Exploration of Creative Thinking Ability: Qualitative Analysis of Students' Learning Difficulties in Mathematics

Abstract

In this study, the meaning of the ability to think creatively and learning difficulties in mathematics as well as the factors that influence the ability to think creatively and the reasons participants experience difficulties in learning mathematics is raised. The participants of this study were grade VIII junior high school students in one of the schools in Kuningan Regency. The research participants were 20 people with 9 male students and 11 female students. The research methodology used is a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach. The results of the study are in the form of a description of the meaning of creative thinking ability, the meaning of learning difficulties in mathematics, factors that affect creative thinking skills and the reasons participants have difficulty learning mathematics. It is known that in this study, the most dominant factor in the ability to think creatively was the internal factor experienced by the participants, therefore the participants found it difficult to learn mathematics.