The difficulties of students when solving HOTS problem and the description of students cognitive load after given worked example as a feedback

Abstract The study aims to describe the obstacles of high school mathematics teachers in teaching the distance and angle of the three dimensions materials. This research is a descriptive exploratory study with a qualitative approach. We collected the data using interviews and questionnaires. The subject was 11 mathematics teachers of SMA, SMK, and MA in Semarang City and Demak Regency. The data was analyzed by looking for themes and determining inter-theme relations to gain an understanding. The findings are as follows. First, obstacles faced by mathematics teachers to teach the distance and angle of the three dimensions materials are teachers’ limited professional competence, students’ difficulties in understanding the concept, students’ difficulties in thinking, and the need for proper learning media. Second, some efforts made by teachers to overcome and expect obstacles happened namely discussing problems with other senior teachers, preparing and learning the materials that require special attention, using visual media, provides exercises with many types, close to psychology with students, and testing various proper teaching models and methods of three-dimension materials.