The usefulness of mathematical modelling for economic and environmental sustainability in the scope of university teacher education
International Journal of Innovation Science
ISSN: 1757-2223
Article publication date: 30 June 2023
Issue publication date: 22 February 2024
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to present a general review that provides an overview of the concept of sustainability and the effectiveness of mathematics curricula in courses where deeper work on economic and environmental sustainability has become central.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative methodology consisting of a review based on a pre-defined systematic method was used to exhaustively search and identify the most relevant answers to the research question: What is the role of mathematics to sustainability? To facilitate answering such a broad question, several concrete questions were formulated. Answers from published and unpublished documents were analysed. The quality of the extracted data was assessed, and the results were synthesized.
Findings
It was concluded that, on the one hand, the discipline of mathematics has much to contribute to solving the problems of sustainability; on the other hand, new mathematics is appearing stimulated by new challenges.
Social implications
This work presents social implications in an innovative way. It allows for an increase in educational sustainability by bringing the academic community closer to the business world and the challenges of society and, furthermore, by having a major impact on the motivation of teachers and students to develop cooperative work within university institutions.
Originality/value
The originality is based on an a priori analysis for the construction and implementation of didactic tools for university teacher training in the area of mathematics within the framework of sustainable development, both economically and environmentally.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was funded by Instituto Superior Politécnico Gaya (ISPGAYA), Centro de Estudos Organizacionais e Sociais do Politécnico do Porto (CEOS.PP), and the project PID2021-126717NB-C33.
Citation
Lucas, C. and Paulo, J. (2024), "The usefulness of mathematical modelling for economic and environmental sustainability in the scope of university teacher education", International Journal of Innovation Science, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 373-390. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJIS-08-2022-0152
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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