Applications and modelling in mathematics teaching

The aim of this paper is a comprehensive presentation of some important basic and general aspects of the topic applications and modelling, with emphasis on the secondary school level. Owing to the review character of this paper, some overlap with the survey paper Blum and Niss (1989) for ICME-6 in Budapest is inevitable. The paper will consist of three parts. In part 1, I shall try to clarify some basic concepts and remind the reader of a few application and modelling examples suitable for teaching. In part 2, I shall formulate some general aims for mathematics instruction and, on that basis, summarise the most important arguments for and against applications and modelling in mathematics teaching. Finally, in part 3, I shall discuss some relevant instructional aspects resulting from the considerations in part 2.

Mathematical problem solving, modelling, applications, and links to other subjects

The paper will consist of three parts. In part I we shall present some background considerations which are necessary as a basis for what follows. We shall try to clarify some basic concepts and notions, and we shall collect the most important arguments (and related goals) in favour of problem solving, modelling and applications to other subjects in mathematics instruction. In the main part II we shall review the present state, recent trends, and prospective lines of development, both in empirical or theoretical research and in the practice of mathematics instruction and mathematics education, concerning problem solving, modelling, applications and relations to other subjects. In particular, we shall identify and discuss four major trends: a widened spectrum of arguments, an increased globality, an increased unification, and an extended use of computers. In the final part III we shall comment upon some important issues and problems related to our topic.

Zur Konzeption einer "praktischen Mathematik" in der Berufsschule

Ausgehend von zwei Beispielen wird in Abschnitt 1 der derzeitige Fachrechenunterricht in der Berufsschule kurz beschrieben (ausführlichere Analysen sind bei BARDY u, a. 1980 und bei BARDY/BLUM/BRAUN 1985 zu finden). Dann wird in Abschnitt 2 eine eigene Konzeption für den mathematischen Unterricht in der Berufsschule skizziert (ausführlicher ist diese Konzeption bei BLUM 1976 und BLUM 1981 dargestellt) und anhand der einleitenden Beispiele verdeutlicht.