Analysis of the mathematical learning materials with the characteristics of realistic mathematics education in the design research pre-service teachers' theses in Indonesia

This study focuses on analysing the theses of Mathematics Education Study Program especially the Design Research (DR) types to find out the relationship between mathematics learning materials with the characteristics of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME). DR is a research methodology aiming to develop local instructional theory. The emphasis of DR is on the process of designing and conducting instructional activities, also known as the Hypothetical Learning Trajectory. The relational analysis used in this study is error analysis. We observed and described alignment between the mathematical concepts, the instructional activity and the characteristics of RME in the DR theses. Using the relational understanding framework, we analysed 36 DR theses. The finding showed that some theses developed instructional activities which were not well-aligned with the mathematical concept taught, hence the relational understanding was not achieved. However, we also found that some theses developed instructional activities that were appropriate with the mathematical concept. In such cases, the students' relational understanding was achieved, and their mathematics learning outcomes were increased.