Infinity Journal of Mathematics Education p–ISSN 2089-6867 Volume 7, No. 2, September 2018 e–ISSN 2460-9285 DOI 10.22460/infinity.v7i2.p83-96 83 STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE SKILLS IN CREATIVE MATHEMATICAL REASONING Heris Hendriana 1 , Rully Charitas Indra Prahmana 2 , Wahyu Hidayat 3 1,3 Institut Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan Siliwangi, Jl. Terusan Jenderal Sudirman, Cimahi, Indonesia 2 Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Jl. Pramuka Kampus 2 Unit B Kav 5 Pandeyan, Yogyakarta, Indonesia 1 herishen@ikipsiliwangi.ac.id, 2 rully.indra@mpmat.uad.ac.id, 3 wahyu@ikipsiliwangi.ac.id Received: April 10, 2018; Accepted: June 10, 2018 Abstract This study aims to examine mathematics teacher-candidate students’ mathematical creative reasoning ability based on the level of Adversity Quotient (AQ). This study uses a mixed method of sequential type by combining quantitative and qualitative methods in order. Population in this study is all students attending the course of Calculus in Mathematics Education of Study Program at STKIP Siliwangi that consist of 270 students divided into six classes. The results are AQ gives effect to the achievement of students’ mathematical creative reasoning abilities based on the whole and the type of AQ climber, champer, and quitter. The achievement of students’ mathematical creative reasoning abilities and based on AQ, the champer and climber fall into the medium category, while on the quitter type, it falls into the category of low. On the other hands, the achievement of students’ mathematical creative reasoning abilities is yet to be achieved well at the indicator of novelty. Keywords: Adversity Quotient, Creative Reasoning. Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menelaah kemampuan penalaran kreatif matematis mahasiswa calon guru matematika berdasarkan tingkat Adversity Quotient (AQ). Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kombinasi tipe sequential explanatory dengan menggabungkan metode kuantitatif dan kualitatif secara berurutan. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah semua mahasiswa yang mengikuti program Kalkulus di Program Studi Pendidikan Matematika STKIP Siliwangi yang terdiri dari 270 mahasiswa dibagi menjadi enam kelas. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa AQ memberikan efek pada pencapaian kemampuan penalaran kreatif matematis mahasiswa berdasarkan keseluruhan dan tipe AQ climber, champer, dan quitter. Pencapaian kemampuan penalaran kreatif matematis mahasiswa berdasarkan AQ climber dan champer termasuk ke dalam kategori sedang, sementara pada jenis AQ quitter termasuk ke dalam kategori rendah. Di sisi lain, pencapaian kemampuan penalaran kreatif matematika mahasiswa belum tercapai dengan baik pada indikator kebaruan. Kata Kunci: Adversity Quotient, Penalaran Kreatif. How to Cite: Hendriana, H., Prahmana, R. C. I., & Hidayat, W. (2018). Students’ Performance Skills in Creative Mathematical Reasoning. Infinity, 7(2), 83-96. doi:10.22460/infinity.v7i2.p83-96. Hendriana, Prahmana, & Hidayat, Students’ Performance Skills in Creative … 84 INTRODUCTION An environment conducive created to learning is essential to learners' academic achievement (Visser, Juan, & Feza, 2015). Furthermore, the purpose of learning mathematics in Indonesia among others are to train one's understanding in thinking and reasoning and concluding, develop learners’ creativity through imagination, intuition, and the inquiry, and develop problem-solving and communication abilities (Prahmana, Kusumah, & Darhim, 2017; Soedjadi, 2000). On the other hands, numerous researchers have documented stated that the teaching profession has been recognized as key to improving the quality of education worldwide (Acuña Ruz, 2015; Hendriana, Hidayat, & Ristiana, 2018; Prahmana & Kusumah, 2016; Prahmana, Kusumah, & Darhim, 2017; Weybright, Caldwell, Xie, Wegner, & Smith, 2017; Young, 2017). School dropout is a crisis whereby Grade 12, only 52% of the appropriate age population remain enrolled in South Africa (Weybright et al., 2017). The capabilities a person need in solving a problem be understanding of the concept (conceptual understanding), procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive reasoning, and productive disposition (Hendriana, Rohaeti & Hidayat, 2017; Kilpatrick, Swafford & Findell, 2001; Runisah, Herman & Dahlan, 2017). It is why one of the capabilities that are considered important in the formation of one's mindset is mathematical reasoning ability. The reasoning is a pattern of thinking activity in drawing a conclusion or making a new statement based