Designing learning trajectory of circle using the context of Ferris wheel

Abstract

Ferris wheel is one amusement playground that resembles a giant spinning wheel. Many students are familiar with the Ferris wheel in the mini version of it at night market festivals. This is the potential for learning mathematics. Furthermore, there is a mathematical learning approach called Indonesian Realistic Mathematics Education (IRME) where students learn with contexts which are close to students' life as starting points. Therefore, this study aims to design a learning trajectory using the IRME approach with the Ferris wheel as the context in the learning process to support students' understanding of the learning about circles. The research method is design research that consists of three stages: preliminary design, design experiments, and retrospective analysis. The subjects were 20 eighth-grade students from one of the private Junior High School in Yogyakarta. The instruments used are videos to see the learning process and when students work on the given problems, photos to refer the results of student work, and written test in worksheets to get the data on student's work. The research result explores the learning trajectory practiced using the Ferris wheel as the context seen in the student's daily activities. The learning trajectory consists of four events, namely assembling the Ferris wheel, drawing an illustration of the Ferris wheel, making a list of the circle parts, and solving a problem related to the parts of the circle. Lastly, this study shows that learning trajectory activities have essential roles in supporting students' understanding of the concept of a circle.