A commognitive Study on Field-dependent students' Understanding of Derivative

Abstract

Cognitive style is a characteristic of students which influences in understanding material learning. The research objectives to explore the student ability to understand the derivatives seen from the commognition perspective. Commognition is defined as a combination of communication and cognition that considers learning as the individualization of patterned collective activities. Moreover, every communication that conducted is called discourse. Keywords, visual mediators, endorsed narrative, and routines are characteristics of mathematical discourse. This descriptive study divided into two groups of students, namely field-independent and field-dependent. This paper only focused on field-dependent students. The data collection was carried out by task-based observation in understanding derivatives using the Focus Group Discussion technique. The steps performed to conduct the data analysis include condensation of data, display of data, and drawing of conclusion and verification. The results showed that the commognitive aspects of students with a dependent-field cognitive style such as keyword, visual mediators, endorsed narrative, and routines appear in each category. However, the scaffolding should be provided by the researcher to obtain the responses from the students.