Mathematical Modelling Education And Sense Making

This volume documents on-going research and theorising in the sub-field of mathematics education devoted to the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling and applications. Mathematical modelling provides a way of conceiving and resolving problems in people’s everyday lives as well as sophisticated new problems for society at large. Mathematical modelling and real world applications are considered as having potential for cultivating sense making in classroom settings. This book focuses on the educational perspective, researching the complexities encountered in effective teaching and learning of real world modelling and applications for sense making is only beginning. All authors of this volume are members of the International Community of Teachers of Mathematical Modelling (ICTMA), the peak research body into researching the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling at all levels of education from the early years to tertiary education as well as in the workplace.

This volume documents on-going research and theorising in the sub-field of mathematics education devoted to the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling and applications. Mathematical modelling provides a way of conceiving and resolving problems in people's everyday lives as well as sophisticated new problems for society at large. Mathematical modelling and real world applications are considered as having potential for cultivating sense making in classroom settings. This book focuses on the educational perspective, researching the complexities encountered in effective teaching and learning of real world modelling and applications for sense making is only beginning. All authors of this volume are members of the International Community of Teachers of Mathematical Modelling (ICTMA), the peak research body into researching the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling at all levels of education from the early years to tertiary education as well as in the workplace.

This volume documents on-going research and theorising in the sub-field of mathematics education devoted to the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling and applications. Mathematical modelling provides a way of conceiving and resolving problems in the life world of people whether these range from the everyday individual numeracy level to sophisticated new problems for society at large. Mathematical modelling and real world applications are considered as having potential for multi-disciplinary work that involves knowledge from a variety of communities of practice such as those in different workplaces (e.g., those of educators, designers, construction engineers, museum curators) and in different fields of academic endeavour (e.g., history, archaeology, mathematics, economics). From an educational perspective, researching the development of competency in real world modelling involves research situated in crossing the boundaries between being a student engaged in modelling or mathematical application to real word tasks in the classroom, being a teacher of mathematical modelling (in or outside the classroom or bridging both), and being a modeller of the world outside the classroom. This is the focus of many of the authors of the chapters in this book. All authors of this volume are members of the International Community of Teachers of Mathematical Modelling (ICTMA), the peak research body into researching the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling at all levels of education from the early years to tertiary education as well as in the workplace.

This book takes stock of the state of affairs of the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling with regard to research, development and practice. It provides a conceptual framework for mathematical modelling in mathematics education at all education levels, as well as the background and resources for teachers to acquire the knowledge and competencies that will allow them to successfully include modelling in their teaching, with an emphasis on the secondary school level. Mathematics teachers, mathematics education researchers and developers will benefit from this book. Expertly written and researched, this book includes a comprehensive overview of research results in the field, an exposition of the educational goals associated with modelling, the essential components of modelling competency and an extensive discussion of didacticopedagogical challenges in modelling. Moreover, it offers a wide variety of illuminating cases and best-practice examples in addition to insights into the focal points for future research and practice. The Learning and Teaching of Mathematical Modelling is an invaluable resource for teachers, researchers, textbook authors, secondary school mathematics teachers, undergraduate and graduate students of mathematics as well as student teachers.

This book documents ongoing research and theorizing in the sub-field of mathematics education devoted to the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling and applications. Mathematical modelling provides a way of conceiving and resolving problems in people’s everyday lives as well as sophisticated new problems for society at large. Mathematical tradition in China that emphasizes algorithm and computation has now seen a renaissance in mathematical modelling and applications where China has made significant progress with its economy, science and technology. In recent decades, teaching and learning of mathematical modelling as well as contests in mathematical modelling have been flourishing at different levels of education in China. Today, teachers and researchers in China become keener to learn from their colleagues from Western countries and other parts of the world in research and teaching of mathematical modelling and applications. The book provides a dialogue and communication between colleagues from across the globe with new impetus and resources for mathematical modelling education and its research in both West and East with new ideas on modelling teaching and practices, inside and outside classrooms. All authors of this book are members of the International Community of Teachers of Mathematical Modelling and Applications (ICTMA), the peak research body into researching the teaching, assessing and learning of mathematical modelling at all levels of education from the early years to tertiary education as well as in the workplace. The book is of interest to researchers, mathematics educators, teacher educators, education administrators, policy writers, curriculum developers, professional developers, in-service teachers and pre-service teachers including those interested in mathematical literacy.

This book contains suggestions for and reflections on the teaching, learning and assessing of mathematical modelling and applications in a rapidly changing world, including teaching and learning environments. It addresses all levels of education from universities and technical colleges to secondary and primary schools. Sponsored by the International Community of Teachers of Mathematical Modelling and Applications (ICTMA), it reflects recent ideas and methods contributed by specialists from 30 countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe. Inspired by contributions to the Fourteenth Conference on the Teaching of Mathematical Modelling and Applications (ICTMA14) in Hamburg, 2009, the book describes the latest trends in the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling at school and university including teacher education. The broad and versatile range of topics will stress the international state-of-the-art on the following issues: Theoretical reflections on the teaching and learning of modelling Modelling competencies Cognitive perspectives on modelling Modelling examples for all educational levels Practice of modelling in school and at university level Practices in Engineering and Applications

This open access book is based on selected presentations from Topic Study Group 21: Mathematical Applications and Modelling in the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics at the 13th International Congress on Mathematical Education (ICME 13), held in Hamburg, Germany on July 24–31, 2016. It contributes to the theory, research and teaching practice concerning this key topic by taking into account the importance of relations between mathematics and the real world. Further, the book addresses the “balancing act” between developing students’ modelling skills on the one hand, and using modelling to help them learn mathematics on the other, which arises from the integration of modelling into classrooms. The contributions, prepared by authors from 9 countries, reflect the spectrum of international debates on the topic, and the examples presented span schooling from years 1 to 12, teacher education, and teaching modelling at the tertiary level. In addition the book highlights professional learning and development for in-service teachers, particularly in systems where the introduction of modelling into curricula means reassessing how mathematics is taught. Given its scope, the book will appeal to researchers and teacher educators in mathematics education, as well as pre-service teachers and school and university educators

The book aims at showing the state-of-the-art in the field of modeling and applications in mathematics education. This is the first volume to do this. The book deals with the question of how key competencies of applications and modeling at the heart of mathematical literacy may be developed; with the roles that applications and modeling may play in mathematics teaching, making mathematics more relevant for students.