A study on the potential of experimentation in mathematical modelling activities in higher education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48489/quadrante.23605Keywords:
mathematical modelling, experimentation, learning, technological toolsAbstract
In this article we investigate the question: How can experimentation mediate learning in mathematical modelling activities? The study is based on a theoretical framework that considers elements of experimentation, mathematical modelling, digital technology, and their connections with learning in mathematical modelling activities, as well as on empirical research in which mathematical modelling activities are developed by different groups of university students. We discuss how students use experimentation with technology, why they use it, and how experimentation leads to elements that indicate learning. We conclude that, in using experimentation, students ask questions regarding the real situation they are studying in the modelling activity, as well as analyze the answers obtained to those questions. Supported by technological tools and the use of mathematics, the experimentation provided the means for students to signal what they were learning in these activities. The article points to the potential of including experimentation with technology in the dynamics of modelling activities as a possibility for learning.
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