PERBEDAAN KEMAMPUAN PEMECAHAN MASALAH MATEMATIKA MELALUI PEMBELAJARAN MATEMATIKA REALISTIK (PMR) DIBANDINGKAN DENGAN PEMBELAJARAN KONVENSIONAL DI KELAS VII SMP NEGERI 37 MEDAN TAHUN AJARAN 2008/2009

This study aims to determine whether there is a difference in improving students' mathematical problem solving skills are taught by mathematics realistic compared to the conventional learning of the school year 2009/2010. The population in this study are all seventh grade students of SMP Negeri 37 Medan in Academic Year 2009/2010 which consisted of 5 (five) classes. While the sample in this study there are 2 classes of 80 persons, each class there are 40 persons. Peneliti take classes VII-1 as an experimental class 'taught by Realistic Mathematics Education and VII-2 class as the control classes are taught by conventional methods Instruments in this research that tests students' mathematical problem-solving ability that consists of 4 questions. Previously conducted validation tests with consideration of all competent parties. The next instrument is the observation sheet that serves to see the effectiveness of teachers in implementing the two models of learning in the classroom and to see the liveliness of the students in learning in
the classroom. Before testing the hypothesis, first tested for normality and homogeneity using SpSS. From this test showed that the samples have normal distribution and the samples come from populations that have a homogeneous variance. From the analysis of data obtained on average in the classroom experiments for pre-test data, while 3.62 to 7.80 test post data. The average score for the control class data while pre test 3.54 to 6.64 test post data. From data analysis to gain gain P.MR class conventional classroom tested using t test at significant level a - 0,05 obtained t count:7.40 and ttable: 1.667 turns out tcount> ttable then Ha accepted. Thus there are significant diffirences between the two
learning. This means that there is an increasing problem-solving abilities of students taught-mathematics through Realistic Mathematics Education (PMR) compared with students who are taught with conventional learning in class VII SMP Negeri 37 Medan in Academic year 2008/2009. So the advice for teachers, especially math teachers are
expected to be able to use the Realistic Mathematics Education as the Realistic Mathematics Education students are given the opportunity to discover for themselves how
to solve problems and foster interaction among students in learning.