Profile of Reflective Thinking Skills Among Junior High School Students Based on Field-Independent and Field-Dependent Cognitive Styles

Abstrak

Metacognitive awareness, manifested in reflective thinking skills, is a prerequisite for developing meaningful mathematical understanding. However, its quality varies across students because each individual brings a different cognitive style to the table in perceiving and organizing information. This study aimed to assess the reflective thinking skills of eighth-grade students at SMPN Satu Atap Satu Kabawo on the Pythagorean theorem, based on their cognitive styles. This study employed a qualitative, exploratory approach. The subjects consisted of two students representing the field-independent (FI) and field-dependent (FD) categories. The research instruments included the researcher as the primary instrument, the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT), a reflective thinking skills test, and an interview guide. Data analysis was conducted through data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. Data validity was achieved through time triangulation. The results showed that FI students were able to fully complete all stages of reflective thinking, actively construct solutions, and make independent improvements. Conversely, FD students demonstrated incomplete reflective thinking skills due to visual impairments in the Pythagorean Theorem, resulting in inaccurate problem solutions. These findings indicate that differences in cognitive styles influence reflective thinking in solving mathematical problems.

Kata kunci

• Middle School Students
• cognitive styles
• reflective thinking skills