Using Realistic Mathematics Education approach to learn linear program

Abstract

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) approach to making the learning of linear program material easier than using the scientific approach. If the linear program learning is easy for students, then it will affect their achievements. This study used quasi-experimental design and involved 41 vocational high school students majoring in accounting at SMK Tamansiswa Banjarnegara. We grouped the students into two groups. The first group got treatment of RME and consisted of 19 students, from now on called the experimental group. Then, the second group, which is called the control group, got a scientific approach and consisted of 22 students. The instrument used in this study was a test. The data were analyzed using one sample t-test to determine the differences in the average achievement between the two groups. The results of the descriptive analysis of learning achievement in the RME class showed an average increase of 49.47 on the pretest instrument to 86.32 in the posttest instrument, while in the control class using the scientific approach showed an average increase of 49.55 on the pretest instrument to 71.82 in the posttest instrument. The t value in the RME approach is 18.614 > 0.05 and in the scientific approach is 0.463 > 0.05. Thus, both approaches are effective regarding mathematics learning achievement.