Designing Learning Trajectory of Money in Trade Topic within the New Math Pempek Context

Abstract

Students often face difficulties in understanding and applying fundamental concepts of cost, selling price, and profit, which are essential for developing financial literacy and solving real-life trade problems. To address this challenge, the present study aims to design a learning trajectory that incorporates the cultural context of Pempek, a traditional Indonesian food, through the innovation of “New Math Pempek” as a meaningful medium for teaching money-related topics in trade. In addition, this research also innovates by developing new forms of Pempek called New Math Pempek. This study employs a design research method through three stages: Preliminary design, design experiment, and retrospective analysis. By involving 35 students from a Madrasah Tsanawiyah or in junior high school level in Belitang, Indonesia. Data were collected using various instruments, such as students' worksheet responses, video recordings of the learning process, and student interviews. The learning trajectory design focused on the project of creating New Math Pempek, which included activities such as identifying cost prices, estimating appropriate selling price, and calculating profits. The research produced a learning trajectory using the New Math Pempek context that helps students understand the concept of money in trade and contributes to providing alternative contextual learning designs that are meaningful and support the application of Pendidikan Matematika Realistik Indonesia (PMRI) principles.