Examining the role of mathematical modeling in societal domains, particularly within STEM disciplines, and the impact of AI and digital resources.
Mathematical modeling has become an integral component of numerous societal domains, particularly within the STEM disciplines. However, this integration is often not recognized by the individuals involved. Models in the form of algorithms are utilized for targeted climate predictions or to advance or automate developments based on socio-economic considerations. A comprehensive understanding of the role that mathematical modeling plays in such activities in general, but also in specific cases, is imperative when assessing the importance and nature of measures required to ensure appropriate, inclusive and ethical behaviour when using models that affect citizens' lives. This ability assumes even greater importance in the context of rapidly developing artificial intelligence tools and other digital resources. This indicates that the utilization of digital resources is becoming increasingly significant. Consequently, papers and poster submissions will focus on theoretical and/or practical approaches that facilitate a richer understanding of the role of mathematical modeling within the STEM educational context.
Highlighting the importance of mathematics in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and its role in addressing global challenges.
In response to the challenges in the field of education posed by disruptive events, the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has adopted a strategy known as Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). This approach was first articulated during the World Conference on Education and Communication on Environment and Development in 1992, marking a significant milestone in the global discourse on environmental sustainability. The central objective of incorporating sustainability issues into mathematics education is to support learners in their development into responsible citizens. Mathematics frequently serves as the foundation for numerous models and is therefore imperative for decision-making processes, the formation of opinions, and actions within the context of ESD. Mathematical knowledge and skills are therefore considered to be a fundamental building block for understanding and dealing with global and local problems. It is therefore important to enable learners to perceive and analyze the underlying complex interrelationships between various influencing factors and their effects in order to promote an understanding of global challenges. Papers and poster submissions will need to undertake a more profound examination of the significance of mathematics in the context of ESD, with a view to emphasizing its importance throughout STEM disciplines.
Discussing the integration of mathematics within STEM and STEAM education, innovative assessment practices, and teacher preparation.
STEM education includes a variety of subjects in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Since the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics were conjoined into the ubiquitous STEM acronym, teachers, researchers, policy makers, and funders have worked to integrate them. In the process of attempting to integrate the four disciplines, often mathematics gets relegated to the role of a mere tool for learning the S, T, and E. Papers and poster submissions in this theme should address the role of mathematics in STEM but as well STEAM as appropriate. The process of integration can include:
- introduction of new instructional materials and practices, typically through curriculum development,
- the role of mathematical modeling in STE(A)M,
- design of innovative assessment materials and practices,
- conceptual frameworks for understanding when mathematics is a tool and when it is primarily foregrounded in STEM education,
- STEM teacher preparation and professional development.
Mathematical modeling is one of the central components of STEM teaching and learning, serving as a tool for understanding and addressing complex real-world problems. Mathematical modeling as a method can range from the direct application of known standard models to the independent development of complex models. At all stages, however, mathematical modeling should focus on developing a simplified description of the extra-mathematical world within the mathematical world, working within the mathematical model, and then interpreting and validating the results thus obtained in the extra-mathematical world. This process overlaps with STEM education in that mathematical modeling typically requires knowledge from various STEM fields, thus having an interdisciplinary nature. The utilization of standard models is imperative for the resolution of interdisciplinary (STEM) problems, yet they frequently prove to be inadequate. Consequently, it is imperative to concentrate on intricate, pertinent STEM problem scenarios to facilitate analysis, simulation, and, ultimately, critical examination employing mathematical models. In order to ensure a satisfactory general education, it is essential that the objectives of mathematical modeling in schools are addressed in such a manner that learners are enabled to at least partially understand modeling from a variety of STEM disciplines. Furthermore, it is crucial that learners are able to understand and evaluate the measures derived from these models, and, if necessary, to develop well-founded solutions and measures themselves. Papers and posters in this theme will focus on the interdisciplinary nature of mathematical modeling in STEM, the design of innovative curricula that integrate modeling into STEM, defining new teacher and student competencies for teaching and learning modeling in STEM (including using advanced technology for modeling in STEM, understanding the STEM disciplines enough to interpret a model), and professional development programs that support teachers to learn STEM modeling competencies and design lessons appropriately
