The aim of this article is to carry out a work of networking theories which combines two perspectives on the mathematical activity involved in a modelling process, in order to answer the following question: To what extent does the application of the onto-semiotic tools complement the analysis from a cognitive perspective of a mathematical…

Students exit calculus with understandings of change that want for conceptual depth and are disconnected from real-world contexts. In this paper, we present a problem that will develop their skills in using "change" concepts for learning differential equations through modelling. The problem comes from a qualitative study of how STEM…

Since the introduction by Kermack and McKendrick in 1927, the Susceptible-Infected-Recovered (SIR) epidemic model has been a foundational model to comprehend and predict the dynamics of infectious diseases. Almost for a century, the SIR model has been modified and extended to meet the needs of different characteristics of various infectious…

Discrete time models, one linear and one non-linear, are investigated, both with a herbivore species that consumes a basal food source species. Results are presented for coexistence of the species and to illustrate chaotic behaviour as parameters are varied in the non-linear model. The results indicate the benefit of fertilization in terms of the…

To successfully solve the complex challenges facing us in the 21st century, people with expertise in the science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) fields and other fields are needed, especially for their interdisciplinary way of thinking and working. These competencies should be learned in school, which first implies teacher…

This research contributes to the need to identify and expand learning environments that encourage undergraduate students to develop collaborative work skills and apply their classroom knowledge to solve real-world problems. Using qualitative methods, we examine the effects of the interaction between two teams of students when solving a…

This article presents a mathematical modeling activity for students related to the process of memorization in which students collect their own data to drive their model development, parameterization, and validation. Engaging in the data collection gives them insight to critique and evaluate various models. This task is a low-floor high ceiling…

Several studies related to mathematics understanding found that many undergraduate students lack some basic knowledge of algebra. They memorized only a few topics, formulas, and algorithms without understanding them conceptually, even though they could manipulate those limited number of points correctly or incorrectly. In comparison, most…

The Modelling Dance task is a mathematical modelling task that explores the relationship between mathematics and dance. The authors share the task sequence, adaptations made to support virtual implementation, and evidence of student learning related to learning goals.

Our study aims to determine how Habermas' construct of rationality can serve to identify and interpret the difficulties experienced by university students in the mathematical problem-solving process. To this end, a problem which required modelling and solving a differential equation was used. The problem-solving processes of university students…

In this paper we present the results of an investigation related to the developing of mathematical knowledge and skills by first semester university students when solving a Model Eliciting Activity [MEA] which involves quadratic function knowledge. This was a qualitative research. The theoretical framework was Models and Modeling Perspective…

The purpose of this paper is to integrate mathematical modeling and ecology by presenting an activity involving an authentic environmental problem, which is called "Pine Processionary Caterpillars Invasion." Adopting Mathematical Modeling and Education for Climate Action (EfCA) approaches, it was aimed to encourage pre-service teachers…

In this study, we aim to explain choices that groups of preservice teachers made to implement modelling tasks in primary school. We found that the preservice teachers decided to facilitate everyday-inspired contexts for the tasks and that this could be explained by their reasoning that modelling is supposed to be an activity close to reality.…

Non-mathematics specialists' competence and confidence in mathematics in their disciplines have been highlighted as in need of improvement. We report from a collaborative, developmental research project which explores the conjecture that greater integration of mathematics and biology in biology study programs, for example through engaging students…

The current teaching of mathematics is guided by recommendations that suggest the implementation of various activities in order to raise the understanding of mathematical knowledge. This diversity is related to the characteristics of the tasks proposed in the learning contexts. Among all tasks, the modelling ones call for the application of…