EURO 2024 Copenhagen
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1247. The ROAR project: How to improve Grade 10-12 interest and motivation in Mathematics through a learning path based on Operations Research

Invited abstract in session MC-16: Experienced Routes for the Teaching Students' Problem, stream OR Education.

Monday, 12:30-14:00
Room: 19 (building: 116)

Authors (first author is the speaker)

1. Alice Raffaele
Department of Mechanical, Energy, and Management Engineering, University of Calabria
2. Gabriella Colajanni
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Catania
3. Alessandro Gobbi
Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, Università degli Studi di Brescia
4. Marinella Picchi
IIS Antonietti
5. Eugenia Taranto
Department of Humanities, Foreign Language and Education, Kore University of Enna

Abstract

Operations Research (OR) is a discipline of applied mathematics usually taught at the university level. Nevertheless, many initiatives have been developed for younger students in the last few years. Starting from these, we designed Ricerca Operativa Applicazioni Reali (ROAR, i.e.., Real Applications of Operations Research), a learning path for higher secondary schools relying on active learning and constructionism. ROAR offers examples and problems closely connected with students’ everyday lives, balancing mathematical modeling and algorithms. ROAR aims to improve students' interest, motivation, and skills related to STEM by integrating mathematics and computer science through OR. ROAR is composed of three units. The first one, addressed to Grade 10, is dedicated to introducing mathematical modeling, linear programming, and using GeoGebra and Solver. The second unit, for Grade 11, focuses on graph theory and network applications, strengthening modeling skills and the development of heuristic algorithms. Finally, the third unit, for Grade 12, concerns the implementation of mathematical models with PuLP, an open-source Python library. Every teaching unit ends with presenting a final project to tackle in groups. In this talk, we provide an overview of the implementation of ROAR at the scientific high school IIS Antonietti in Iseo (Brescia, Italy) from March 2021 to January 2023, and we present derived initiatives and available resources.

Keywords

Status: accepted

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