The Influence of Logical Intelligence of Mathematics and Soft Skills

on Students’ Learning Outcomes of Introductory Economics Course

Thamrin

, Abdul Hasan Saragih

and Abdul Muin Sibuea

Faculty of Economics, Universitas Negeri Medan, Medan -Indonesia

Keywords: Logical Intelligence, Mathematics, soft skills, learning Outcomes

Abstract: The problem of education is relatively complex because many variables influence it. One of these factors is

the characteristics (logical intelligence mathematics) and student Soft Skills. The phenomena that occur in

the field, especially in the learning process of the lecturer/teacher, that they do not pay attention to the

problems of logical intelligence of mathematics and student soft skills, so that the learning outcomes are not

optimal. This study aims to determine the effect of logical intelligence of mathematics and soft skills on

learning outcomes in students of introductory economics. This research method is the descriptive ex-post

facto method. The population in this study were all students of the economic education department in

Economics Faculty Unimed who were attending the introductory economics as many as 90 people. The data

collected was analyzed using linear regression statistics with SPSS for windows. The results of this study

indicate that logical intelligence of mathematics and soft skills have a positive and significant effect on

student outcomes in the introductory economics course.

1 INTRODUCTION

Introduction of economics is one of the primary

subjects in economics that should be taken by the

students in the economic education graduate

program. The introduction of economics course is

the essential subject of study with the aim of

learning that students are competent in identifying

and analyzing the behavior of individual economic

actors, explaining the process of equilibrium prices,

applying them in daily life both as consumers and

producers and analyzing markets.

This introductory economics course is essential

for students because these alumni from the study

program of economic education will later become

professional teachers in economics at the high

school/vocational level and teach the knowledge

related to introducing this economy to their students.

Based on this, the introductory economics course

must be truly mastered by students. But the reality

shows that student learning outcomes are not

satisfactory. Data on the acquisition of student

economic learning outcomes shows that only 5.70%

of students get the maximum score (A), 11.42% get

a B score, while those who get a C score there are

48.57% and those who do not pass with an E value

of 34, 28% (Source of data for the Final Value of

2014 economic education study program).

From the educational technology point of view,

according to the framework of learning theory, the

problem of the low quality of learning is the problem

of originating from the characteristics of students in

the form of intelligence in the form of mathematical

logics (Reigeluth, 2003; Miarso, 2004).

Furthermore, Sobur (2013) explained that children

whose intelligence level is classified as less or lower

than the level of the general ability of their age

children would experience difficulties in following

lessons that are normal for other children. For other

children, just reading and understanding what is

learned is enough, he must read many times to

understand.

Another factor that can affect learning outcomes

is that soft skills are part of a person's skills that are

more about the subtlety or sensitivity of one's

feelings towards the environment around them. Soft

skills are a person's skills in dealing with others.

Universitas Negeri Medan (Unimed) has

determined that there are eleven elements of soft

skills integrated with lectures, among others:

honesty, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring,

Thamrin, ., Saragih, A. and Sibuea, A.

The Inﬂuence of Logical Intelligence of Mathematics and Soft Skills on Students’ Learning Outcomes of Introductory Economics Course.

DOI: 10.5220/0009491900390042

In Proceedings of the 1st Unimed International Conference on Economics Education and Social Science (UNICEES 2018), pages 39-42

ISBN: 978-989-758-432-9

citizenship, tolerance, toughness, dignity,

intelligence, religion. Logical intelligence of

mathematics and soft skills are thought to influence

the learning outcomes of introducing economic

students in economic education graduate programs.

2 THEORICAL FRAMEWORK

Becker and Watts (1996) and Fry, Ketteridge and

Marshall (2008) explain that learning economics is

increasingly based on analytical models that require

a high level of mathematical understanding, where

the past is more discursive and text-based. Like

other disciplines that need good mathematical skills.

The introductory economics course requires

mathematics logical intelligence in students because

introductory economics courses are not only related

to the concept of mathematically calculating but the

ability to analyze phenomena occurring in the

economy which of course requires logic to an alyze

the phenomenon and then try to solve problems

according to phenomenon. The intelligence of

mathematical logic is needed as a basis for studying

introductory economics courses.

According to Lwin et al., (2008), mathematics

logical intelligence is the ability to handle numbers,

calculations, patterns, logical and scientific thinking.

Further explained that the relationship between

mathematics and logic is that both strictly adhere to

the fundamental law. The lack of mathematical logic

results in a large number of individual and cultural

problems.

Furthermore, Armstrong (2013) explains that

mathematics logical intelligence is the ability to use

numbers. This intelligence includes sensitivity to

logical patterns and relationships, statements and

arguments (if-then, causation), functions, and other

related abstractions.

The types of processes used in logical-

mathematical intelligence services include

categorization, classification, inference,

generalization, calculation, and hypothesis testing.

Based on the explanation above, it can be seen that

mathematics logical intelligence gives a person the

capacity to use numbers effectively, sensitive to

logical patterns, statement relations, and causal

conditions. In this study students who have

mathematics logical intelligence will be able to use

numbers effectively, be sensitive to logical patterns,

statement relationships, and causal conditions that

are useful for problem-solving in learning

Introduction to economics.

Another factor that is no less important

influences the learning outcomes of introducing

economics is the Soft skills of the students

concerned. Ngang, Hashim and Yunus (2015)

explained that soft skills combine aspects of general

skills which include non-academic skills such as

communicative, critical thinking and problem

solving, teamwork, learning, and information

throughout life, entrepreneurship, professional ethics

and morals, and leadership. Cimatti (2016) further

explained that Softskills predict success in life.

