Mathematical modelling in outdoor learning: exploring analog strategies and cooperative processes in a primary school context

Abstract

This study explores the design and implementation of an outdoor mathematics learning experience aimed at fostering mathematical modelling, problem solving, and student engagement in a primary school context. The intervention, conducted in a fifth-grade class, was structured around a sequence of outdoor tasks inspired by the MathCityMap platform, but adapted to a non-digital format due to school constraints on smartphone use. Grounded in the modelling cycle proposed by Blum and Leiß, the study examines how alternative instructional strategies can support mathematical learning processes typically mediated by digital tools, as well as the role of cooperative learning in shaping students’ participation and understanding. Data were collected through audio recordings, students’ written work, and classroom observations, with a qualitative focus on a case study group. The findings show that analog strategies, such as treasure-hunt activities for spatial orientation and structured paper-based hints, can effectively sustain key processes of modelling and problem solving. At the same time, cooperative group work emerged as a crucial factor in promoting engagement and shared reasoning, although it did not always ensure correct interpretation and validation of results. The study highlights the potential of outdoor mathematics education, even in the absence of technology, while also emphasizing the complementary role of digital tools in supporting feedback and assessment processes.