Realistic real world contexts: Model eliciting activities

Abstract

Researchers have proposed a variety of methods to make a connection between real life and mathematics so that it can be learned in a practical way and enable people to utilise mathematics in their daily lives. Model-eliciting activities (MEAs) were developed to fulfil this need and are very capable of serving this purpose. The reason MEAs are so effective is the series of principles that should guide the development of these activities. This study aims to determine how one of these principles, the "reality" principle, is reflected in a MEA activity and to investigate participants' opinions of the realistic context of MEA. As a result of analysing work from pre-service teachers (PTs) who engaged in process during a MEA, and data acquired in interviews conducted after the activity, it was found that these activities of realistic real life contexts played a significant role in highlighting the various advantages and challenges of MEAs that have been reported by authors of past studies. These results are used to argue for mathematics instruction to include MEAs that promote connecting real life and mathematics in the classroom, and understanding different aspects of mathematics in real life.