on some previously known statements that are considered correct. On the other hands, educational inclusion as an educational device that breaks with exclusionary practices and spaces in the educational system and the challenges that offer to pre-service teacher's formation and also 'controversial issues' are topics under which different groups have built irreconcilable arguments on (Infante, 2010; Toledo Jofré, Magendzo Kolstrein, Gutiérrez Gianella, & Iglesias Segura, 2015). Therefore, the reasoning abilities including educational inclusion are also needed in everyday life so that everyone in everywhere can respond and analyze any problems that arise in a comprehensive, critical, objective and logical way. The creative reasoning is a reasoning which emphasizes on a problem-solving process that includes novelty, plausible and based on mathematical foundation (Lithner, 2008; Fathurrohman, Porter & Worthy, 2017). In South Africa, mathematics mastery is a growing concern (Kotzé, 2007). Bergqvist (2007) suggested a framework for mathematical reasoning as follows in Figure 1. What is meant by creative reasoning is a type of reasoning that finding a solution to a mathematical problem is not only conducted by imitating solution such as samples of exercise and item tests contained in the textbooks as well as considering the algorithm or the steps of a solution? Volume 7, No. 2, September 2018 pp 83-96 85 Figure 1 Framework of mathematical reasoning The consistent attitude of a person in teaching-learning process is one determinant of success so that it can harmonize his or her attitudes and behavior to reach the expected goals (Robbins, 2010). Furthermore, Syah (2010) also stated that there are several factors determining the success of one's learning in mathematics, namely, internal & external factors, and learning approaches. One part of students’ internal factors is Adversity Quotient (AQ). Stoltz (2004) argued that Adversity is one of the difficulties faced by someone so that there are some who have broken the spirit to face and solve the challenge. In the meantime, AQ is one’s persistence in facing all obstacles to achieve success. Also, Stoltz (2004) also suggested that AQ has four key dimensions which form the basis of AQ’s measuring tool. First, control is that a person's response to adversity, either slow or spontaneity. Second, origin and ownership are that the extent to which a person feels can improve the situation. Third, coverage (reach) is that the extent of the difficulties encountered in life effects. Last, endurance is that reflects how a person perceives his predicament and can persist through those difficulties. AQ is the predictor of success of a person in the face of adversity, how he behaves in a tough situation, how he controls the situation, is he able to find the correct origin of the problem, whether he takes his due ownership in that situation does he try to limit the effects of adversity and how optimistic he is that the adversity will eventually end (Phoolka & Kaur, 2012). AQ related to the level of a person. There are three types or levels, namely the climber (high), the camper (medium) and a quitter (low). Students who have high levels of climber would be able to overcome the difficulties faced but must still address in a way given the additional task of enrichment. In addition to the person who has a level of climber, AQ can also tap as a peer tutor to his friends who have a camper and quitter AQ level. METHOD The purpose of this study is to determine and analyze in depth about the mathematics teacher- candidate students’ mathematical creative reasoning abilities based on the level of Adversity Quotient (AQ). This study uses a mixed method of the following type by combining quantitative and qualitative methods in order. The first stage of this research, a quantitative method, is conducted to obtain measurable data. The second phase, a qualitative method, is Mathematical Reasoning Creative Reasoning Imitative Reasoning Global Creative Reasoning Local Creative Reasoning Algorithmic Reasoning Memorized Reasoning Hendriana, Prahmana, & Hidayat, Students’ Performance Skills in Creative … 86 carried out to explore the findings obtained from the first stage (Prahmana et al., 2017). The materials used are linear Inequality and absolute value. From the data analysis, it will result in the creative mathematical reasoning skill of the students related to Adversity Quotient level namely the climber (high), the camper (medium) and a quitter (low). The research population in this study was all students attending the course of Calculus in Mathematics Education of Graduate