Email this article 
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4395-5221
Analyzing Students’ Numeracy Skills in Personal Context Problems: A Study of the Minimum Competency Assessment (MCA)
Abstract
This study addresses the gap in understanding how personal context influences students’ numeracy skills, particularly in the context of the Minimum Competency Assessment (MCA) in Indonesia. The research problem centers on the challenge of engaging students with numeracy tasks that are not only mathematically relevant but also relatable to their personal experiences. While the MCA assesses mathematical reasoning and problem-solving, students often struggle to apply these skills to real-world scenarios, particularly when the context of the problems is unfamiliar or disconnected from their daily lives. This study aims to analyze the numeracy skills of eighth-grade students in solving problems with a personal context within the Minimum Competency Assessment (MCA). The study employed a mixed-methods design, integrating both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were analyzed using content validity analysis (Aiken’s V) and inter-rater reliability (Cohen’s Kappa) to assess the validity and consistency of the MCA questions. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the students' numeracy scores. For qualitative analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore students' reasoning and problem-solving strategies. The triangulation of data from the MCA tests and interviews provided a comprehensive understanding of how students engaged with mathematical problems and applied their numeracy skills in real-world contexts. A total of 17 eighth-grade students were selected, and three students from each numeracy category; high, medium, and low were chosen using a categorization method based on standard deviation. Results showed that students with high numeracy abilities demonstrated effective problem-solving and reasoning skills, while medium and low numeracy students struggled with complex problems and real-world application. The study suggests that while personal context can enhance student engagement, its effectiveness depends on a solid foundation in numeracy skills. The findings recommend a balanced approach in teaching, strengthening foundational skills alongside contextualized learning. In conclusion, while the personal context in MCA increases student engagement and relevance, particularly among high-performing students, its effectiveness is contingent on a solid foundation in basic numeracy skills. A balanced approach that strengthens basic numeracy skills while incorporating personal contexts is necessary to foster critical thinking and effective application of mathematics across all ability levels.
Keywords
References
Abylkassymova, A., Akperov, N., Tuyakov, Y., Ardabayeva, A., & Sydykova, Z. (2024). Contextual mathematical tasks as a means of developing students’ functional literacy in school mathematics course. Naukovij Vìsnik Užgorodsʹkogo Unìversitetu. Serìâ Fìzika, 56, 1218–1227. https://doi.org/10.54919/physics/56.2024.121rb8
Adelia, V., Putri, R., & Zulkardi, Z. (2024). A systematic literature review: how do we support students to become numerate? International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE), 13(3), 1816–1824. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v13i3.26849
Afrina, D. M., Pandra, V., & Fauziah, A. (2023). Systematic Literatur Review: Asesmen Kompetensi Minimum (Akm) Pada Domain Bilangan. JOURNAL of MATHEMATICS SCIENCE and EDUCATION, 6(1), 56–67. https://doi.org/10.31540/jmse.v6i1.2641
Aiken, L. R. (1985). Three coefficients for analyzing the reliability and validity of ratings. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 45(1), 131–142.
Amelia, S., Widiati, I., & Yadrika, G. (2023). Pengembangan Soal Numerasi Untuk Peserta Didik Fase D. AKSIOMA: Jurnal Program Studi Pendidikan Matematika, 12(3), 3048. https://doi.org/10.24127/ajpm.v12i3.7236
Arikunto, S. (2008). Prosedur Penelitian Suatu Pendekatan Praktik. Rineka Cipta.
Astriani, L., & Akyuni, N. I. (2024). Analysis of Numeracy Skills in Grade Vi Elementary School Students in Solving Minimum Competency Assessment Questions. Kalamatika: Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika, 9(1), 15–30. https://doi.org/10.22236/kalamatika.vol9no1.2024pp15-30
Bjälkebring, P., & Peters, E. (2021). Money matters (especially if you are good at math): Numeracy, verbal intelligence, education, and income in satisfaction judgments. PLoS ONE, 16. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259331
Cohen, Jacob. (1960). A Coefficient of Agreement for Nominal Scales. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 20(1), 37–46. https://doi.org/10.1177/001316446002000104
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research Defign: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed M ethods Approaches. In Research Defign: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (5 th). Sage Publications.
