This article presents part of the results of a research project that investigated the role of Mathematical Modeling for the establishment of interactions whose characteristics can promote learning. Given the importance attributed to communication in Mathematical Modeling activities and interactions in the classroom, we investigated the interactions that emerge during the development of modeling activities and sought to identify the interactions classified by some researchers as those associated with learning. The analyses we present indicate that those interactions identified during the development of activities which can be characterized as “dialogues” favor the students’ learning. We base our assumptions on the analysis of activities developed by a group of students in an Environmental Engineering course at a public university.
Mathematical education; Mathematical modeling; Higher education; Dialogue
