It’s part of my life and the modelling process

Abstract

Mathematical modelling is increasingly becoming an integral component of mathematical curricular in primary and secondary schools throughout the world. However, in Australia modelling skills are currently rarely found in university teacher preparation courses. Limited experience with modelling processes, as well as a lack of confidence and personal efficacy in the field of mathematics, limits the ability for prospective teachers of mathematics to develop into effective high school educators and thus concomitantly adversely affects student learning outcomes. To address the problems related to the lack of experience that prospective teachers have with mathematical modelling and the associated lack of confidence and personal efficacy that can result, this paper presents a case study of a strategy—the enhancement, learning, reflection (ELR) process—designed to improve prospective teachers’ confidence and personal efficacy in teaching mathematics, with a focus on the modelling process as a teaching strategy.