The Hybridization of Mathematics in Literary Works to Increase

Students’ Motivation in Learning Mathematics

Saiful Latif

, Susana R. Bahara

and Karman La Nani

Language Education Study Program, Khairun University, Ternate-City Indonesia

Mathematics Education Study Program, Khairun University, Ternate-City Indonesia

Keywords: Literature, Mathematics, Poetry, Motivation

Abstract: This research is motivated by the existence of a paradigm that mathematics is only related to numbers that

seem difficult and rigid. The two disciplines of Science and literature are still considered have different

study that is impossible to put them together. Philosophically, literature adheres to philosophy of idealism

and phenomenology, while science is a scientific product and adheres to the philosophy of materialism and

positivism. Therefore, the hybridization of mathematics in literary works is one of the ways that can change

the paradigm of mathematics. Poetry is one of the works that is very popular with all circles. Thus, the

presentation of mathematics in poetry will remove the impression of rigidity. Writing mathematical poetry

work uses an experiential learning model which is consists of several stages, namely concrete experience,

reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, active experimentation. In other words, this research aims

to find out whether the hybridization of mathematics in literary works provides motivation in learning

mathematics. The type of research is descriptive quantitative research. The research subjects were 85

students of fifth semester at Department of Mathematics Education. Data collection techniques are

questionnaires and interviews. Questionnaire data analysis technique uses a Likert scale. The results of the

study show that (1) the hybridization of mathematics in literary works can contribute to the learning of

mathematics. This can be seen from the work of mathematical poetry. (2) the hybridization of mathematics

in literary works can provide motivation to learn mathematics which can be seen from the results of the

questionnaire that there are 0% stated strongly disagree, 9.41% or 8 students stated disagree, 51.76% or 44

students agreed, and 38.82% or 33 students stated strongly agree. Thus, it can be concluded that the

hybridization of mathematics in literary works give a positive effect on motivation in learning mathematics.

1 INTRODUCTION

Science and literature are two disciplines that are

visible in contrast, so the merging of the two still

sounds very taboo. This paradigm was then broken

by Pramono and Ansori (2016) in a study entitled

"Phenomenon of the hybridization of science in

literary works" which concluded that the

interdisciplinary study between science and

literature could complement the lack of both

disciplines. For science, literature can be used as a

medium for delivering science that is too rigid and

seems "haunted", while literature can use science as

a medium to develop stories in each work so as not

to appear too absurd and dry in the creative process

of literature. So that Saryono (2015) said that the

background of literary and scientific hybridization is

one of which is shifting the view of mono-

disciplinary towards inter-disciplinary.

Mathematics is very closely related to literature.

This was revealed by Sa'adillah (2014) that Reviel

Netz, a professor at Stanford University, revealed

the similarities between Hellenistic poetry and

mathematical texts in the same era in ancient

Greece, and finally echoed a creed, that mathematics

same with literature, mathematics is Literature.

Likewise with Sofia Kovalevskaya, creator of the

Cauchy-Kovalevsky Theorem, said that it was

impossible to become a true mathematician without

having the soul of a poet.

Mathematics basically contains beauty. In his

research entitled “Mathematics, national character,

and his role in the development of science and

technology”, Widodo (2011) quoted an explanation

Latif, S., Bahara, S. and Nani, K.

The Hybridization of Mathematics in Literary Works to Increase Students’ Motivation in Learning Mathematics.

DOI: 10.5220/0008900402530259

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Teaching and Learning (ICTL 2018), pages 253-259

ISBN: 978-989-758-439-8

253

from Soehakso who was the first mathematics

professor in Indonesia, that mathematics had a very

interesting pattern, that made him often said that

mathematics like the prettiest girl in the whole

world. This was also conveyed by Sriyanto (2007)

that mathematics as an integral part of human

culture contains dimensions of humanity and has its

own beauty. Beauty is usually explained through its

elements such as harmony, order, harmony, balance,

uniformity, wholeness and so on. Thus, the purpose

of this study was to determine whether the role of

the hybridization of mathematics in literary works

on motivation to learn mathematics.

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

Soedjadi (1994) argues that in school, mathematics

teaching can be oriented to the values contained in

mathematics, among others, aesthetic values, namely

values related to "beauty" and the value of beauty or

stimulation, namely the value associated with power

beautiful flavor generator.

