Work in progress on a framework aiming at capturing teachers’ beliefs about mathematical models and modelling is presented. It is suggested that the belief structure of mathematical models and modelling as perceived by teachers fruitfully might be explored as partly constituted of the teachers’ beliefs about the real world, the nature of mathematics, school mathematics, and applying and applications of mathematics. Some aspects of the suggested framework are explored using two case study interviews. It is found that the two teachers do not have any well formed beliefs about mathematical models and modelling, and that the interpreted beliefs structure of the teachers contain inconsistencies which are made explicit within the framework. The empiric findings also suggest some modifications of the framework.

In this paper an analytical tool referred to as the MAD (Modelling Activity Diagram) framework adapted from Schoenfeld’s parsing protocol coding scheme is used to address the issues of how to introduce mathematical modelling to upper secondary students. The work of three groups of students engaged in solving so called realistic Fermi problems were analysed using this framework, and it was observed that the processes involved in a typical mathematical modelling cycle were richly represented in the groups’ solving processes. The importance of the social interactions within the groups was noted, as well as the extensive use of extra-mathematical knowledge used by the students during the problem solving session.

This paper reports on the first results from a study investigating Swedish upper secondary students’ (11th – 12th grade) mathematical modelling competency. Using non-parametric statistical methods the data from 381 students are analysed and the students’ modelling competency is described in terms of seven subcompetencies. Possible factors affecting the students’ mathematical competency such as attitudes toward modelling, previous experiences, last taken mathematics course, grade, class and gender were also investigated.

Denna rapport studerar hur begreppen matematisk modell och matematisk modellering behandlats i kursplanerna i matematik för motsvarande svenska gymnasieskolans naturvetenskapliga program mellan åren 1965 och 2000. En översikt över sex kursplaners olika form och innehåll ges och tre olika analyser på tre olika nivåer genomförs; en innehållsanalys, en kvalitativ analys, och en analys som beaktar relationen mellan begreppen modellering, tillämpningar och problemlösning. Analysen visar att matematiska modeller och modellering förekommit implicit sedan kursplanen från 1965, men att begreppen främst i de två senaste kursplanerna lyfts fram explicit och fått en central position i kursplanerna. I den nuvarande kursplanen Gy2000 framgår att matematiska modeller kan tolkas både som ett undervisningsmål i sig och som ett didaktiskt hjälpmedel att lära matematik.

This study provides an account of how it is possible to work with mathematical models and modelling at the Swedish upper secondary level. It shows how a researcher and two teachers, departing from what is written in the mathematics curriculum document about mathematical models and modelling and the teachers’ mathematics teaching practices, collaborate to design and develop two so called modelling modules. These two modules designed for, and integrated in, the Mathematics C and Mathematics D course respectively, were implemented in the teachers’ classes and the whole process was evaluated. The students’ experiences of working with the modules were also investigated.

The conceptual framework used to study this process of design, implementation, and evaluation is built up of design-based research methodology, cultural historical activity theory (CHAT), and co-learning agreement between the researcher and the participants.

The teachers as well as the students expressed that they enjoyed working on the modules and found the experience positive and rewarding. However, some doubt concerning the learning outcome on behalf of the students were raised among the teachers, and the wish to incorporate more scheduled time into the modules was expressed by the students.

It is concluded that the participating teachers could had difficulties in expressing a clear conception of the notions of mathematical models or modelling and no affirmative conclusions could be drawn that the participation of the teachers changed their attitudes towards mathematical models and modelling. The designing process was often was restrained by constraints originating from the local school context, and working with modelling highlights many systemic tensions in the established school practice. Also, meta-results in form of suggestions of how to resolve different kinds of tensions in order to improve the study design are reported.