Lessons Learned from Research on Fermi Problems and Mathematical Modelling: Theoretical and Practical Implications for School STEM Education

Abstract

This chapter aims to demonstrate how adopting a mathematics education research perspective on Fermi problems can contribute to and enhance the practice and understanding of STEM education. To achieve this, we first discuss mathematical modelling from a mathematics education perspective and then briefly elaborate on modelling as discussed in STEM education. Our attention is then directed towards the inherent coupling of Fermi problems to mathematical activities and contents of the mathematical curriculum, in particular, estimates, estimation and mathematical modelling inmathematics education research.We present a framework for connecting recent advances in the research on Fermi problems to teaching and learning in STEM education and discuss the example of The tin foil boat challenge.