In literature, poetry is a literary work that is very

popular with all circles. Pradopo (2005) explains

that the poem expresses thoughts that evoke

feelings, stimulates the five senses imagination in a

rhythmic arrangement.

Poetry is one of the literary products intended by

the poet as a medium to channel the contents of his

soul. The nature of poetry does create or create,

because with and through poetry someone creates

his own world, namely a world that contains a

picture of a particular atmosphere, a certain

impression, even certain messages both outward and

inward (Putra, 2010).

Regarding its function, Nuryatin (2010) explains

that Literature can provide the audience with beauty

and usefulness. This is one of the literary functions

that Horatius called dulce et utile, namely giving

usability and pleasure. In line with the phrase dulce

et utile of Horatius, it was stated by Edgar Allan

Poe, an American poet and writer as quoted by Rene

Wellek & Austin Warren that literature functions to

entertain and teach something.

Therefore, poetry is a recording and

interpretation of human experience that is changed

in the most meaningful form by providing language

(Ristri Wahyuni, 2014). Poetry as a personal figure

of a poet or personal expression means poetry is an

overflow of feelings or as a product of the

imagination of poets operating on perceptions

(Sayuti, 2002).

In poetry writing, the experiential learning model

is very effective, as presented by munawaroh et al

(2016) in his article explaining that the experiential

learning method is a suitable method to use poetry

writing skills because this method requires students

to process their experiences according to their

imagination, creativity and skills -each students by

further exploring students' thinking without any

harmful effects that can be expressed in writing.

The learning stages with the experiential learning

model (Indriana, 2011) are as follows:

a. Concrete Experience. Learning begins with

providing activities that are able to create an

atmosphere, and a conducive framework.

b. Reflective Observation. At this stage, students

actively find out about the aims and objectives

of the activities or events they experience.

Students tend to gather information and use

imagination to solve problems. This stage

allows students to be better at seeing concrete

situations with several different points of view.

c. Abstract conceptualization. At this stage

students begin to gather creative ideas based on

the two previous learning stages. These ideas

are put together into a concept or abstraction

which will then be developed into a new

product or innovation.

d. Active Experimentation. At this stage, students

begin to pour their ideas into a product

according to the concepts that have been

prepared in the previous stage.

Kolb (Sriyanti, 2013) added Generalize as the

final stage in learning with the experiential learning

model. At this stage, students present their work

which is then given criticism and suggestions by the

teacher and other students. This stage is used as a

basis for improving student work.

Step-by-step poetry copyright works using the

experiential Learning model as follows:

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254

Figure 1: Experiential Learning Model.

Therefore, if mathematics is presented into

poetry, mathematics can be seen from a new

perspective that is more interesting and does not

seem stiff. In other words, poetry can help reveal the

other side of mathematics that is not only fixed on

numbers, but from the point of beauty. In other

words, by giving new experience and new

perspective can increase students’ motivation in

learning mathematics.

3 METHODS

This research is a descriptive quantitative.

According to Sugiono (2012) this research method

can be interpreted as a scientific way to obtain valid

data with the aim of being able to find, develop, and

prove certain knowledge so that in turn it can be

used to understand, solve and anticipate problems.

The subjects of this study were the fifth semester

students at the department of Mathematics

Education of the Faculty of Teacher Training and

Education, Khairun University in the 2017/2018

academic year, which is consist of 85 people spread

across VA and VB.

Data collection of this research used

questionnaire and documentation. The questionnaire

in this study was a closed questionnaire.

Understanding the questionnaire or questionnaire

method according to Arikunto (2006) questionnaire

is a written statement that is used to obtain

information from the respondent in the sense of

personal reports or things he knows. While

according to Sugiyono (2012) questionnaire or

questionnaire is a technique of data collection

conducted by giving a set of questions or written

statements to respondents to be answered. The

questionnaire in this study was written questions that

were questioned to 85 respondents after attending

workshops and poetry works. Documentation is also

one of the data collections. The documentation in

this research is in the form of photos of research

activities from beginning to end.

Figure 2: Flowchart of Research.

The questionnaire data analysis technique uses a

Likert scale. As Djaali and Muljono (2017) explain

that the Likert scale is used to measure attitudes,

opinions, and perceptions of a person or group about

a phenomenon of educational phenomena.

In its measurement, each respondent was asked

for his opinion about an answer. The answer option

consists of 4 (four) and each has a different value.

This can be seen in the following:

Table 1: Alternative response to Questionnaire.

