demonstrate this understanding to the public [12]. Understanding is not the end of the learning process,
but understanding is seen as a tool that guides a person to understand other things deeply. The ability to
understand is an essential basis for thinking in solving everyday problems. Emphasis is increasingly placed
on the ability to understand in education, and it is a goal for students to achieve in every subject or course
[13]. Sanjaya [14] argues that understanding is a student's ability to mastery of several subject matter, but
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can express it in another state that is easy to understand, provides data interpretation, and can apply it
according to their cognitive structure.

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 Solid State Technology
Volume: 64 Issue: 2
Publication Year: 2021
STKIP Surya is a teacher training college that only accepts input from special students from various
disadvantaged areas such as Papua, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, Belitung, and Kalimantan, the largest
number coming from Papua. All STKIP Surya students are students of official ties with the regional
government, so that after they graduate, they immediately serve the Regional Government to become
teachers and directly get teaching assignments at schools for the high school level. Ministry of National
Education [15] and Permendikbud 81A [16] require that students at the secondary school level understand
and solve problems. Therefore, students as prospective teachers must understand and solve problems so that
they can develop the abilities of the next generation [17].

Based on researchers' observations while teaching at STKIP Surya, when students feel that the course
material being taught is very difficult or when they do not understand the course material being taught, most
students are more likely to choose not to enter lectures in the next lecture. They are also less likely to submit
assignments on time. One of the efforts that can be made to overcome this problem is to use media in
learning. One form of media that can be used in computer-based learning. Computer-based learning is
defined as technology that optimizes computers' role to display and engineering text, graphics, and sound in
an integrated display.

William Barker [18] in the Undergraduate Program and Courses in The Mathematical Sciences also
advised using computer technology to support problem-solving and improve understanding. The 2013
curriculum structure also states that information and communication technology is a means of learning in all
subjects. Therefore, prospective teacher candidates must have experience using technological tools such as
computer algebra systems, visualization software, statistical packages, and computer programming
languages. With this experience, they will be able to develop the abilities and skills of their students.
Besides, William Barker [18] also mentioned that higher education programs in all majors should: 1) include
activities that will help students learn to use technology as a tool to solve problems, and 2) utilize
technology as an aid to understanding mathematics ideas.

One form of information and communication technology tools that can support the learning process is
Mathematica. Mathematica is software included in the Computer Algebra System (CAS). Researchers have
carried out the use of Mathematica in mathematics learning. One of them, research conducted by Oliver
Rubenkonig and Jan G. Korvink [19]. Mathematica provides unique abilities for interactive learning. The
possibility to combine program code and explanations in an interactive environment is also suitable for
teaching. Oliver Rübenkönig and Jan G. Korvink used Mathematica to visualize mathematical topics
including Derivatives, Finite Difference, Finite Volume, Finite Elements, Iterative Solvers, Multigrid
Methods, Norm in Analysis, Partial Differential Equations, Shape Functions, and Sparse Matrices. Also, GH
Smith, LN Wood, and NA Nicorovici [20] in the journal Hiding the Mathematica and Showing the
mathematics mentioned that they had developed materials that help students make connections between
different representations of the same concept (verbal, graphic, and algebraic).

Mathematica has proven to be an excellent tool because of its computational capabilities and the
principles we apply to many mathematics areas. This research was conducted on the Venn diagram material,
relations, and functions. Kim, Hyang Sook [21] in the journal Teaching and Learning Models for
Mathematics using Mathematica represent how someone uses Mathematica to visualize abstract
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mathematical concepts so that it allows students to understand mathematical problems effectively in the
classroom. The development of different teaching and learning models can stimulate students' curiosity
about mathematics and increase their interest. Kim also said that math software and other technologies could

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 Solid State Technology
Volume: 64 Issue: 2
Publication Year: 2021
encourage better math education. Kim used Mathematica in linear transformations, trigonometry, and
integral calculus, including the Riemann sum and the volume of the rotating object.

Based on the explanation above, the objectives of this study are 1) Knowing the average magnitude of the
increase in students' mathematical understanding skills by learning the tutorial model assisted by
Mathematica software; 2) Knowing the importance of the increase in student problem-solving skills by
tutorial models assisted by Mathematica software.

METHODOLOGY
II.
This research is a quantitative study using the one-group pretest-posttest design method. Statistical tests
were carried out twice before the learning process (pretest) and after the process
of learning (posttest). The population in this study were students of STKIP Surya who took the Calculus
course. Sampling was done using purposive sampling, a sampling technique based on specific considerations
[22]. The purpose of sampling with this technique is that the research is carried out effectively and efficiently,
both in terms of the research subject's conditions and the study's time. The instrument used in this study was a
test. The test instrument consists of a mathematical understanding skills test in the form of short answers and
problem-solving in a description. The material being tested is an integral material, including Indefinite
Integral, Certain Integral, Area, and Volume of Revolution.

III. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The population in this study were students of STKIP Surya who took Calculus courses, while the sample
used was 25 students. The following are the results of the pretest and posttest of mathematical understanding
and problem-solving skills.
A. Mathematical Understanding
In this study, the mean and standard deviation values of the normalized pretest, posttest, and gain score
data processing students' mathematical understanding abilities are shown in the table and diagram below.

