Theoretical and Methodological Proposal on the Development of Critical Thinking through Mathematical Modeling in the Training of Engineers

Abstract

The present work constitutes a research advance, which takes up previous work where the teaching of Mathematics in higher education is modified through experimentation in the classroom using the modeling of real phenomena and / or simulation. The idea is to rethink Mathematical modeling as a didactic strategy that aims to develop not only disciplinary but also transversal competencies such as Critical Thinking. A review of ideas around Critical Thinking is shown, and this is intended to show that Mathematical modeling can help develop this competency in the Mathematics classroom. A theoretical proposal of how we conceive Mathematical modeling and methodological proposals is presented along with elements to look at these processes in the classroom. Considering that this study focuses on the study of the articulation of mathematical modeling as a didactic strategy and on critical thinking, based on mathematical modeling activities, the level of critical thinking of engineering students who perform these modeling activities in a Differential Equations course will be evaluated.