Mathematical Modelling and Inquiry-Based Mathematics Education

Abstract

Mathematical modelling (MM) is a powerful tool used by scientists and engineers to solve important problems for humankind. MM opens many possibilities for inquiry and has been included in the PLATINUM project as one of the Intellectual Outputs, IO5 (see Chapter 5 for the complete list). We consider MM an important part of the teaching and learning process. We believe that helping to develop students’ modelling competencies we equip them with a valuable understanding of practical and theoretical concepts, prepare them for a life-long learning, and form them as critical citizens. This chapter is organised as follows. In Section 8.2, we share our views on why we teach MM, noting that our teaching practices are adapted differently to suit local educational contexts (types of students, programs of study, institutional traditions, constraints, etc.). We proceed with the discussion of what are the most important to us characteristics of Inquiry-Based Mathematics Education (IBME) as a teaching approach. To explain authors’ understanding of how the MM relates to IBME, the concept of ‘active knowledge’ is introduced in Section 8.3. The key idea of this concept is that in response to the use of IBME in the classroom students’ engagement with MM activates previously acquired knowledge and facilitates its efficient use. In Section 8.4, partners present examples of the use of MM within IBME practices and comment on how students activate their mathematical knowledge. Each example shows multifaceted connections between MM and IBME. We reflect on the lessons learned from our contributions to the Intellectual Output IO5 in Section 8.5