In this paper, we draw on recent research on so-called Fermi problems and situate the fundamental principles underlying this type of tasks and their use from a task design perspective. We use the models and modelling perspective on teaching and learning to elaborate on aspects related to the design of single-use, as well as sequences of, Fermi…

Math modeling is a unique and powerful part of mathematics that is underutilized in contemporary classrooms. Teachers of all grade levels may utilize such modeling problems to better serve the students in their classrooms, with related analytical problem-solving activities that contribute to learners meeting the highest of learning standards. With…

This curated collection covers a selection of PRIMUS articles published over a roughly 12-year period that focus on modeling and applications. The collection includes sections on individual projects, courses with a significant modeling component, and modeling and applications in extracurricular settings and throughout the curriculum.

In this paper, we share our collaboration across the disciplines of mathematics and mathematics education to develop and implement a mathematical modeling task for prospective secondary mathematics teachers. Through this collaboration, we identified three key components of mathematical modeling: the "what," "how," and…

Connections among the mathematics, science, and engineering disciplines have been recognized and affirmed in national standards. For example, the application of mathematical ideas and skills within science has been highlighted in national science standards for over 20 years. More recently, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS; NGSS Lead…

Non-mathematics specialists' competence and confidence in mathematics in their disciplines have been highlighted as in need of improvement. We report from a collaborative, developmental research project which explores the conjecture that greater integration of mathematics and biology in biology study programs, for example through engaging students…

In times of rapid technological innovation and global challenges, the development of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) competencies becomes important. They improve the personal scientific literacy of citizens, enhance international economic competitiveness and are an essential foundation for responsible citizenship, including…

We report our progress on the "River Memorial Museum" didactic intervention project developed with schools, in the basin of the Atoyac River in Mexico, that are significantly impacted by the pollution produced through industrialisation. The teachers of the elementary schools in these communities, environmental scientists, educators, and…

Based on an investigation of research literature on the role of mathematics within the context of STEM education and twenty-first century skills, this explorative study presents and analyses 19 pre-service teachers' lesson proposals for innovative STEM activities in secondary mathematics classrooms. Drawing on a categorisation of twenty-first…

Theorising STEM Education in the 21st Century is a book that captures the essence of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and the intricacies of STEM education in the contemporary society. It explores STEM as an interdisciplinary field as well as the individual disciplines that make up STEM. This ensures the field of STEM as a whole is…

This article employs an interdisciplinary approach to explore some psychological dimensions of mathematical creativity and the dogmatism that can emerge when mathematical applications are confined within a single worldview. More specifically, it explores some ways in which mathematics has been confined and distorted in service of dogmatic…

This work is part of a research project that aims to enhance engineering students' learning of how to apply mathematics in modelling activities of real-world situations, through the construction (design and programming) of videogames. We want also for students to relate their mathematical knowledge with other disciplines (e.g., physics, computer…

These proceedings are a written record of the research presented at the 42nd annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME-NA) held in Mazatlán, Mexico, virtually beginning May 27, 2021 and in-person June 2-6, 2021. The conference was originally scheduled to take place…

Data science is emerging as a field that is revolutionizing science and industries alike. Work across nearly all domains is becoming more data driven, affecting both the jobs that are available and the skills that are required. As more data and ways of analyzing them become available, more aspects of the economy, society, and daily life will…

Theories of rational choice often make the structural consistency assumption that every decision maker's binary strict preference among choice alternatives forms a "strict weak order". Likewise, the very concept of a "utility function" over lotteries in normative, prescriptive, and descriptive theory is mathematically equivalent to strict weak…