Mathematical Modeling Days and Projects: Go for More

Abstract

Your goal should be to make time to implement modeling problems in every-day mathematics teaching in order to promote modeling competency in the long term and to make modeling a sustainable way of learning mathematics. Within the previous chapters it is clear that this goal can be achieved. In particular, it is much easier and more structured when you have the corresponding competencies for teaching modeling presented detailed in this book. I would say this chapter the is main point of the book, but it shows what is possible when students at school work on modeling problems for more than one day, and also how bridges between university (mathematics teacher education) and school can be successfully built. Thus Sect. 6.1 will give you an insight into how you can plan and structure modeling days at, and together with, the school and what this means concerning the complexity of modeling problems the students will work on compared to those during normal mathematics lessons. Furthermore, teacher education, in particular in mathematical modeling, becomes more tangible if the trainee teachers see and coach real students while they work on modeling problems in school and then reflect about their interventions while coaching the students. How to build and to use this bridge is shown in Sect. 6.2, along with examples from the modeling days at University of Kassel in collaboration with schools.

The three modeling days were a challenge – for the students at school and for me. Great days and I learned so much. The best moment was to see the happiness of the students, when they presented the result after they worked so hard on the problem.

Diana, pre-service teacher