This volume documents on-going research and theorising in the sub-field of mathematics
education devoted to the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling and applications.
Mathematical modelling provides a way of conceiving and resolving problems in the life world of
people whether these range from the everyday individual numeracy level to sophisticated new
problems for society at large. Mathematical modelling and real world applications are
considered as having potential for multi-disciplinary work that involves knowledge from a
variety of communities of practice such as those in different workplaces (e.g. those of
educators designers construction engineers museum curators) and in different fields of
academic endeavour (e.g. history archaeology mathematics economics). From an educational
perspective researching the development of competency in real world modelling involves
research situated in crossing the boundaries between being a student engaged in modelling or
mathematical application to real word tasks in the classroom being a teacher of mathematical
modelling (in or outside the classroom or bridging both) and being a modeller of the world
outside the classroom. This is the focus of many of the authors of the chapters in this book.
All authors of this volume are members of the International Community of Teachers of
Mathematical Modelling (ICTMA) the peak research body into researching the teaching and
learning of mathematical modelling at all levels of education from the early years to tertiary
education as well as in the workplace.
