Analysis of Students' Mathematical Analysis Skills through a Metacognitive Approach with Advance Organizers: A Grounded Theory Study

Source abstract

This study aims to describe and analyze students’ mathematical analysis skills in trigonometry through the implementation of a metacognitive approach supported by an advance organizer. The study employed a mixed-methods approach with an explanatory sequential design. This article reports on the qualitative phase, which used a grounded theory approach to explain and enrich the quantitative findings. Six high school students in Bandung, Indonesia, during the 2025/2026 academic year were purposively selected and classified into high-, medium-, and low-skill groups. Data was collected through students’ written work, in-depth interviews, and classroom observations, then analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding. Open coding identified three categories of mathematical analysis skills: differentiating, organizing, and attributing, then two categories of mathematical evaluation skills: checking and critiquing. Axial coding generated a paradigm linking causal conditions, contextual and intervening factors, instructional strategies, and learning outcomes. Selective coding integrated these categories into a theoretical explanation of how students develop mathematical analysis and evaluation skills in learning trigonometry. The findings revealed that high-skilled students demonstrated mastery of all analysis and evaluation components, enabling accurate problem solving. Students with moderate skills mastered only some components, whereas low-skilled students showed limited mastery and experienced difficulties in solving problems. The results indicate that stronger mathematical evaluation skills are associated with better mathematical analysis and more accurate solutions to trigonometric problems.