Developing Mathematical Activities Using Realistic Mathematics Education to Promote Mathematical Connection Ability in Real-Life of High School Students

This research aims to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a mathematics learning
activity set based on the Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) approach to promote
mathematical connection ability in real-life. The activity set is designed under the theme of crime
scene investigations and consists of five activities covering high school mathematics topics,
including descriptive statistics, matrix, linear programming, trigonometric functions, set and
logic. The study employs a pre-experimental research design with a purposively selected sample
of 28 high school students. This research uses a mixed method, incorporating four research
instruments, including a mathematics activity set, a test of mathematical connection ability in
real-life, and a questionnaire on participants’ attitudes towards the activity set. Quantitative
analysis using a paired t-test showed a significant improvement in students’ mathematical
connection ability in real-life (p-value < 0.05). Gain scores revealed that 14.29% of students
showed high development, 75% showed medium development, 7.14% showed low development,
and 3.57% showed a decrease in score. The results indicate that most students developed their
mathematical connection ability in real-life at a medium to high level. Qualitative analysis using
thematic analysis further indicated that students continuously developed their mathematical
connections throughout the activities. These findings suggest that the mathematics activity set
based on RME promotes students’ mathematical connection ability in real-life. Additionally,
students exhibited a positive attitude toward the activities, reporting that the activity set enhanced
engagement, interaction, problem-solving skills, teamwork, and meaningful learning
experiences.