Same terms, different meanings: the impact of semantic aspects on biology students’ reasoning in mathematical modelling tasks

Svitlana Rogovchenko; Yuriy Rogovchenko

doi:10.7146/nomad.v30i4.164540

Authors

Svitlana Rogovchenko
Yuriy Rogovchenko

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7146/nomad.v30i4.164540

Keywords:

Interdisciplinary education, mathematical modelling, biology undergraduates, science terminology, semantic differences, conceptual understanding

Abstract

In response to a continuously growing need for quantitative literacy of biology graduates, more attention is being paid to their mathematics education. Mathematical modelling and simulations are viewed as the most efficient approaches impacting students’ learning of mathematics. Subject induced peculiarities in the training of future biologists influence students’ approaches to the solution of modelling tasks and mathematical modelling in general. This paper addresses semantic aspects which may hinder students’ understanding of tasks and affect their reasoning.

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