Using Mathematical Modeling for Integrating STEM Disciplines: A Theoretical Framework

Abstract

The main goal of STEM education is to provide students with knowledge and skills in science, technology, mathematics, and engineering through interdisciplinary approaches. However, perspective on the nature of STEM approaches and how it should be implemented in the classrooms without losing discipline integrity are still not uncovered and stay as important challenges for both educators and researchers. In this paper, we introduce a theoretical framework that can shed light on how to engage students effectively in STEM education by providing mathematical modeling as a tool for integrating different disciplines. Thus, this framework is for designing, implementing, and evaluating mathematical modeling thinking within an interdisciplinary nature. Furthermore, we provide an example of the interdisciplinary mathematical modeling task with hypothetical student engagement in the process and analyzed the student's thinking with our framework. Although the focus of this paper is mainly about integrating mathematics and science, we believe that our framework can be applied to all STEM disciplines. We conclude that interdisciplinary mathematical modeling framework might be an important tool to overcome some of the challenges that stressed in the literature since it increases the transfer capacity of STEM-focused knowledge and skills to real-world scenarios by presenting problem situations in a real-world context.

Evaluating Pre-Service Teachers’ Design of Mathematical Modelling Tasks

“…As mathematical modelling involves solving problems in the real-world by mathematising the situation (de Almeida & da Silva, 2015), the first feature that needs to be discussed during the cognitive analysis of a problem is its relevance to the real world. The feature of reality means that the problem is a part of the real world as the solution of the problem fits into the reality (Bonotto, 2007;Paolucci, & Wessels, 2017;Şahin, 2019) and there is an appropriate connection between mathematics and real-world (Borromeo Ferri & Lesh, 2013;Galbraith, 2007). The results of this study show that PSTs were proficient in creating their problems in terms of having meaningful context for real-world situations and mostly considered the relationship between mathematics and reality.…”

“…Maaß (2007) defined the properties of mathematical modelling problems and emphasised that solving the problem in accordance with the modelling process is an important feature in defining the problem. Overall, the literature emphasises the importance that the modelling process consists of certain stages such as understanding the problem, mathematising the problem based on the assumptions and creating a model, solving the model, and interpreting and evaluating the real world (Borromeo Ferri, 2018, 2006Doğan, Gürbüz, Çavuş-Erdem, Şahin, 2019;Lesh & Doerr, 2003).…”

Intertwining Mathematical Modeling With Environmental Issues

“…Even though contemporary learning theories, strategies and models offer the interdisciplinary approaches, educators have still possessed some educational problems at collaboratively working with each other and reflecting various disciplines. For example, although Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education asks for intertwining different disciplines with each other, the STEM studies have generally had some deficiencies at correlating subjects/disciplines (Doğan et al, 2019;Gürbüz et al, 2018;Herdem & Ünal, 2018;Ormancı, 2020). Moreover, since the interdisciplinary approach covers different subjects, skills and collaborations, educators need higher-order thinking and management/ leadership skills.…”

“…Therefore, educators, teachers and researchers need new pedagogical alternative ways to attain the interdisciplinary approach in practicum (Gürbüz et al, 2018;Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı, 2016). In that case, intertwining mathematical modeling with environmental issues may act as a catalyst that facilitates applicability and feasibility of the interdisciplinary approach and/or STEM education (Doğan et al, 2019;Gürbüz et al, 2018).…”

“Conflict of Goals” as a Barrier for Effective Use of Visual Models in Primary Math Education

“…One of the most effective ways to find a solution to a problem that is formed in the process of studying mathematics is modelling. Modelling as a method of teaching mathematics contributes to both the assimilation of subject content and the general mental development of students, equipping them with one of the most effective tools for self-study throughout life (Stillman et al, 2016;Doğan et al, 2019).…”