Cimatti (2016) identifies causal correlations between

Soft skills and personal and professional

achievements of a person.

The results of the Mujiani's study (2016) explain

that there is an influence of high and low logical

intelligence of mathematics on learning outcomes.

From the whole opinion above, it becomes a strong

theoretical foundation to build the hypothesis of this

research that there is the influence of mathematics

logical intelligence and soft skills on the

introductory learning outcomes of the economy.

In this study, the elements of soft skills refer to

the book on the development of Unimed academic

culture where there are eleven soft skill elements

which integrated into the learning process.

3 RESEARCH METHOD

This research using ex-post facto research method.

The study was conducted on students who had

participated in introductory economic lectures. The

population in this study were all economic education

students who had just joined the introductory

economics lectures as many as 90 students. The

sampling technique used is total sampling. Data was

collected through a questionnaire about soft skills

and tests to measure students' intelligence of

mathematical logics.

The data were analyzed using multiple linear

regression statistics with the help of SPSS version

20 application.

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Based on the data that has been analyzed, the results

of research on mathematics logical intelligence, soft

skills and learning outcomes introducing economic

students as shown in Table 1.

UNICEES 2018 - Unimed International Conference on Economics Education and Social Science

Table 1: Logical Intelligence of Mathematics, Soft

Skills and Learning Outcomes Introduction to

Economics

Mean

Std.

Deviation

Learning outcome

73.92

9.51

Mathematics Logical

Intelegence

72.93

11.26

Softskills

3.39

.26128

Refers to Table.1, it can be seen that logical

intelligence of mathematics and soft skills are in the

good category (average score of 73.92). The soft

skills category is as shown in Table.2.

Table 2: Category of Mathematics Logical

Intelegence

Interval

Category

86 - 94,09

Very Good

77,91 - 85,99

Good

69,82-77,90

Sufficient

61,73-69,81

Poor

According to the data in Table 4, it can be seen

that the learning outcomes of students' in the

introduction of economics subject are in a sufficient

category (average score of 73.92).

Data collected was analyzed by linear regression

statistics. Before examining the data, normality and

linearity have been tested, and the data has met the

requirements for normality and linearity test.

Furthermore, the results of data processing to see the

effect of mathematics logical intelligence and soft

skills on learning outcomes can be seen in Table 5 as

follow.

Table 5: The Result of Regression Analysis

Model

Unstandardized

Coefficients

Standardized

Coefficients

Sig.

Std.

Error

Beta

(Constant)

13.38

13.261

1.009

.316

KLM

.309

.080

.366

3.865

.000

Softskills

11.18

3.447

.307

3.244

.002

a. Dependent Variable: learning outcome.

The result shows there is a positive and

significant influence of mathematics logical

intelligence on student learning outcomes in the

introduction of economics subject (sig 0.00 5 0.05).

Likewise, the soft skills have a positive and

significant effect on economic learning outcomes

with (sig 0.002 ≤ 0.05) which means that student's

soft skills positively and significantly influence the

learning outcomes of the students. Therefore,

mathematics logical intelligence and soft skills

affect the learning outcomes as can be seen in the

results of data processing in Table 6.

Based on the table, it can be found that the linear

regression equation is:

Y = 13.38 + 0.31 X1 + 11.18 X2.

Which means that the constant 13.38 shows that

if mathematics logical intelligence and soft skills are

0, then the learning outcomes of the student are

13.38. The regression coefficient of mathematics

logical intelligence (X1) of 0.31 explains that if

students' mathematics logical intelligence increases

one unit, then the learning outcomes increase by

0.31 units assuming other independent variables

remain. The soft skills regression coefficient 11.18

shows that if a student's soft skills increase by one

unit, then the learning outcomes of the student will

increase by 11.18 units assuming other independent

variables remain. The result of the effect of

mathematics logical intelegence and softs kills on

learning outcomes can observed in table 6 below.

Tabel 6: Table of ANOVA

Model

Sum of

Squares

Mean

Square

Sig.

Regression

1788.355

894.17

12.39

.000

Residual

6277.180

72.15

Total

8065.535

a. Dependent Variable: learning outcomes

The Inﬂuence of Logical Intelligence of Mathematics and Soft Skills on Students’ Learning Outcomes of Introductory Economics Course

b. Predictors: (Constant), Softs kills, Mathematics

Logical Intelegence

Based on Table 6, it can be seen that together

mathematics logical intelligence and soft skills

variables have a positive and significant effect on

learning outcomes (sig 0.000<0,05).

The results of this study prove that mathematics

logical intelligence and soft skills have a positive

and significant impact on the learning outcomes of

the introduction of economics subject. The

introductory learning outcomes of the economy are

the culmination of learning activities carried out by

students and lecturers.

5 CONCLUSIONS

In recent years, a large number of studies have

established the importance of soft skills in fostering

student academic achievement and long-term

success. Some educators consider soft skills as a

critical instrument for the application of lessons

learned in core academic subjects. Educators often

frame soft skills development as a complementary

instruction in the core academic and school fields

praising the "balanced approach" to produce

graduates with "rigorous content knowledge and the

ability to apply that knowledge successfully. Other

researchers and educators highlight the direct impact

of soft skill development on achievement in core

academic subjects. Students who participate in

cooperative learning, for example, not only improve

teamwork skills but also learn faster and more

efficiently, are more likely to stay in their education,

and feel more positive about learning than students

taught in traditional classroom settings. The findings

of this study are in line with Pereira's (2013) and

Souza's et al. (2018) research, which explains that

students in all programs should emphasize the

importance of soft skills in their education

experience.

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UNICEES 2018 - Unimed International Conference on Economics Education and Social Science