The OModA Project: Designing a Teaching Method to Help Students Dealing with Openness in Modelling Problems

One characteristic feature of modelling problems is their openness. In current research, there is a lack of theoretical and empirical information on how to deal with the openness of modelling problems in the classroom. In this chapter, we summarise research on open problems and present a process model for dealing with modelling problems with a specific focus on openness. We use prior research and the theoretical process model to create a teaching method that is designed to help ninth-graders solve open modelling problems. The essential characteristics of this teaching method is that it is closely linked to the presented process model, it scaffolds students’ learning with the use of situational objects and guiding questions, and it is embedded in a learner-centred learning environment.