Learning activities using worksheet characterized by the recognition of mathematical symbols

Abstract

One of the purposes of learning mathematics in college is to improve the ability of critical thinking and problem-solving. Before solving the problems, the college students need to recognize the problems not excepted the mathematics symbols written in the problem. Thereover it is important for the problem solver to aware and recognizes the meaning of mathematics symbols, called recognition of mathematical symbols. This educational design research aims to describe the development of learning activities using a worksheet to recognize the mathematical symbol. The design research phase consists of four successive phases: knowledge, designing, experimenting and analyzing. Findings reveal that: College students can distinguish between the form of functions and the value of functions; College students transform to fy (x, y) when solving problems; College students can read symbol but need more time to interpret that symbol rather than fxx (x, y) symbol. At the end of the learning practice, college students that doing error to recognize mathematics symbols are less than at the first teaching practice. The college students can recognize mathematical symbols well and then solve the problem correctly using correct mathematics symbols.