Table 1 : Descriptive statistic of mathematical

understanding
Descriptive Mathematical Understanding Skills
Statistics N Pretest Posttest N-Gain
30.2079 48.5416 0.30607
30
SD 22.970 27.188 0.58821

Figure 2. Graph of the pretest and posttest values for

mathematical understanding.

Figure 2 above shows the pretest and posttest scores of each student and the posttest mean score of
students' mathematical understanding skills. Based on the figure, there are 24 students who have increased
their grades, and as many as 15 students have posttest scores below the average posttest score. The data from
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the pretest and posttest of mathematical understanding skills were then analyzed to get the N-Gain value.
The N-Gain obtained was analyzed by means of a data normality test before being analyzed using the t-test.
The following is a table of normality test results.

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 Solid State Technology
Volume: 64 Issue: 2
Publication Year: 2021
Table 2 : Mathematical understanding skills normality test results
N-Gain
N 30
a,b
Normal Parameters Mean .3050
Std. Deviation .32941
Most Extreme Differences Absolute .158
Positive .158
Negative -.067
Test Statistic .158
Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) .053c
a. Test distribution is Normal.
b. Calculated from data.
c. Lilliefors Significance Correction.

From the results of table 2, the Asymp value is obtained. Sig. = 0.053> 0.05. This means that the N-Gain
data is normally distributed. Furthermore, a one-sample t-test was carried out. This aims to determine
whether the average magnitude of the increase (N-Gain) in mathematical understanding skills is more than
0.7.

Table 3 : One-sample t-test result of mathematical understanding skills

One-Sample Test
Test Value = 0.7
95% Confidence Interval of the
Sig. (2- Mean
t df Difference
tailed) Difference
Lower Upper
N-Gain of Mathematical -6.568 29 .000 -.39503 -.5180 -.2720
Understanding Skills

From the results of table 3, the Asymp value is obtained. Sig. = 0.000 <0.05. This means that the average
of the increase (N-Gain) in mathematical understanding skills is more than 0.7. So, it can be concluded that
the magnitude of the increase in the mathematical understanding skills of prospective teachers is in the high
category.

B. Problem-Solving Skills
In this study, the mean and standard deviation values of the normalized pretest, posttest, and gain score
data mathematical problem-solving skills are shown in the table and diagram below.
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Table 4 : Descriptive statistic of mathematical

problem-solving skills
Mathematical Problem-Solving
Descriptive
N Pretest Posttest N-
Statistics
Gain
29.81 38.33 0.099
30
SD 16.46 14.58 0.2020

Gambar 3. Graph of the pretest and posttest values for

mathematical problem-solving.

Figure 3 above shows the pretest and posttest scores of each student and the mean posttest scores on
problem-solving abilities. Based on this figure, there are 23 students who have increased their grades, and as
many as 12 students have posttest scores below the posttest mean score.

Tabel 4 : Mathematical problem-solving skills normality test results

One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test

N-Gain
N 30
a,b
Normal Parameters Mean .0999
Std. Deviation .20196
Most Extreme Differences Absolute .177
Positive .110
Negative -.177
Test Statistic .177
Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) . 107c
a. Test distribution is Normal.
b. Calculated from data.
c. Lilliefors Significance Correction.

From the results of table 4, the Asymp value is obtained. Sig. = 0.107> 0.05. This means that the N-Gain
data on problem-solving abilities are normally distributed. Furthermore, the one-sample t-test was carried
out. This aims to determine whether the magnitude of the average increase (N-Gain) in problem-solving
abilities is more than 0.7.
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 Solid State Technology
Volume: 64 Issue: 2
Publication Year: 2021
Tabel 5 : One-sample t-test result of mathematical problem-solving skills
One-Sample Test
Test Value = 0.5
95% Confidence Interval of the
Sig. (2- Mean
t df Difference
tailed) Difference
Lower Upper
N-Gain of Mathematical -10.852 29 .000 -.40013 -.4755 -.3247
Problem-Solving Skills

From the results of table 5, the Asymp value is obtained. Sig. = 0.000 <0.05. This means that the average
of the increase (N-Gain) in mathematical problem-solving skills is more than 0.7. So it can be concluded
that the increase in the mathematical problem-solving skills of prospective teachers is in the high category.

C. Discussion
Based on the results of the data analysis above, it shows that there is an increase in students'
mathematical understanding and mathematical problem-solving skills after learning using Mathematica
Software. The amount of increase in students' mathematical understanding skills in the high category.
Likewise, the increase in students' mathematical problem-solving skills in the high category. This is in line
with the opinion of Murnaka et al. [23], which states that using learning software can improve students'
mathematical abilities. The same thing was also expressed by Suwarno and Nerru Pranuta (2019) that the
application of technology in learning can improve students' mathematical skills.

CONCLUSION
IV.
Based on the results of data analysis and discussion of research results, it can be concluded that
1. Increasing students' mathematical understanding skills by tutorial model assisted by Mathematica software
is included in the high category.
2. Improving students' problem-solving skills by tutorial models assisted by Mathematica software are
included in the high category.
SUGGESTIONS
V.
Mathematica software can be used to improve other math skills, such as representation and communication
skills.

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Publication Year: 2021
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