Mathematical modeling in academic-professional environment

a meaningful learning experience

Abstract

The article presents and discusses the potentialities and limitations of a mathematical modeling activity developed in 2018 by students of the Undergraduate Course in Mathematics at the Federal University of the Rio Grande of Sul, at the Itaqui Campus. Based on bibliographic research a data related to vehicle fleet by situation of a state in southern Brazil, from 2007 to 2016, and knowledge of the area of numerical analysis, descriptive statistic, and discussion on meaningful learning theory, we elaborated the paper of experience report using mathematical modeling as a research method. The result describes the process of building a mathematical model, highlighting each stage of its deve-lopment and the reflection of the guiding teachers on its execution as part of the academic activities of the Seminar in Mathematics Education, which is an undergraduate discipline. The use of mathema-tical modeling as a teaching method has provided significant and enjoyable learning in higher educa-tion, as well as the challenge of making university students more active, considering that, they are accustomed to traditional teaching. The didactic proposal required the involvement and mobilization of students in the research, in the elaboration of hypotheses, in the construction of strategy to formu-late the mathematical model.