Teachers’ Possibilities to Generate Science Capital for Modelling

Abstract

This chapter adapts the concept, science capital, to explore mathematics teachers’ possibilities to accumulate science capital, with the aim to identify teachers’ potentials and constraints regarding their use of realistic modelling activities within mathematics education. An analysis of transcripts indicated that three interviewed teachers’ scientific preferences and intentions for establishing a teaching practice connected to the world beyond school are high. While the interviewees presented examples of how modelling activities can be realised in the education system, obstacles for progress are also identified in the analysis referring to lacking financial resources and social network of people working with science.