The objective of this article is to describe mathematics instruction, problems, challenges and opportunities in Manokwari Regency, Indonesia. The research was conducted for three years, from 2014 until 2017. There are nine senior high schools and 12 junior high schools in Manokwari, both private and public schools, which became the objects of this research. The research method used is a case study, with interviews and observation technique. Interviews were conducted with students, the headmaster and teachers, to support the research results by using interview guides with several questions asked during the interview. The results indicate that the system of mathematics instruction in Manokwari is still the same as in most other regions in Indonesia. The mathematical thinking ability of students in mathematics learning is not well established. Mathematics learning in Manokwari in particular, and the province of West Papua in general, needs to be changed. The use of Indonesian realistic mathematics education (RME), should be considered to improve the quality of mathematics instruction in Manokwari.

Mathematics instruction, problems, challenges, and opportunities: a case study in Manokwari Regency, Indonesia

The insignificant improvement of Indonesian students in PISA mathematics survey triggered researchers in Indonesia to develop PISA-like mathematics tasks. Some development studies have been conducted to produce valid and practical PISA-like problems that potentially effect on improving students' mathematical literacy. This article describes the experiences of Indonesian task designers in developing PISA-like mathematics tasks as well as the potential future studies regarding to mathematical literacy as challenges for policy makers, researchers, and practitioners to improve students' mathematical literacy in Indonesia. The results of this research indicate the task designers to consider domains of PISA like: context, mathematical content, and process as the first profiles of their missions. Our analysis shows that the designers mostly experienced difficulties regarding to the authenticity of context use and language structure. Interestingly, many of them used a variety of local wisdom in Indonesia as contexts for designing PISA-like tasks. In addition, the products developed were reported to be potentially effects on students' interest and elicit students' mathematical competencies as mentioned in PISA framework. Finally, this paper discusses future studies such as issues in bringing PISA task into an instructional practice.

Designing PISA-Like Mathematics Tasks In Indonesia: Experiences and Challenges

This study aims to (1) measure pre-service teachers’ pedagogical belief in the value of teaching Critical Thinking (CT), their preparedness to teach CT, and their preference toward constructivist teaching approaches to develop students’ CT skills; and (2) explore the potential links between these pedagogical beliefs and aspects of teacher education experience. Participants were 223 mathematics pre-service teachers from 3 teacher education institutions in East Java, Indonesia. Beliefs about the value of teaching CT and perceived readiness to teach CT were measured using Likert-type scales, while preference towards constructivist instruction was assessed using vignettes depicting teaching dilemmas. Participants believed that some CT skills (thinking independently and logical communication) were important, but CT dispositions were not. About 60% believed they are prepared to teach CT and generally preferred constructivist over traditional instruction. Most aspects of the pre-service education were not associated with pedagogical beliefs about CT disposition, perceived preparedness, or preference for constructivist instruction, while some were only weakly associated with belief about teaching CT skills. These highlight the need for mathematics teacher educators to give more emphasis on the importance of CT, especially its dispositional dimensions, and the role of constructivist instruction in developing CT.

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Pedagogical Beliefs about Critical Thinking among Indonesian Mathematics Pre-Service Teachers.

The objective of this study was to produce valid and practical PISA-like mathematics problems on the content of uncertainty and data using football and table tennis contexts in the 2018 Asian Games. This study also aimed to find out the potential effect of the problems on the tenth-grade students’ mathematical literacy capability of the senior high school. This study was a design research with the type of development studies consisting of two stages, the preliminary and the formative evaluation. We obtained the data using walk-through, document, observation, interview, and test methods. We assessed the validity of the problems by using the validator assessment results towards the content, constructs, and language of the problems and also from the comments/suggestions of the students in one-to-one phase on the clarity/readability of the problems. The indicator of the problems’ practicality was reflected when the students were able to understand the problems well and it was shown in the small group phase. The answers of 33 students involved in the field test showed that the problems had the potential effect, showing the capability of communication and representation. On the problem with football context, six students answered with communication capability and three students with representation capability. On the problem with table tennis context, twenty students answered with communication capability, while five students with representation capability.

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Developing PISA-Like Mathematics Problem Using the 2018 Asian Games Football and Table Tennis Context.

This study aims to produce valid and practical PISA-like mathematics problems of uncertainty and data content by using soft tennis and volleyball contexts in Asian Games. It also aims to find out the potential effect of the problems on students' mathematical literacy. The method used in this study was design research with the type of development studies. The validity was viewed from expert assessment regarding the content, constructs, language, and students’ comments to the clarity of the problems in the one-to-one phase. Then, the practicality was viewed in the small group phase, and it was found that the students could understand the problem well. Based on the answers from 33 tenth-grade students of senior high school, it was found that the problems had potential effects that arouse the ability to use symbolic, formal, and technical language, as well as the ability of operation, communication, and representation. With the problem of the soft tennis context, five students could apply the ability to use symbolic, formal, and technical language, and operations, 12 students could apply representation ability, and 16 students could apply the communication ability. Meanwhile, with the problem of the volleyball context, 18 students could apply the communication ability, and nine students could apply the representation ability.

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Soft Tennis and Volleyball Contexts in Asian Games for PISA-LIKE Mathematics Problems.

The aim of this research is produce a set of PISA-like mathematics task with Indonesia natural and cultural heritage as context which are valid, practical, to assess students’ mathematics literacy. This is design research using type of development research with formative evaluation. A total of 20 students of SMP Negeri 1 Palembang.  Beside, 10 experts were involved in this research to assess the feasibility of prototyping in terms of content, context and language. Walk through, documentation, questionnaire, test result, and interviews are way to collect the data. This research produced a PISA-like math task is as many 12 category of content, context, and process valid, practical and has potential effect.  The validity came empirical evaluation of validation and reliability testing during small group. From the field test, we conclude that the tasks also potentially effect to the students’ mathematical literacy in activating the indicators of each Fundamental Mathematical Capabilities.

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Developing pisa-like mathematics task with indonesia natural and cultural heritage as context to assess students mathematical literacy