The Visualizer and Verbalizer Cognitive Style as Critical Thinking in Geometrical Problem Solving

Abstract

Student's strategy in solving mathematics problem cannot be separated from the way students receive and process the information obtained which is called as cognitive style. Students have different cognitive styles as they learn. There are students who tend to have a cognitive style of visualizer and there are also students who tend to have a cognitive style of verbalizer. The different cognitive styles will trigger students' critical thinking skills. This research was conducted in Junior High School (Madrasah Tsanawiyah Daru'l Hikam, Cirebon) by using the quantitative method of a causal-comparative type. The sampling technique used cluster random sampling, with a total sample of 45 students, 24 students visualizer, and 21 students verbalizer. The results showed that the visualizer students obtained an average score of 50.15, while the verbalizer students obtained a smaller average score of 40.05. When viewed from the average percentage of the results of each aspect of critical thinking, visualizer students can be categorized quite well, while the verbalizer students can be categorized less. Research Results Show that there are differences in critical thinking between students with cognitive style visualizer and students with cognitive style of verbalizer in geometry problems solving.