REFRACTIVE THINKING OF VISUALIZER AND VERBALIZER STUDENTS IN SOLVING GEOMETRY PROBLEMS

Abstract

Refractive thinking is a person's mental activity in making a decision in solving a problem which is through
reflective and critical thinking. Differences in cognitive style in a person affects the differences in refractive
thought processes. This is expected to be a liaison for educators to train students by providing varied
problems both using pictures and words. This qualitative research aims to describe the stages of refractive
thinking of visualizer students and junior verbalizers in solving geometry problems. The method of collecting
data through written tests and interviews. Written tests were given to 57 students of 8th grade students of
state junior high schools in Jombang. The research subjects consisted of one student with cognitive style
visualizer and one student with verbalizer cognitive style with each subject having high mathematical ability.
The results showed that at the identified of problem stage, visualizer students recognized and identified some
of the information contained in the problems tended to be faster than verbalizer students. At the strategic
stage, visualizer students used image information to found alternative solutions, while verbalizer students
used formulas that have been obtained before. This showed that both the visualizer student and the verbalizer
student have shown indications of refractive thinking. At the evaluation stage, the student visualizer and
verbalizer explained the method used based on logical and appropriate arguments but in the different way