Profile of problem solving ability of junior high school students in science
T Koswara(1)(a), M Muslim(2), and Y Sanjaya(3)

(1)Program Studi Pendidikan IPA, Sekolah Pascasarjana, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Jl. Dr. Setiabudi No. 229, Bandung 40154, Indonesia
(2)Departemen Pendidikan Fisika, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Jl. Dr. Setiabudi No. 229, Bandung 40154, Indonesia
(3)Departemen Pendidikan Biologi, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Jl. Dr. Setiabudi No. 229, Bandung 40154, Indonesia

(a)tatakoswara[at]student.upi.edu

Abstract

Problem solving ability becomes one of the required in 21st Century skills. This research is aimed to describe the students problem solving in one of Junior High Schools in Bandung. This research uses descriptive method. The data was collected using test questions which were developed based on problem solving ability meter according to PISA 2012. The research is conducted towards 40 of 7th grade students of Junior High School in the second semester of 2017/2018 academic year. The data was analyzed quantitatively and presented in percentage chart. Overall, there were only 27.5% of the students who are able to answer the problem solving question test. 50.25% of the students were able exploring and understanding problem, 20% students are able to representing and formulating problem; and planning and executing solution. Thus, it can be concluded that the students problem solving ability in science is still low (30.83%). The identified dominant factor that causes the students low of problem solving ability is the learning process which has not facilitated the students yet to develop the problem solving ability. This research recommends to test a learning method which can help the learning process which is able to train the problem solving ability.

Keywords: Problem Solving Ability

Topic: 2. Science Education