CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background Nowadays, science and technology developments are very rapid.

It is indicated by the improvement of technology in our daily life, we are facing in modern technology era. This will be impacted to knowledge that become the main component for everyone. So that, human life aspect doesnt run off from technology and information especially for education. For this important condition, we need a thing as mind model supporting and humans creation model. Mathematics become a thing to improve scientific mind models supporting because it is reasonable, analytic and systematic. Mathematics is very indeed needed to face the changes of technology and information developements. We know that mathematics is a basic necessity and point of departure as obliged thinking of mathematics for student provisions. Mathematics is also an important lesson to improve students intelligence. By studying maths, student enable to think logically, critically, counting skill, Maths basic theories applying and also another lessons. Students empowering maths skill even in elementary school or high school is very necessary. Its become the best way to learn maths. On the other hand, The reality has shown that almost student finding difficulties in Mathematics learning process. In this condition, teacher has obligation to give the way out for students difficulties and to reach Mathematics learning target. A reason why does mathematics difficult because the teacher just give a little bit attention to students

capacity for receiving the materials. As an impact, the expecting Mathematics target can not be reached thoroughly. Generally, the ideal learning process is delighting condition, no press to stress for student. This condition doesnt free from brains work ability. In the last decade, humans brain is more and more learned. Technology development encourage many scientist to break up the brain mistery. A very useful invention is brain wave that enable to print human activities in throughout the day. There are four categories of brain wave, they are beta, alfa, theta and delta. These kind of brain wave determine consciousness at any one time. Beta wave is a wave where anyone can feel angry, stress, confused, and dizzy that create a life which filled by fear and tension. In this class condition is characterized by the students themselves chatting away, not paying attention to the teacher, the students who were fighting or showing angry expression. Delta wave is a condition of a person sleeping without a dream, this condition is not also highly appropriate for learning because teachers may not teach students who are sleeping. As well as delta waves, theta waves indicate the condition of the sleepy, dreamy, imagining things besides lessons, and could have been asleep. Contrary to others wave, alpha wave in a relaxed but watchful. The alpha is the right conditions for learning because this condition is the most brilliant stage of a person's brain. Brain waves when it was in alpha wave, nerve cells are in balance resulting in a person's state of relaxation. This alpha state should be known to teachers as they relate to the flow of information to the brain of students. Although

strategy has been designed teachers have been very good, but when the students get out of the alpha zone information submitted will not be up to the memory of the student. In fact learning achievement of students as low as a result of the assessment system used. Therefore, in modern society attempts to reform the system with a range of learning achievements assessment efforts continue. Due to the use of conventional learning models that have been running during this time, reflecting in abstract mathematics and less meaningful to students future. Knowledge and skills measured at a low level, so the impact on development patterns and the monotony of learning systems and functional for the development of students. If the child's experience as a learning resource used in the classroom, it can be estimated to be more meaningful learning. class is important to make learning meaningful. In other words, when in the classroom, children get experience of the inspiration of discovery and the construction made concepts and applied back to the daily problems, then the child will understand the concepts and be able to see the significance of Mathematics. Learning in alpha zones are accompanied by the meaningful learning, it will take students on a memorable learning experience. Contextual Teaching Learning (CTL) approach is one way that can bring students into meaningful learning. Contextual approach is a learning strategy that emphasizes student engagement process in full to be able to find the material being studied and relating it to real life situations that encourage students to apply them in their life. This approach is enable to create a fun learning environment as well as making students active in the classroom. Lessons will be learned more memorable for students to discover and understand themselves. At this context, the student may get experience and do it by themselves. In this learning process, students are

expected to engage themselves fully in formulating a concept while teachers act as facilitators and moderators only. In addition, contextual approach also serves to train students to solve problems and to improve students' reasoning. One of the subjects taught at the junior high school math VIII grade is the subject matter of Pythagoras theorem. The instance of problem that often occurs in this subject is the way of teachers to communicate geometrical matter is too abstract. Many students are not active in learning. Learning is also done tends to be teacher centered learning and curriculum-oriented targets, thus causing less teachers have sufficient time to guide students individually. Phytagoras theorem is usually only theory, students used this formula without notice the benefits of the things they done. As a consequence, there are still many students could not get the points of this theory, they are only memorizing with confusing. Actually, phytagoras theorem is a theory which is easy to connected with students daily life. The connecting tools of that theory is easy to found out around us. Thats why it is very compatable using contextual approach in alfa zone. By creating learning of contextual approach in alfa zone is expected to create delighting condition during teaching learning process. B. Problem of Research Based on the background that has been presented, then the formulation of the problem is "How could Learning through CTL Approach improve the understanding of mathematical concepts of VIII Grade Students SMPN 18 MAKASSAR (Studies in Materials curved side) in Alfa Zone?".

C. Research Objectives Based on the formulation of the problem that has been presented, the study aims to Improve the understanding of mathematical concepts through Contextual Approach in Alfa Zone Conditions of VIII Grade Students SMPN 18 MAKASSAR (Studies in Materials curved side). D. Significance of Research Expected significances of this action research were:
1.

For teachers: provide information about the alpha brain waves and as

consideration for mathematics teachers in selecting alternative learning approach as an attempt Improving student learning outcomes in junior high mathematics.
2.

For students: increasing the interest and enthusiasm of students to learn

mathematics and to improve their understanding of mathematical concepts.

3.

For school: enable to give a good contribution for the school where the research

take place in the matter to improve students mathematics understanding with accurate and delighting learning strategies.