The Effects of RME Approach for High School Students

Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) is a concept of teaching mathematics by relating the topic to students' life. This study uses the RME approach and the problem-based learning method to create a Mathematical Modeling course that aims to encourage students to see the importance of mathematics they have learned in core courses. Participants of this research are 32 students from a science high school in Rayong who register for this subject as their elective course. Data were collected by observation during the class, their final project, which are the course outcomes, interview, and post-survey. By using RME approach, students paid more attention in class compared to the other mathematics subjects. They performed very well in working as a group on an after-the-topic task. In the final project, students were able to use mathematical tools and techniques taught in class to solve real-world problems. After the course, most students reflected that they gained their appreciation in mathematics because they have seen the importance and roles of mathematics in real life.