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Elementary Teachers’ Enactment of the Core Practices in Problem Formulation through Situational Contexts in Mathematical Modeling

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Exploring Mathematical Modeling with Young Learners

Part of the book series: Early Mathematics Learning and Development ((EMLD))

Abstract

Problem formulation is one of the critical first steps in mathematical modeling (MM). This important step requires modelers to identify a problem that requires modeling. Our chapter examines how elementary teachers and students learn to be problem posers as they learn to enact mathematical modeling in their own classrooms. We collected data from teachers implementing MM in their classroom starting from their planning process to the enactment phases of mathematical modeling tasks. Data was collected from lesson studies and teacher interviews exploring the processes of mathematical modeling. We focused on better understanding how teachers involve elementary students in the problem formulation process as they co-construct the problem and how they work through making assumptions, building a solution or a model, and revising their model as they relate back to their problems. We also analyzed the context in which the problem formulation occurred: community-based, school-based, or curriculum-based contexts and how it impacted authentic learning.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mathematics Education, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA

    Jennifer M. Suh

  2. George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA

    Kathleen Matson, Sara Birkhead & Padmanabhan Seshaiyer

  3. Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, VA, USA

    Samara Green, MaryAnne Rossbach & Spencer Jamieson

Authors
  1. Jennifer M. Suh
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  2. Kathleen Matson
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  3. Sara Birkhead
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  4. Samara Green
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  5. MaryAnne Rossbach
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  6. Padmanabhan Seshaiyer
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  7. Spencer Jamieson
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Correspondence to Jennifer M. Suh .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Education and Human Development, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA

    Jennifer M. Suh

  2. Department of Mathematical Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA

    Megan H. Wickstrom

  3. Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Lyn D. English

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Suh, J.M. et al. (2021). Elementary Teachers’ Enactment of the Core Practices in Problem Formulation through Situational Contexts in Mathematical Modeling. In: Suh, J.M., Wickstrom, M.H., English, L.D. (eds) Exploring Mathematical Modeling with Young Learners. Early Mathematics Learning and Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63900-6_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63900-6_6

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-63899-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-63900-6

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