Problem posing or mathematical modeling? The process of expert instructional design

Abstract Mathematical modelling (MM) and problem posing (PP) are two creativity-directed mathematical activities highly effective in the realization of students' mathematical potential and the development of teachers’ proficiency. MM and PP are intrinsically interconnected: MM processes require the formulation of mathematical problems, while situation-based PP employs modeling principles. However, the connections between PP and MM have rarely been explicitly studied. Our study attempts to elucidate how the process of posing literacy problems by expert instructional designers is connected to the MM process. The study utilizes storytelling methodology with four instructional designers who told their stories during stimulated recall interviews. We acknowledge the goal-action consequence of any human activity and put the lens of activity theory on the PP process. We found that although designers were not aware of it, their process of posing literacy problems was aligned with the stages of the MM cycle, occurring in varying sequences. While generic goals and actions aligned with program objectives, specific problem-posing goals and actions varied across mathematical modeling stages depending on the problem’s context and mathematical content.