Study Program STKIP Siliwangi in the academic year of 2016/2017. The total members of the population consist of 270 students divided into six classes. Clusters random sampling uses to determine the experimental class as a sample. Of the six available classes, one class, A2, is selected to be the experimental one. The results of measurements of creative mathematical reasoning skill and the categorization of Adversity Quotient, both are combined to determine subject that meets the predefined categories. The data analysis was done based on topics which fit the category. Besides, we further conducted interview towards students selected as a representative of each level in the process of creative mathematical reasoning skill. It is done to delve into some of the constraints associated with delve and their Adversity Quotient categories respectively. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The findings regarding creative mathematical reasoning skills of students reviewed by the Adversity Quotient (AQ) presented in Table 1. Table 1. Students’ mathematical creative reasoning ability based on AQ Type of Adversity Quotient Mean SD N Climber 6,204 (62.04 %) 1,111 9 Champer 6,111 (61.11 %) 0,894 12 Quitter 4,815 (48.15 %) 0,694 9 Total 5,750 (57.50 %) 1,080 30 Notes: Ideal Score: 10 Based on the description in Table 1, the interpretation obtained is that the development of students’ mathematical creative reasoning skills, both overall or by type of Adversity Quotient (AQ) at the type of Climber and Champer, fall into the category of the medium. However, for the type of Adversity Quotient (AQ) at the Quitter types, it falls into the category of low. Regarding supporting the description of students’ mathematical creative reasoning skills that describe in Table 1, it is necessary to analyze data regarding students’ mathematical creative reasoning skills through the mean test. After testing the normality of the data distribution of students’ mathematical creative reasoning skills, it finds that the data normally distribute. Based on these findings, One-Way ANOVA uses to calculate the mean test of the ability above (Table 2). Volume 7, No. 2, September 2018 pp 83-96 87 Table 2. The summary of One-Way ANOVA test of students’ mathematical creative reasoning ability based on the type of AQ Source JK dk RJK F value Sig Adversity Quotient (AQ) 11.271 2 5.635 6.754 0.004 Inter 22.527 27 0.834 It appears that the significance level of 5%. The Adversity Quotient (AQ) has a significant influence towards the achievement of students’ mathematical creative reasoning skills (Table 2). The skill is evident from the value of obtained Sig which is 0.004. So, to see which type of AQ is significantly different, then the Post Hoc Test is conducted through Scheffe test, presented in Table 3. Table 3. Scheffe test of the achievement of students’ mathematical creative reasoning ability based on the type of AQ Type of AQ (I) Type of AQ (J) Mean Difference (I – J) Sig Interpretation Climber Champer 0.0925 0.974 Not different Champer Quitter 1.2953* 0.013 Different Climber Quitter 1.3878* 0.012 Different Based on Table 3, it concluded that at a significance level of 5%. There are significant differences between the students’ mathematical creative reasoning ability at the type of AQ Climber & Quitter with Champer with Quitter compared to AQ type of Climber and Champer. The implication is that the students’ mathematical creative reasoning skills at AQ type of Quitter have developed more than AQ at the type of Climber and Champer. The achievement of the students’ mathematical creative reasoning skills based on the indicators of novelty, plausible, and mathematical foundation presented in Table 4. Table 4. The indicators achievement of the students’ mathematical creative reasoning ability based on AQ Item Number Indicators of Mathematical Creative Reasoning Mathematical Foundation Plausible Novelty Climber 30.56 % 52.78 % 16.67 % Champer 27.08 % 62.50 % 10.42 % Quitter 58.33 % 38.89 % 2.78 % Total 37.50 % 52.50 % 10.00 % Overall, the achievement of students’ mathematical creative reasoning ability that includes novelty (the ability of plausible and mathematical foundation) is still low. It can be seen from the percentage of achieved novelty indicator that reached 10%. While the plausible indicators (including mathematical foundation capabilities) reached 52.50% and ability that only Hendriana, Prahmana, & Hidayat, Students’ Performance Skills in Creative … 88 includes the mathematical foundation reached 37.50%. It shows that there is still some students (37%) who solved problems based on mathematical foundation but cannot