Learning Obstacles on the Concept of Function: A Hermeneutics Phenomenological Study Stefanus Raynaldo Septyawan*, Didi Suryadi, Nurjanah
Department of Mathematics Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Jl. Dr. Setiabudhi No. 229, Bandung 40154, Indonesia
*stefanusraynaldo18[at]gmail.com
Abstract
The meaning of a mathematical concept especially function which formed by students is subjective in nature and has its own interpretation. Therefore, this reality is important to examine further. This study aims to explore the learning obstacles on the concept of function based on the students meaning of the concept and how students acquire as well as construct the meaning related to their experiences. This is a qualitative study with uses a hermeneutics phenomenological approach involving 10th grade students who have learned about function. The data collected through a test and interview. Interviewed data transcribed and then conducted in-depth analysis for the understanding of the meaning revealed. The results of this study showed that various meanings of the concept of function expressed students still informative, tend to be partial, and also limited on what they have learned during the classroom. Hence, this indicates that there are learning obstacles on the concept of function that includes ontogenic and epistemological obstacles. Ontogenic obstacles includes the lack of sufficient understanding of the basic concept of function and an interest to the topic. While epistemological obstacles include students difficulty when faced another problem with different contexts or forms.
Keywords: learning obstacles; the concept of function; phenomenology hermeneutics
