Mathematics for some school children are considered as the most difficult subject. In fact, some students assume that arithmetic is very frightening. No wonder if the math skills of Indonesian students are very low.
According to a survey conducted by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) under the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conducted in 65 countries in the world in 2012, it was revealed that the mathematical skills of Indonesian students ranked among the bottom with a score of 375 . In fact, less than 1 percent of Indonesian students has good ability in mathematics.
This realization led to a number of students of UGM developing innovations to address these issues. They were trying to help the students to get out of the slump in the field of mathematics.
Hanif Hatta Mustafa and Yuda Saputra (Geodesy), Lia Irawati (Nutrition Health), Wida Reza Hardiyanti (Economics), and Eka Nurcahyati (Cartography and Remote Sensing) make innovative mathematic educational dolls or called Sibomat. This doll is designed with certain forms of elementary school mathematic learning by integrating technology elements in it.
“Currently, the material that we include in this doll is related to geometry,” said Hanif, Chairman of Sibomat development team, when talking to reporters in the Fortakgama room UGM, Tuesday (24/5).
To draw the interest of the children, the dolls are developed in various forms. Some of them are beams, tubes, pyramid, prism, and a dinosaur-shaped length unit.
Yuda added that the dolls are designed to a model close to everyday life so this doll will be able to stimulate the child’s thinking patterns to make it easier for them to learn math. In addition, to support the learning atmosphere in the classroom to be more interactive, this doll comes with button on the formula dolls. Thus, the child can learn and play at the same time by combining the formula with the right dolls.
“The doll is also completed with detachable formula doll which are the geometry and flat area,” he said.
Yuda also said that the doll is equipped with sounds, which are doll’s sound, children song and folk song. With the addition of the element of children’s songs and folk songs, it is expected to preserve the national culture among children.
The students not only make mathematic dolls, but also key chains and car hanger for math learning tool. The hanger is made in the form of tubes and beams that look like teachers and chefs.
For those of you who are interested with this doll can simply buy it online at www.si-bomat.com. Dolls and key chains are sold at prices ranging from Rp25 thousand to Rp 250 thousand.
“Hopefully, Sibomat can be a medium for interesting and fun mathematics learning for the students,” he concluded.