Investigating students' concept image in understanding variables

Abstract

Concept image is the overall structure associated with a concept, including all mental images and their related properties and processes. The concept image develops continuously through experience and changes as the individual faces stimulation and maturity. This study aims to analyze and describe the concept image of students in understanding the variable concept. This study is qualitative research with a phenomenological method. Data were collected by means of interviews and tests, then analyzed using the content analysis method. Participants involved in this study were ten eighth-grade students, while the object in this study was students' concept image in understanding the variable concept. The findings revealed that most of the students understood a variable as something whose value is unknown, whilst some other students comprehend a variable as a substitute for something whose value is unknown. Understanding students' thinking or concept image provides educators with an insight of the learning process aligned with students' needs as a way to increase their understanding of mathematical concepts.