Boundary Crossing in Mathematical Modelling Activities with Biology Undergraduates

The constructs of boundary crossing and boundary object are employed to analyse the work of biology undergraduates on an open  ended, biologically meaningful modelling task. In the analysis, a boundary object is a modelling cycle. Different views of biologists and mathematicians on a modelling cycle are discussed; these may explain students’ difficulties with the mathematisation and boundary crossings into the biology domain to support their reasoning. We suggest how transition between two modelling philosophies can be facilitated.