Functional Thinking in Early Algebra: A Multi-Level Investigation of Elementary Mathematics Education in Indonesia

Source abstract

Objective: This study aims to investigate functional thinking from three perspectives: (1) curriculum representation, (2) students' algebra difficulties during the elementary-secondary school transition, and (3) pre-service teachers' knowledge. Method: This study employs a qualitative approach through document analysis, as well as tests and interviews with students transitioning from elementary to secondary school and with pre-service teachers. Results: The results of this study indicate: (1) curriculum documents significantly underrepresent functional relationships compared to recursive patterns; (2) students demonstrate weak functional thinking during the transition to formal algebra; (3) pre-service teachers present limited content and pedagogical knowledge about functional thinking. These findings reveal deficiencies in functional thinking at all three levels, which implies the need to improve this aspect in elementary school mathematics instruction and in pre-service teacher education programs. Novelty: Functional thinking is the foundation for algebraic reasoning in elementary mathematics, which determines students' success at the next level. Despite its importance, little is known about functional thinking in Indonesian elementary mathematics education. This research fills this gap through a multi-level investigation to provide a comprehensive understanding.