Devlin, D., Moeller, K., & Sella, F. (2022). The structure of early numeracy: Evidence from multi-factorial models. Trends in Neuroscience and Education, 26, 100171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tine.2022.100171
Dintarini, M., Jamil, A. F., & Ismail, A. D. (2022). Secondary students’ spatial thinking in solving the minimum competency assessment (MCA) on geometry. Jurnal Elemen, 8(2), 544–555. https://doi.org/10.29408/jel.v8i2.5670
Duma, S. Y., Muslimin, Modjo, A. S., & Walid, A. (2024). The role of Mathematics Education in Developing Critical Thingking Skill in the Industrial Era 5.0. Aksioma Education Journal., 1(4), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.62872/rca4py44
Geiger, V., & Schmid, M. (2024). A critical turn in numeracy education and practice. Frontiers in Education, 9(2011). https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1363566
Gravemeijer, K. (2016). Mediating between concrete and abstract. In Learning and teaching mathematics (pp. 315–345). Psychology Press.
Gravemeijer, K. P. E., Figueiredo, N., Galen, F., Keijzer, R., & Munk, F. (2016). Measurement and Geometry in Upper Primary School. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6300-746-7
Halawati, F., & Hidayati, R. (2023). Analisis Kemampuan Koneksi Matematis Ditinjau Dari Kesulitan Siswa Menyelesaikan Soal Matematika Pada Generasi Alpha Di Min 7 Kuningan. Jurnal Elementaria Edukasia, 6(4), 1861–1871. https://doi.org/10.31949/jee.v6i4.7033
Hamdiyanti, M., Rodiana, I., Laelasari, L., & Subroto, T. (2024). Systematic Literature Review: Mathematical Literacy Skills in Terms of Mathematics Learning Motivation. IJCER (International Journal of Chemistry Education Research), 104–112. https://doi.org/10.20885/ijcer.vol8.iss2.art3
Han, W., Susanto, D., Dewayani, S., Pandora, P., Hanifah, N., Miftahussururi., Nento, M. N., & Akbari, Q. S. (2017). “Materi Pendukung Literasi Numerasi.” In Kementrian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, Tim GLN Kemendikbud. (Vol. 8, Issue 9). https://repositori.kemdikbud.go.id/11628/1/materi-pendukung-literasi-numerasi-rev.pdf
Hidayah, I. R., Kusmayadi, T. A., & Fitriana, L. (2021). Minimum Competency Assessment (AKM): An Effort To Photograph Numeracy. Journal of Mathematics and Mathematics Education, 11(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.20961/jmme.v11i1.52742
Hwang, W.-Y., & Utami, I. Q. (2024). Contextualized and Personalized Math Word Problem Generation Using GPT and Authentic Contextual Recognition. 12th International Conference on Information and Education Technology (ICIET), 177–181. https://doi.org/10.1109/iciet60671.2024.10542742
Inganah, S., Utomo, D. P., Baiduri, B., & Djunaidi, A. (2023). Accompaniment of Contextual Learning Oriented Minimum Competency Assessment of Mathematics through Lesson Study. Berdikari: Jurnal Inovasi Dan Penerapan Ipteks, 11(2), 234–246. https://doi.org/10.18196/berdikari.v11i2.17692
Jain, P., & Rogers, M. (2019). Numeracy as critical thinking. Adults Learning Mathematics International Journal, 14(1), 23–33. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1232382.pdf
Kemendikbud. (2021). Asesmen Nasional: Lembar Tanya Jawab. In Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan (pp. 1–32). https://hasilun.puspendik.kemdikbud.go.id/akm/file_akm_202101_1.pdf
Lestari, W. M., Daryanto, J., & Hadiyah, H. (2023). Analisis kesulitan peserta didik dalam menyelesaikan soal numerasi pecahan pada Asesmen Kompetensi Minimum di sekolah dasar. Didaktika Dwija Indria, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.20961/ddi.v11i1.73462
Lindström-Sandahl, H., Samuelsson, J., Danielsson, H., Samuelsson, S., & Elwér, Å. (2024). A randomized controlled study of a second grade numeracy intervention with Swedish students at-risk of mathematics difficulties. The British Journal of Educational Psychology, 94 4, 1052–1071. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12705
Lubis, S. M. A., & Permatasari, D. (2023). Level of critical thinking ability in solving numeration problems in the minimum competency assessment. Desimal: Jurnal Matematika, 6(1), 63–72. https://doi.org/10.24042/djm.v6i1.14611
Marhami, M., Rohantizani, R., Muhammad, I., Samsidar, S., & Anggraini, I. (2023). Pre-service mathematics teachers’ numeracy in Acehnese culture-based minimum competence assessment. Jurnal Elemen, 9(1), 109–119. https://doi.org/10.29408/jel.v9i1.6765