Skor Alternative Response

1 Strongly Agree (SS)

The Hybridization of Mathematics in Literary Works to Increase Students’ Motivation in Learning Mathematics

255

2 Agree (S)

3 Disagree (TS)

4 Strongly Disagree (STS)

The number of questionnaires obtained will be

explained by the researcher as a statement so that

qualitative data was obtained, and then the data was

converted into a quantitative form with a statistical

analysis approach.

4 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Data Validity Testing

Validity testing is done with the help of a computer

using the SPSS version 20 program, in this study

validity testing was only carried out on 85

respondents. Decision making is based on the

corrected Item Total Corelation. Obtained from 30

questionnaire items after validation only 23 valid

questionnaires this is indicated by the acquisition of

significant values for each questionnaire, namely

above r-count > r-table 0.211, for df = 85-2 = 83; α

= 0.05.

Table 2: List of Motivational Questionnaires.

4.2 Reliability Test

Test reliability for question items that are declared

valid. A variable is said to be valid or reliable if the

answers to questions are always consistent. Based on

the results of reliability testing in Table 5.2, it is

known that the Cronbach alpha number is 0.881>

from the Cronbach alpha value of 0.6. Therefore, it

can be explained that the research instrument used to

be able to measure variables Motivation to learn

mathematics and is said to be reliable.

Questionnaire reliability

Table 3: Reliability Statistics.

Cronbach's

Alpha

Cronbach's Alpha

Based on Standardized

Items

N of

Items

.881 .882 23

Data on this questionnaire were obtained from

the results of questionnaires that had been

disseminated during the completion of the workshop

on Mathematics Hybridization in literary works. The

highest score obtained is 92 and the lowest 23. Each

question is measured with a score of 1 to 4. So that

the lowest value of expectation is 23 and the highest

92. From the score, the length of the interval class is

23.

Table 3: Classification of Motivational Questionnaire.

Score Scale

70-92 Stron

ree

47-69 A

ree

24-46 Disa

ree

≤ 23 Stron

Disa

ree

Because in this instrument there are 23 statements,

the lowest score is 23 (the results of multiplication

between scores 1 with the number of statements 23

items), and the highest score is 92 (the result of

multiplication between scores 4 with the number of

statements 23 items). From the distribution data

obtained, a table of frequency distribution of

mathematics learning motivation was made as

follows:

Table 4: Frequency Distribution of Learning Motivation.

Cate

Frequenc

Percen

Stron

Disa

ree (1) 0 0%

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256

Disa

ree (2) 8 9,41%

ree (3) 44 51,76 %

Stron

ree (4) 33 38,82 %

Amount of 85 100%

Based on frequency distribution of learning

motivation, the frequency distribution of answers

provided by questionnaire respondents showed that

respondents who stated that the assessment strongly

disagreed was 0%, meaning that no one answered

the category at all, there were 8 respondents who

answered No Agree or 9.41%, there were 44

respondents or 51.76% who agreed and 33

respondents or 38.82% who answered strongly

agree.

The most frequency of learning motivation,

indicated by 51.76% in the agree category that

learning motivation increases in mathematics

learning through literature and at least 0% or

strongly disagrees.

4.3 Normality Test

From the above output based on the Kolmogorov

Smirnov test, the Sig value is 0.478> 0.05, it can be

concluded that the data is normally distributed. The

table describes the results of statistical tests on the

dissemination of motivational data in mathematics

learning through literature with the Kolmorogov-

Smirnov one-sample test technique. From the table it

appears that the mean = 91.7529, standard deviation

= 6.71690 and a significant level of all sides with a

confidence level of 5% is 0.478. If the H1

hypothesis is formulated, it is normally distributed,

and H0 is an abnormal distribution. Then H1 is

accepted if p> 0.05, and H1 is rejected if P <0.05. In

table 5.5 shows that p = 0.478> 0.05. So H1 is

accepted, meaning that the motivation to learn

mathematics through hybridization of literary works

is normally distributed.

With the hybridization of mathematics in this

literary work it can be a refresher for both fields of

science, and especially for mathematical students

who can understand mathematical concepts from

different angles. In other words, the hybridization of

mathematics in literary works can be a stimulus that

can encourage mathematics students to better

understand mathematical concepts. This can also be

proven by the results of filling in student

questionnaires which show that there are 0% stated

strongly disagree, 9.41% or as many as 8 students

disagree, 51.76% or as many as 44 students agree,

and 38.82% or 33 students stated strongly in

agreement.

