Indication of Scaffolding in Mathematical Modeling

Abstract This study investigates whether the dynamically generated scaffolding provided by experts at the end of each modeling task was used effectively as a scaffold to foster preservice teachers’ mathematical modeling competencies. The contingent support at the end of each modeling activity was used as the scaffold to foster preservice teachers’ mathematical modeling competence. The study employed the teaching experiment method involving three experts and 33 preservice teachers in a secondary education program over eight weeks. Four modeling activities were conducted to examine changes in various aspects of scaffolding. The results provide evidence that the scaffolding given at the end of each modeling activity carried over to subsequent tasks and had the potential to significantly enhance the preservice teachers’ modeling competencies.