The PRIME Framework: A Design-Based, Pace-Sensitive RME Approach for Inclusive Mathematics in Indonesia

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Bibliographic Details
Title: The PRIME Framework: A Design-Based, Pace-Sensitive RME Approach for Inclusive Mathematics in Indonesia
Language: English
Authors: Pujia Siti Balkist, Turmudi, Al Jupri, Elah Nurlaelah
Source: IAFOR Journal of Education. 2025 13(3):585-613.
Availability: International Academic Forum. Sakae 1-16-26 - 201 Naka Ward, Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0008. Tel: +81-50-5806-3184; Web site: http://iafor.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 29
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Inclusion, Mathematics Education, Mathematics Instruction, Teaching Methods, Foreign Countries, Pacing, Multi Tiered Systems of Support, Mathematics Teachers, Teacher Collaboration, Students with Disabilities, Learning Disabilities, Time Factors (Learning)
Geographic Terms: Indonesia, Finland, Netherlands
ISSN: 2187-0594
Abstract: This design research study investigates how pace-sensitive and inclusive mathematics instruction can support students who learn at slower, moderate, and faster paces in Indonesian junior high classrooms. Using the PRIME framework--Profiling, Reconstruction, Implementation, Measurement, and Engagement--the study was implemented across two iterative cycles in two comparable inclusive classes (N = 80, Grade 8). Each cycle employed contextual mathematical tasks integrating local and global themes, such as fishing tides, travel-based time zones, temperature changes, skyscraper scaling, and communal food sharing, all grounded in Realistic Mathematics Education (RME). Students' learning-pace profiles were established through triangulated diagnostics including cognitive screening instruments, self-assessment, teacher interviews, and Level 0 contextual tasks. Within each cycle, descriptive analyses indicated clear improvements in students' representational clarity, strategic reasoning, and movement through the RME phases, particularly among students who initially struggled with abstraction. Cycle 2 demonstrated more substantial gains than Cycle 1, with students exhibiting increased independence, reduced need for teacher prompting, and stronger transitions from "model-of" to "model-for" reasoning. Qualitative thematic analysis further showed enhanced engagement, contextual understanding, and confidence, while teachers reported more manageable routines for differentiation. The findings suggest that learning pace is malleable and responsive to purposeful instructional design. The PRIME framework offers a practical bridge between RME, differentiated instruction, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), providing a feasible model for promoting equitable mathematics learning in resource-variable inclusive classrooms.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1494189
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:This design research study investigates how pace-sensitive and inclusive mathematics instruction can support students who learn at slower, moderate, and faster paces in Indonesian junior high classrooms. Using the PRIME framework--Profiling, Reconstruction, Implementation, Measurement, and Engagement--the study was implemented across two iterative cycles in two comparable inclusive classes (N = 80, Grade 8). Each cycle employed contextual mathematical tasks integrating local and global themes, such as fishing tides, travel-based time zones, temperature changes, skyscraper scaling, and communal food sharing, all grounded in Realistic Mathematics Education (RME). Students' learning-pace profiles were established through triangulated diagnostics including cognitive screening instruments, self-assessment, teacher interviews, and Level 0 contextual tasks. Within each cycle, descriptive analyses indicated clear improvements in students' representational clarity, strategic reasoning, and movement through the RME phases, particularly among students who initially struggled with abstraction. Cycle 2 demonstrated more substantial gains than Cycle 1, with students exhibiting increased independence, reduced need for teacher prompting, and stronger transitions from "model-of" to "model-for" reasoning. Qualitative thematic analysis further showed enhanced engagement, contextual understanding, and confidence, while teachers reported more manageable routines for differentiation. The findings suggest that learning pace is malleable and responsive to purposeful instructional design. The PRIME framework offers a practical bridge between RME, differentiated instruction, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), providing a feasible model for promoting equitable mathematics learning in resource-variable inclusive classrooms.
ISSN:2187-0594