Teaching Mathematical Modeling with Computing Technology: Presentation of a Course based on Evacuations

Abstract

Mathematical modeling is considered a crucial skills, both in modern life and STEM education. Prior research has identified the relevance of working on complex and authentic modelings problems in education. However, up to this point, little of the courses proposed in this area explicitly focus on the role of comprehensive computing technology during mathematical modeling. We bridge this gap by presenting a design and ready-to-use technology for an interdisciplinary course that introduces students to mathematical modeling of complex systems with comprehensive technology. In the course, students are introduced to grid automatons as basic computing model. Furthermore, they can increase their knowledge of mathematical modeling and algorithmic thinking. In this paper, we develop a didactic structure for such a course and present educational technology developed to support this structure. The structure itself consists of three simulation environments and is based on the following problem: “How can we estimate the time it takes to evacuate our school (without an experiment)?”. We describe the structure of the course and the simulation environments in more details and outline potential exercises for such a course.