The influence of pesantren-based students’ self-concept on errors in solving basic geometry problems

Abstract

This study aims to describe the types of errors and identify the factors causing errors in solving geometry problems from the perspective of students’ self-concept. This research is a qualitative descriptive study. The subjects were students from Class A of the Mathematics Education Study Program in the 2022/2023 academic year who had received material on the geometry subtopic “basic construction justified.” Data collection techniques included questionnaires, problem-solving tests, and interviews. Data analysis techniques involved data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. Data validity was ensured using triangulation through the results of tests and interviews. The results of the study indicate that (1) students with a positive self-concept made errors such as comprehension errors, process skill errors, and errors in encoding or writing the final answer. These were caused by two factors: an inability to fully understand the given information and a lack of experience in solving non-routine geometry problems. (2) Students with a negative self-concept made errors such as reading errors, comprehension errors, transformation errors, process skill errors, and errors in writing conclusions. The factors causing these errors were (a) inadequate understanding of geometry material, (b) weak prerequisite knowledge, and (c) carelessness in solving geometry problems.