Modeling and analysis of biological content to enhance mathematics

Background/Question/Methods

In order to meet the challenges in the classroom, funding agencies, professional associations, and departments have organized efforts to bring together experts in content, cognition, and instructional technologies to create instruction that is innovative, learner-centered, and strategically focused on integrating content and scientific methods appropriate for STEM subjects.  With this in mind, and as a result of the Mathematics of Planet Earth Sustainable Planet Curriculum Workshop, we developed and then tested a one-week curriculum applicable for a 9-12 and/or college-level mathematics course using a data-driven ecological model of the Theory of Island Biogeography.  While teaching students basic calculations and data interpretation, we progressively increased the cognitive demand by having them describe, compare, contrast, and synthesize the applicable mathematical concepts and interpretations of the biological concepts and relationships related and integral to the concept of the Theory of Island Biogeography. 

Results/Conclusions

In mathematics, student cognition of calculations indeed is enhanced by a direct application and understanding of the pertinent biological concepts.