Megawati, L. A., & Sutarto, H. (2021). Analysis numeracy literacy skills in terms of standardized math problem on a minimum competency assessment. Unnes Journal of Mathematics Education, 10(2), 155–165. https://doi.org/10.15294/ujme.v10i2.49540
Mellyzar, M., Novita, N., Muliani, M., Marhami, M., & Retnowulan, S. R. (2023). The Literacy and Numeracy Ability Profile Which are Viewed from Minimum Assessment Components (AKM). Lantanida Journal, 11(2), 168. https://doi.org/10.22373/lj.v11i2.19866
Nahdi, D., Jatisunda, M., Cahyaningsih, U., & Suciawati, V. (2020). Pre-service teacher’s ability in solving mathematics problem viewed from numeracy literacy skills. Ilkogretim Online, 19, 1902–1910. https://doi.org/10.17051/ilkonline.2020.762541
Nasruddin, N., & Jahring, J. (2024). Profile of Junior High School Students’ Creative Thinking Ability and Numerical Literacy in Solving Mathematical Problems. Prisma Sains : Jurnal Pengkajian Ilmu Dan Pembelajaran Matematika Dan IPA IKIP Mataram, 12(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.33394/j-ps.v12i1.8577
NCTM, N. C. of T. of M. (2017). Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. https://www.nctm.org/Standards-and-Positions/Principles-and-Standards/
Nuraini, N. L. S., & Humaidi. (2020). Online Assessment Application in Measuring the Numeracy Level of Prospective Elementary School Teachers. 2020 6th International Conference on Education and Technology (ICET), 126–130. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICET51153.2020.9276626
Satiti, W. S., Alfatah, D. A., & Umardiyah, F. (2021). Development of PISA-like Mathematics Problems within Personal-Context for Junior High School Students. APPLICATION Applied Science in Learning Research, 1(2), 99–105. https://doi.org/10.32764/application.v1i2.1966
Schoenherr, J. (2024). Personalizing real-world problems: Posing own problems increases self-efficacy expectations, intrinsic value, attainment value, and utility value. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(2), 407–424. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12653
Seah, R. (2018). Choosing the right resources to support the learning of polygons. Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom, 23(1). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1175542.pdf
Stephens, A. C., Fonger, N., Strachota, S., Isler, I., Blanton, M., Knuth, E., & Murphy Gardiner, A. (2017). A Learning Progression for Elementary Students’ Functional Thinking. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 19(3), 143–166. https://doi.org/10.1080/10986065.2017.1328636
Susanto, E., Fransiska, H., & Susanta, A. (2023). Students’ numerical ability on minimum competency assessment in junior high school. International Journal of Trends in Mathematics Education Research, 6(1), 47–53. https://doi.org/10.33122/ijtmer.v6i1.175
Syaifuddin, M. (2022). Minimum Competency Assessment to Measure Mathematical Literacy of Junior High School Students. Journal of Education Research and Evaluation, 6(2), 316–326. https://doi.org/10.23887/jere.v6i2.46263
Tresnasih, I., Ratnaningsih, N., & Rahayu, D. V. (2022). Analisis Numerasi Matematis Peserta Didik dalam Menyelesaikan Soal AKM. Prisma, 11(2), 478. https://doi.org/10.35194/jp.v11i2.2454
Tsaqifah, S., Sujadi, I., & Pramudya, I. (2024). Numeracy : How About Students of Junior High School Ability to Solve Problems Use Uncertainty and Data Content with Personal Contex ? Formatif: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan MIPA, 14(148), 37–50. https://doi.org/10.30998/formatif.v14i1.19251
Usman, Z. Z., & Rahman, H. N. (2024). Rumah gadang: contextual mathematics in a socio-cultural context for numeracy assessment. Ethnomathematics Journal, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.21831/ej.v5i1.59976
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes (Vol. 86). Harvard university press.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33394/j-ps.v13i3.15262
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2025 Septia Wahyuni, Anisah Khairani, Mahfudzah Ulfa
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
J-PS (Prisma Sains: Jurnal Pengkajian Ilmu dan Pembelajaran Matematika dan IPA IKIP Mataram) p-ISSN (print) 2338-4530, e-ISSN (online) 2540-7899 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.