Epistemological Obstacles: An Overview of Thinking Process on Derivative Concepts by APOS Theory and Clinical Interview
Aditya Prihandhika (a*), S Prabawanto (b), T Turmudi (b), D Suryadi (b)
a) Departemen Pendidikan Matematika, Sekolah Pascasarjana, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Jl. Dr. Setiabudi No. 229, Bandung 40154, Indonesia
*adityaprihandhika[at]upi.edu
b) Departemen Pendidikan Matematika, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Jl. Dr. Setiabudi No.229, Bandung 40154, Indonesia
Abstract
This study aims to identify the learning obstacle of students on the basic concept of derivatives. The research used descriptive qualitative. Data of the research was obtained from the results of tests and interviews given to six participants as the pre-service mathematics teachers from two different institutions in West Java. The test is given consists of seven questions related to basic concept of the derivative. Then the answers to the questions were confirmed again by clinical interviews. These data are then analyzed by the framework of APOS theory (Action-Process-Object-Schema) with the aim to overview the thinking of processes who experienced by participants in answering the questions given. The results of the study show that there is still some learning obstacles experienced by partisipants in understanding the basic concepts of derivatives. Constraints experienced include the lack of mathematical connection skills regarding the basic concept of derivatives, the operation of a function that is still wrong, and the lack of a meaningful process for the concepts learned so that problem-solving processes are still limited to procedural problems. Based on this research, it is recommended that pre-service mathematics teachers can internalize derivative concepts learned so that the knowledge scheme formed can be better.
Keywords: Epistemological Obstacle; Concept of Derivatives; Thinking of Process; APOS Theory; Clinical Interview
Topic: Mathematics Education