A "Rule of Five" Framework for Models and Modeling to Unify Mathematicians and Biologists and Improve Student Learning

Abstract

Professional societies and collaboratives have called for the incorporation of more quantitative skills, such as mathematical modeling, securely into the foundation and throughout undergraduate biology programs. However, the integration of modeling both within and between mathematics and biology curricula remains limited. One barrier to integration comes from differing perceptions about the nature of modeling, thereby limiting communication between disciplines. In this paper, we extend the "Rule of Five," initially used in calculus reform efforts, to build a modeling framework that explicitly separates and defines models as representations and modeling as a process. We discuss benefits to student learning and cross-disciplinary communication.