Classroom Manipulative to Engage Students in Mathematical Modeling of Disease Spread: 1+1 = Achoo!

Abstract

Abstract. Infectious diseases ranging from the common cold to cholera affect our society physically, emotionally, ecologically, and economically. Yet despite their importance and impact, there remains a lack of effective teaching materials for epidemiology and disease ecology in K-12, undergraduate, and graduate curricula [2]. To address this deficit, we've developed a classroom lesson with three instructional goals: (1) Familiarize students on basic concepts of infectious disease ecology; (2) Introduce students to a classic compartmental model and its applications in epidemiology; (3) Demonstrate the application and importance of mathematical modeling as a tool in biology. The instructional strategy uses a game-based mathematical manipulative designed to engage students in the concepts of infectious disease spread. It has the potential to be modified for target audiences ranging from Kindergarten to professional schools in science, public health, policy, medical, and veterinarian programs. In addition, we've provided variations of the activity to enhance the transfer of fundamental concepts covered in the initial lesson to more complex concepts associated with vaccination and waning immunity. While 10 variations are presented here, the true number of directions in which the game might extend will only be limited by the imagination of its students [6].

Mathematical Biology Education: Modeling Makes Meaning

“…On the other hand, Gaff, Lyons, and Watson (2011) [6] take a very kinesthetic approach to learning modeling by the use of manipulatives to build an iterative and intuitive conception of the modeling and revision process. Their article gives concise and clear instructions for how to engage students in a hands-on exercise in basic epidemiology.…”

“…Epidemiology: Both Weisstein (2011) [5] and Gaff, Lyons, and Watson (2011) [6] focus on building epidemiological models. However, their approaches and techniques are very different.…”

“…Besides such interesting biologically-oriented issues of MMNP on cancer, morphogenesis and development, plant structure, epidemiology, etc., MMNP's explicit focus on modeling per se lets us celebrate the tremendous importance of learning to model in the context of biomathematics education. Several articles herein, particularly by Weisstein, [5], Gaff et al [6], Neuhauser and Stanley [7], and Koch [8], provide accessible approaches to introducing modeling to biology students with little or no prior experience in modeling.…”

“…More fundamentally, however, [he intends] this modeling activity to help students build a more mature understanding of scientific processes -an understanding that embraces stochasticity and competing processes, spans multiple levels of biological organization, and yields quantitatively testable predictions. "On the other hand, Gaff, Lyons, and Watson (2011) [6] take a very kinesthetic approach to learning modeling by the use of manipulatives to build an iterative and intuitive conception of the modeling and revision process. Their article gives concise and clear instructions for how to engage students in a hands-on exercise in basic epidemiology.…”

“…Students could better understand the tradeoffs made by breeders who developed new plant strains during the "Green Revolution" and valued the expertise that they gained in the modeling experience. The authors suggest that users of their model could explore contemporary topics such as the growth of biofuels and using forests as carbon sinks to reduce global warming.Epidemiology: Both Weisstein (2011) [5] and Gaff, Lyons, and Watson (2011) [6] focus on building epidemiological models. However, their approaches and techniques are very different.…”