A Study on Mathematical Modeling Trends in Korea

Abstract

Mathematical modeling refers to a core competency and teaching-learning method that is being treated as important worldwide. This study aimed at examining trends of previous studies on mathematical modeling, which were published in Korean journals. This study was conducted with the aim of introducing domestic studies on mathematical modeling to both domestic and foreign researchers. Fifty-four studies from 2013 to 2022 were selected for the current trend study and classified in terms of years, research subjects, and research methods. By year, at least one paper and up to 10 papers were published from 2013 to 2022. As a result of examining the trends of the studies by subject, we revealed that studies targeting teachers were very insufficient. Moreover, the findings show that biased research methods and quantitatively simple analysis methods were mainly used. Last, the relational trend between research topics and implications were diverse depending on the theme such as task, lesson, and teacher education. Specifically, although the studies have provided implications on teacher education steadily, research targeting the topic of teacher education for mathematical modeling have been very limited. For the future study on mathematical modeling, mathematics educators and researchers need to recognize that teacher education is significant in implementing mathematical modeling in school classrooms successively, and to try diverse studies on teacher education for mathematical modeling. This paper will contribute to helping foreign scholars to know the research on mathematical modeling being conducted in Korea, which will ultimately contribute to the literature on mathematical modeling.