RUME 27
2025
Alexandria, Virginia
Inquiry into Suitability of a Qualitative Framework About Scaffolding Moves to Support Mathematical Modeling for the Purpose of Quantitative Analysis
Page: 214
An important goal in research on mathematical modeling is to understand the influence of teacher scaffolding moves on students’ model construction. This paper validates the use case of two common frameworks (one for scaffolding and one for student modeling processes) with STEM undergraduates. Study I investigated whether variability in scaffolding strategies could predict variability in participants' modeling processes. Findings suggested that the initial assumption—that scaffolding moves articulated by the framework are clearly aligned with specific modeling processes—was not supported. Study II further explored how scaffolding moves related to distinct stages of model construction and sought to improve cohesion of the categories of scaffolding moves. Our results challenge simplistic expectations about the relationship between scaffolding strategies and learner engagement, highlighting the need for more nuanced approaches to using these frameworks. The studies also demonstrate the importance of qualitative follow-up to refine our understanding of how scaffolding supports complex model construction processes.