Improving Mathematical Communication Skills of SMP Students Through Contextual Learning

Abstract

Mathematical communication skills (MCSs) are necessary skills for everyone to face lots of challenges in life. With these skills, mathematical ideas can be exploited in various perspectives. At the same time, students' thinking can be sharpened, consolidated and organized. Their growth can be measured; their mathematical knowledge and development can be constructed; students' reasoning can be improved, and their communication can be formed. In fact, students' MCSs have not developed well. Contextual learning (CL) is expected to trigger the development of students' MCSs. The study aims to examine the improvement of students' MCSs through the CL. This study used quasi experiment with pretest and posttest control group design. This study used a set of MCSs tests. Data were analyzed by two-line Anava. The results show that there is an increase in students' MCSs through CL which is higher than conventional learning (CVL); overall: 0.81 > 0.68, school category: 0.87 > 0.76 (above), 0.74 > 0.60 (middle); the increase, both overall and the upper level through CL are high, but moderate through CVL. While at the middle level, both CL and CVL are moderate; and there is a significant interaction effect between learning and school level on improving students' MCSs.