ABOUT THE IMMERSION PROJECT
IMMERSION (Integrating Mathematical Modeling, Experiential learning and Research through a Sustainable Infrastructure and an Online Network) is an NSF-funded project that works with teachers in the elementary grades to help them integrate mathematical modeling into their classrooms across the country. This project is supported by three collaborating institutions and their local school districts: George Mason University and Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, Harvey Mudd College and Pomona Unified School District in California, and Montana State University and Bozeman School District in Montana. This geographic diversity has the advantage of showing how this work impacts drastically different student demographics, as well as how it can be integrated into both common core and non-common core curriculums.
Interest is growing about teaching mathematical modeling from kindergarten through the graduate level. This project aims to understand what mathematical modeling looks like at the elementary level and what resources and trainings help teachers facilitate modeling with their students.
What is Mathematical Modeling?
This can be downloaded as a PDF poster here.
A mathematical model can mean a lot of things in the classroom, but this project uses it to mean “a representation of a system or scenario that is used to gain qualitative and/or quantitative understanding of real-world problems,” mathematical modeling is a process used to create these models. In elementary classrooms, students use mathematical tools to represent, understand, and solve real world problems. It is an open-ended process that takes real-world problems, simplifies them to mathematical representations, and then sees how well those representations represent the real-world.
Why is Mathematical Modeling Important?
Mathematical modeling introduces students to authentic problems that apply to the real world: they must find the math in the problem, explore a course of action, select the necessary tools, and justify and revise their process. They learn to solve mathematical challenges, even when no steps or formulas are provided, and they learn to think more critically about their academic toolbox and its applications to their lives.
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In addition, mathematical modeling gives students the confidence and inspiration to pursue an interest in math. They feel like they're making a real accomplishment, rather than following a set of instructions, and they get to express and break the limits of their academic skills. Modeling brings students closer to the purpose of applied mathematics, and lets them immediately put their knowledge to good use.
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Lastly, mathematical modeling encourages the kind of cooperation and teamwork which is essential in future academic pursuits. Students can break down problems by brainstorming with each other, allowing them to reach for difficult challenges which they may not have thought possible. A good modeling lesson plan provides many opportunities for students to discuss ideas, and build a model far greater than what they could accomplish individually.