Elementary school students' learning obstacles in solving square and rectangle problems.

This study aims to obtain an overview of students' obstacles in the topics of squares and rectangles. The method of this study was qualitative research. The subjects of this study were 51 grade 5 students of elementary schools in Bandung and Banda Aceh. Data collection techniques were carried out by tests on the concept of square and rectangle, interview, and documentation. The results show that elementary school students' learning obstacles in the concept of squares and rectangles include: 1) students' low spatial ability because of the limited learning media and students' insufficient knowledge of geometry; 2) students' low understanding of prerequisite concepts; 3) students' difficulty in connecting the relationship between squares and rectangle; 4) many students who were less able to mention the properties of a rectangle; 5) students were less able to solve problems that require creativity. Thus it can be concluded that students faced ontogenic, didactic, and epistemological learning obstacles. This research could provide teachers and education practitioners an overview in making and designing teaching materials according to student needs based on their learning obstacles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]