Strategic Competence of Senior Secondary School Students in Solving Mathematics Problem Based on Cognitive Style

The purpose of this study was to explore the strategic competence of senior secondary school students in solving mathematics problems. Terdapat dua subjek, satu bergaya kognitif field-independent dan satu bergaya kognitif field-dependent tetapi keduanya memiliki tingkat prestasi belajar matematika yang setara. There were two subjects, one field-independent cognitive style and one field-dependent cognitive style. They had an equivalent high level of mathematics achievement. Keduanya dipilih berdasarkan hasil tes kompetensi matematika dan GEFT (Group Embedded Figures Test). Subjects were selected based on the test results of mathematics competence and GEFT (Group Embedded Figures Test). Kompetensi strategis dapat merangsang perkembangan otonomi dan fleksibilitas dalam diri siswa karena merupakan keterampilan yang sangat dibutuhkan di sepanjang abad 21. Gaya kognitif merupakan kecenderungan siswa dalam mengolah informasi sangat mempengaruhi performance dalam menyelesaikan masalah matematika. Strategic competence can stimulate the development of autonomy and flexibility of students and they are skills which are needed in the 21st century. Cognitive style is the tendency of students in processing informations and it greatly affects the performance in solving mathematics problems. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa subjek FI cenderung analitis baik pada pembentukan bayangannya maupun pada gambar yang dibuatnya untuk memproses informasi berdasarkan dengan struktur pengetahuannya sendiri (Internally directed). The research result showed that subject FI tended to be analytical both in forming the mental imagination and the picture to process information in accordance with his own knowledge structure (internally directed). Subjek FD kurang analitis dan tidak dapat mengenal bentuk sederhana (konsep matematika) dari bentuk yang kompleks (Exeternally directed) sehingga menerima ide sebagaimana yang disajikan. Subject FD was less analytical and unable to recognize simple form (mathematical concept) of a complex form (Externally directed), so he received the idea as presented. Hasil penelitian ini penting sebagai bahan masukan untuk guru dan pengembang ilmu pendidikan matematika untuk meningkatkan fleksibilitas (Flexibility) siswa dalam keberagaman karakteristiknya melalui penelitian terkait dengan pengembangan bahan instruksi, perangkat dan model pembelajaran matematika. The results of this research are important as input for teachers and mathematics education developers to increase the flexibility of students in the characteristics diversity through the research related to the development of instruction materials and mathematics learning model. Penelitian selanjutnya, sebaiknya melihat bagaimana FI dan FD dapat memberikan penjelasan dan pembenaran atas strategi yang telah diusahakan supaya terlihat lebih jelas bagaimana perbedaan FI dan FD dalam mengkontruksi konsep matematika pada pengalaman belajarnya Further research should study about how the explanation and justification for the strategy that has been attempted in order to look more clearly how constructing mathematical concepts in their learning experience.