PROCEEDINGS OF THE 23RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2020
Boston, Massachusetts
“Meaning making with math”: A mathematical modeling approach to supporting conceptual reasoning in undergraduate chemistry
Page: 1181
Mathematical models are ubiquitous in science and science education and serve as tools for constructing explanations and making predictions about real world phenomena. However, undergraduate science students often use mathematical models algorithmically, without consideration of the physical meaning of mathematical variables. To support chemistry students’ ability to engage in “meaning making with math,” we developed a series of instructional activities which lead students through using, evaluating, and revising mathematical models of chemical phenomena. Here, we discuss development and refinement of an activity focused on gas behavior and discuss theoretical frameworks that guide our activity design.