Crossing Boundaries in Mathematical Modelling and Applications Educational Research and Practice

Abstract

This chapter gives an overview on the current state-of-the-art on the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling and applications and its contribution to educational research and practice which is reflected in the various contributions in this book. Several chapter authors use the opportunity to strengthen and build our research practices by reaching out to others in educational research, beyond the boundaries of our community, and those in fields other than education. By researchers recognising boundaries in applications and modelling research that limit our vision and what we are currently able to do, a more entrepreneurial view of research groups could lead to the brokerage of knowledge in multidisciplinary or multi-community teams to work on some of the more perplexing research questions that have faced our research community. Fluid social alliances in research groups that coalesce and then disperse could result in a much wider dissemination of knowledge both to, and from, our community in the future.