Thinking Process of Visual-Spatial Intelligence of 15- Year-Old Students in Solving Pisa Standard Problems

Abstract

Visual-spatial intelligence is one of the basic intelligences needed in mathematics learning. Visual-spatial intelligence consisted of 4 characteristics, namely imagination, conceptualization, problem solving and pattern determining. This reserach aims to describe the visual-spatial intelligence of 15-year-old students in solving PISA standard problems. The type of this research was descriptive research with qualitative approach. The research participants consisted of 67 students aged 15 years. The used data collection methods were tests and interviews. The research indicators were based on 4 characteristics of visual-spatial intelligence, and each characteristic was stated in each question number. Data analysis was done by looking at the indicator achievement of each characteristic of visual-spatial intelligence from each research participant. Based on the data analysis of test and interview, it obtained the tendency on each characteristic as follows: a) imagination, students were included in the high level category with the tendency of being able to meet all indicators except the fourth indicator; b) conceptualization, students were included in the high level category with the tendency of being able to meet all the indicators provided; c) problem solving, students were included in the moderate level category with the tendency of being able only to meet the first and second indicators of the 4 indicators provided; d) pattern determining, students were included in the high level category with tendency of being able to meet 4 indicator provided