provide a reasonable excuse which has novelty. Similarly, based on the overall, the students’ mathematical creative reasoning skills students based on the type of Adversity Quotient (AQ) Climber and Champer are still likely high at the ability of Plausible (which also includes the ability of mathematical foundation) which for the climber is 52.78% and for Champer is 62.50. As for the ability of novelty (which includes the ability of plausible and mathematical foundation), it is still significantly less compared to those who only have the ability mathematical foundation. In contrast to the type of quitter at the type of Adversity Quotient (AQ), which indicates that the ability of only mathematical foundation (of 58.33%) is higher than plausible capability (which also includes the ability of mathematical foundations) amounting to 38.89% and novelty (which also includes the ability of mathematical foundation and plausible) amounting to 2.78%. It shows that students who have AG of quitter type are still having trouble in solving problems by providing a reasonable excuse which has a novelty. It is clear that the students still have difficulties to solve the problems based on reasons that make sense (plausible) and which have a novelty. It is also evident from the problem-solving process is done by them presented in Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Based on the description of the students’ mathematical creative reasoning skills, it seems that students have a tendency to solve problems that are given only through the routine procedures (usually done by the lecturers), but it fell into the category of reasonable (plausible) and based on mathematical foundation. However, there are also some students who master mathematical creative reasoning capabilities that include novelty. It is evident from the students’ answers in Figure 2. Figure 2. The results of the students’ work which belong to the novelty and plausible of mathematical creative reasoning ability Volume 7, No. 2, September 2018 pp 83-96 89 It is different from the majority of the other students’ work who answered through the solving problems process in Figure 3, 4, and 5. After the interview to students regarding the results of their work conducted, the researchers conduct an interview process to gain a deeper understanding of the work that they already did. The results of the interview transcript, based on Figure 2, talk about student who has mathematical creative reasoning abilities with novelty indicator presented as follows: Lecturer : Why did you do with a move like that? Student 1 : I did this work with based on the definition of absolute values. Lecturer : But if it is linked to the work of other friends who are equally based on absolute values, there is still a difference in the final settlement. What underlies your thoughts to use the concept of an incision in the inequality (1), (2) and (3) and described it on the number of the line. (Shown in Figure 2). Student 1 : It is based on intuition, and I assume that just because the problems are about the inequality, then I think to describe it on the number of lines and an incision in the inequality (1), (2) and (3). However, although I do the work intuitively, I feel that the answers I give are reasonable and correct. Based on interviews conducted by the student 1, it can be concluded that the creative reasoning which falls into the category of novelty is the process of problem-solving activity done by a person which he or she thought to be a new thing. Figure 3. Results of student work which are classified as plausible on creative reasoning ability The results of the interview transcript, based on Figure 3, talk about student who has mathematical creative reasoning abilities with plausible indicator presented as follows: Hendriana, Prahmana, & Hidayat, Students’ Performance Skills in Creative … 90 Lecturer : do you believe that you are doing it right? Student 2 : I believe that what I am doing is correct. Lecturer : what underlies that the work you are doing is correct? Student 2 : I based on the process and steps were taken by the steps on the definition of absolute value, but when connecting its inequality, I associate the limits stated in absolute value with its inequality. For example, I associate -5x + 2 to limit x <0 the inequality "<7" so -5x + 2 <7. Then, it produced x> -1 and after that, I looked at the cut between x <0 and x> -1. So, it was obtained -1 2. Thus the definition is based on the absolute value: | X | = X, x ≥ 0 (for which meets the positive x value), and | X | = - x, x <0 (for which meets the negative value of x). So I conclude that: 2