Based on these data it can be illustrated that there

are 51.76% of students who can or more understand

mathematics through poetry, and make them want to

know a lot of things about mathematics, and there

were 38.82% of students who were enthusiastic

about learning mathematics after attending the

workshop, and said that mathematics lessons were

very interesting. While there were 9.41% who

disagreed because they were still having trouble

finding words in making poetry.

The introduction of mathematical hybridization

in literature to the 85 students in the fifth semester

(five) at the Department of Mathematics Education

through a workshop wih two presenters in the fields

of mathematics and literature, and also a poetry

reader who would read mathematical poetry. The

presentation of mathematics at this workshop was

devoted to the beautiful side of mathematics in

everyday life. As expressed by Soehakso who is the

first mathematics professor in Indonesia, that

mathematics has a very interesting pattern, he often

said that mathematics is like the prettiest girl in the

whole world.

The literature presentation at this workshop

focused on one of the literary works, namely poetry.

According to the Son (2010) the essence of poetry

does create, because with and through poetry

someone creates his own world, namely a world that

contains a picture of a particular atmosphere, a

certain impression, and certain messages both

outward and inward.

Mathematical hybridization in literary works is the

unification of mathematics and literary in the form

of mathematical poetry. In the stage of creating

mathematical poetry, students are guided by using

the experiential learning model, which is a method

that is suitable for poetry writing skills because this

method requires students to process their

experiences according to the imagination, creativity,

and skills of each student by further exploring

students' thinking without harmful effects that can

be stated in the form of writing (Munawaroh et al,

2016).

This is also supported by Wahyudi (2009) who

states that humans have the potential of the soul, that

is, humans do not just forget the experience. Even

the experience in his life settles in his life settling in

him. The deposition of experience is placed in the

deepest human mind. Humans have the potential to

be able to process that experience in the process of

imagination and make it in the form of literary

works. Literary works are born from the creative

The Hybridization of Mathematics in Literary Works to Increase Students’ Motivation in Learning Mathematics

257

process of the author. Poetry is born from the

creative process of the author. The learning stages

with the experiential learning model (Indriana, 2011)

consist of concrete experience, reflective

observation, abstract conceptualization, and active

experimentation.

At the stage of concrete experience, it begins

with reading a number of mathematical poetry works

accompanied by instruments that can make the

atmosphere more relaxed and pleasant. While

listening to mathematical poetry read out, students

are required to digest and understand the

mathematical concepts contained in poetry. This is a

stimulus that can guide students in understanding the

various mathematical concepts acquired during the

learning process of mathematics during lectures that

can be linked in their personal lives, or in other

words, these experiences are experienced or directly

felt personally.

Reflective observation stage, students begin to

connect their concrete experiences in the form of

various understanding of mathematical concepts that

will be used as information. Students are asked to

use their imagination to connect understanding

mathematical concepts with everything in life. This

can spur students to better understand various

mathematical concepts as information, so that there

is no expenditure of meaning when connected to a

sentence.

At the stage of abstract conceptualization stage,

students have arrived at the stage of gathering

creative ideas after going through the two previous

stages of creative ideas in the form of concepts or

abstractions that relate experience in the form of

mathematical concepts that are realized in life that

are ready to be poured into the form of poetry.

The active experimentation stage is the final stage,

students are asked to pour all their imaginations in

the form of concepts or abstractions about the

experience of mathematical concepts in existing at

the stage of abstract conceptualization into a form of

poetry that will be presented.

From the results of the mathematical poetry

work, students poured out various understandings of

their mathematical concepts that were related to their

personal experiences in everyday life. This looks

different, both from the poem itself and mathematics

that can be understood from a different perspective.

Pramono and Ansori (2016) states that for science,

literature can be used as a medium for delivering

science that is too rigid and seems "haunted", while

literature can use science as a medium to develop

stories in each work so as not to appear too absurd

and dry in the creative process of literature.

5 CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results of data analysis and discussion

of research results, it can be concluded that:

a. Research on mathematical hybridization in

literary works can be a refresher for both fields

of science, and especially for mathematics

students to be able to understand mathematical

concepts from different angles.

b. Mathematical hybridization in literary works

can be a stimulus that can encourage

mathematics students to understand

mathematical concepts.

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