Students’ performance in mathematics is directly shaped by changes in the educational framework and the fidelity of its implementation (Moreno-Guerrero et al., 2020). Teachers play a central role in this process, not only by developing students’ mathematical knowledge and skills but also by fostering their ability to connect mathematical concepts to other disciplines and real-world contexts. Through effective guidance, teachers enable learners to discover, share, and apply their understanding (Li et al., 2024). Mathematics education is an inherently active and complex process; thus, well-designed classroom activities are indispensable in cultivating higher-order thinking skills. These activities help students think logically, systematically, and objectively, while also nurturing openness and adaptability in addressing problems (Su et al., 2016). For instance, problem-solving tasks strengthen creativity and critical thinking by engaging learners in progressive and challenging mental processes (Yu, 2024). Despite these potentials, many students continue to experience difficulties in mastering mathematical concepts, resulting in persistently low achievement levels.
Evidence from international large-scale assessments underscores this concern. The 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reported that the Philippines obtained an average score of 353 points in mathematics, significantly below the global mean of 489. Moreover, only 19% of Filipino students reached Level 2 proficiency or higher, a benchmark for basic mathematical literacy. These findings highlight what Dela Cruz (2019) describes as the “urgency of resolving problems and inequalities in attaining quality basic education in the country.” At the local level, one national high school in Quezon Province recorded a Mathematics Mean Percentage Score (MPS) of 54.87% in school year 2018–2019, with Grade 9 students scoring the lowest at 53.97%. Both figures are well below the national passing standard of 75%, further illustrating students’ substantial struggles with mathematics learning.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these learning gaps. The shift to modular distance learning posed significant challenges for both learners and teachers (Castroverde & Acala, 2021). Dangle and Sumaoang (2020) identified three primary barriers to this modality: insufficient funding for module production and distribution, students’ difficulties in managing self-directed learning, and the limited capacity of many parents to provide academic support at home. Despite these constraints, teachers have sought to adopt alternative strategies to address the diverse needs of learners, reaffirming their pivotal role in mitigating barriers to mathematical achievement (Dayagbil et al., 2021).
Improving mathematics learning requires not only effective pedagogy but also the development of high-quality instructional materials. Hendriana (2017) emphasizes that innovative resources should empower students to explore and maximize their abilities. Since learning materials significantly shape the mastery of lessons (Widodo & Jasmadi, 2008), they must be designed with mechanisms for evaluation, timely feedback (Prastowo, 2012), and opportunities for reflection on the learning process (Hendriana, 2019). Reflection, in particular, has been shown to be a powerful tool for strengthening mathematical understanding and promoting learner autonomy (Attard, 2017). Such reflective practices become especially vital in distance learning environments, where independent learning and self-regulation are crucial for success.
Bibliography
Al-Rawahi, N. M., & Al-Balushi, S. M. (2015). The effect of reflective science journal writing on students’ self-regulated learning strategies. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 10(3), 367–379.
Amirkhanova, K. M., Ageeva, A. V., & Fakhretdinov, R. M. (2016). Enhancing students’ learning motivation through reflective journal writing. The European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences Ep-SBS.
Ariyanto, R. O. (2020, February). Characteristics of mathematics high order thinking skill problems levels. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1470, No. 1, p. 012012). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1470/1/012012
Attard, C. (2017). Promoting student reflection to improve mathematics learning. Engaging Maths.
Bashan, B., & Holsblat, R. (2017). Reflective journals as a research tool: The case of student teachers’ development of teamwork. Cogent Education, 4(1), 1374234. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2017.1374234
Boud, D., Keogh, R., & Walker, D. (2013). Reflection: Turning experience into learning. Routledge.
Castroverde, F., & Acala, M. (2021). Modular distance learning modality: Challenges of teachers in teaching amid the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 10(8), 7–15.
Choi, J., Walters, A., & Hoge, P. (2017). Self-reflection and math performance in an online learning environment. Online Learning Journal, 21(4). https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v21i4.1272
Costa, A. L., & Kallick, B. (Eds.). (2008). Learning and leading with habits of mind: 16 essential characteristics for success. ASCD.
Cowan, J. (2014). Noteworthy matters for attention in reflective journal writing. Active Learning in Higher Education, 15(1), 53–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787413514647
Dangle, Y. R. P., & Sumaoang, J. D. (2020, November). The implementation of modular distance learning in the Philippine secondary public schools. In 3rd International Conference on Advanced Research in Teaching and Education (Vol. 100, p. 108).
Dayagbil FT, Palompon DR, Garcia LL and Olvido MMJ (2021) Teaching and Learning Continuity Amid and Beyond the Pandemic. Front. Educ. 6, 678692. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.678692
De Leon-Pineda, J. L., & Prudente, M. (2022). Using online journals to improve the teaching of reflection among preservice math teachers. Reflective Practice, 23(3), 369–381. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2022.2029737
Dela Cruz, R. (2019, December 16). DepEd to improve education quality after Ph’s poor PISA ranking. Philippines News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1087967
Denton, A. W. (2018). The use of a reflective learning journal in an introductory statistics course. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 17(1), 84–93. https://doi.org/10.1177/1475725717741392
Disilio, V. (2019). Reflective learning approach and its impact on students’ mathematics performance and self-efficacy. Laguna State Polytechnic University, San Pablo City Campus.
Farrah, M. (2012). Reflective journal writing as an effective technique in the writing process. An-Najah University Journal of Research (Humanities), 26(4), 997–1025.
Guce, I. K. (2017). Investigating college students’ views on mathematics learning through reflective journal writing. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 6(1), 38–44. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v6i1.6345
Habibi, F., Eviyuliwati, I., & Kartowisastro, S. (2017, October). The effect of reflective journal writing on students’ writing ability of narrative text. In International Conference on Education in Muslim Society (ICEMS 2017) (pp. 16–20). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/icems-17.2018.4
Hegarty, B. (2011). Is reflective writing an enigma? Can preparing evidence for an electronic portfolio develop skills for reflective practice? In Changing demands, changing directions: Proceedings Ascilite (pp. 580–593).
Hendriana, H. (2017). Teachers’ hard and soft skills in innovative teaching of mathematics. World Transactions on Engineering and Technology Education, 15(2), 145–150.
Hendriana, H., Putra, H., & Hidayat, W. (2019). How to design teaching materials to improve the ability of mathematical reflective thinking of senior high school students in Indonesia? EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 15(12). https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/112033
Hernik, J., & Jaworska, E. (2018, March). The effect of enjoyment on learning. In Proceedings of INTED2018 Conference (pp. 0508–0514).
Hidayat, H. (2017, December). Implementation of ICARE learning model using visualization animation on biotechnology course. In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 1911, No. 1, p. 020027). AIP Publishing LLC. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5016026
Junsay, M., & Gerada, E. P. (2016). The effect of reflective journal writing to students’ critical thinking and mathematical communication skills. Central Philippine University.
Khusna, A. H. (2020). Analytical thinking process of student in proving mathematical argument. International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, 9(1), 1248–1251.
Kuuk, Ö., & Arslan, A. (2020). Cooperative learning in developing positive attitudes and reflective thinking skills of high school students in English course. International Journal of Psycho-Educational Sciences, 9(1), 83–96.
Li, R., Cevikbas, M., & Kaiser, G. (2024). Mathematics teachers’ beliefs about their roles in teaching mathematics: Orchestrating scaffolding in cooperative learning. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 117, 357–377. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-024-10359-9
McCormick, C., et al. (2012). Metacognition, learning and instruction. In Educational psychology. Wiley Online Library. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118133880.hop207004
McCoy, B. (2013). Active and reflective learning to engage all students. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 1(3), 146–153. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2013.010303
McLeod, S. (2017). Kolb’s learning styles and experiential learning cycle. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html
Minarni, A., Napitupulu, E., & Husein, R. (2016). Mathematical understanding and representation ability of public junior high school in North Sumatra. Journal on Mathematics Education, 7(1), 43–56. https://doi.org/10.22342/jme.7.1.2817.43-56
Moreno-Guerrero, A. J., Aznar-Díaz, I., Cáceres-Reche, P., & Alonso-García, S. (2020). E-learning in the teaching of mathematics: An educational experience in adult high school. Mathematics, 8(5), 840. https://doi.org/10.3390/math8050840
Murillo-Llorente, M. T., Navarro-Martínez, O., Valle, V. I. D., & Pérez-Bermejo, M. (2021). Using the reflective journal to improve practical skills integrating affective and self-critical aspects in impoverished international environments: A pilot test. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16), 8876. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168876
Peteros, E., Gamboa, A., Etcuban, J. O., Dinauanao, A., Sitoy, R., & Arcadio, R. (2019). Factors affecting mathematics performance of junior high school students. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 15(1), em0556. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/5938
Phonapichat, P., Wongwanich, S., & Sujiva, S. (2014). An analysis of elementary school students’ difficulties in mathematical problem solving. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 116, 3169–3174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.728
Pintér, K., & Kosztolányi, J. (2012). On teaching mathematical problem-solving and problem posing [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Szeged.
Prastowo, A. (2012). Panduan kreatif membuat bahan ajar inovatif. Diva Press.
Qolfathiriyus, A., Sujadi, I., & Indriati, D. (2019, February). Characteristic profile of analytical thinking in mathematics problem solving. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1157, No. 3, p. 032123). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1157/3/032123
Simamora, R. E., & Saragih, S. (2019). Improving students’ mathematical problem solving ability and self-efficacy through guided discovery learning in local culture context. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 14(1), 61–72. https://doi.org/10.12973/iejme/3982
Su, H. F. H., Ricci, F. A., & Mnatsakanian, M. (2016). Mathematical teaching strategies: Pathways to critical thinking and metacognition. International Journal of Research in Education and Science, 2(1), 190–200. https://doi.org/10.21890/ijres.57796
Surya, E., & Putri, F. A. (2017). Improving mathematical problem-solving ability and self-confidence of high school students through contextual learning model. Journal on Mathematics Education, 8(1), 85–94. https://doi.org/10.22342/jme.8.1.3324.85-94
Utami, C. T. P. (2019, March). Profile of students’ mathematical representation ability in solving geometry problems. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (Vol. 243, No. 1, p. 012123). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/243/1/012123
Viterbo, N. (2019). Designed an interactive learning module for mathematics review program: Basis for improved numeracy skills of Grade 7 students. Laguna State Polytechnic University, San Pablo City Campus.
Widakdo, W. A. (2017, September). Mathematical representation ability by using project based learning on the topic of statistics. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 895, No. 1, p. 012055). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/895/1/012055
Widodo, C., & Jasmadi. (2008). Buku panduan menyusun bahan ajar. Elex Media Komputindo.
Williams, N. (2008). Reflective journal writing as an alternative assessment. www.otterbein.edu/education /JTIR/VolumeIII/williams.pdf
Yu, H. (2024). Enhancing creative cognition through project-based learning: An in-depth scholarly exploration. Heliyon, 10(6), e27706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27706
