{"ID":2858548,"CreatedAt":"2026-06-01T04:54:23.091178241Z","UpdatedAt":"2026-06-01T04:54:23.091178241Z","DeletedAt":null,"paper_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.06617","arxiv_id":"2510.06617","title":"Investigating Students' Preferences for AI Roles in Mathematical Modelling: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial","abstract":"Mathematical modelling (MM) is a key competency for solving complex real-world problems, yet many students struggle with abstraction, representation, and iterative reasoning. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been proposed as a support for higher-order thinking, but its role in MM education is still underexplored. This study examines the relationships among students' design thinking (DT), computational thinking (CT), and mathematical modelling self-efficacy (MMSE), and investigates their preferences for different AI roles during the modelling process. Using a randomized controlled trial, we identify significant connections among DT, CT, and MMSE, and reveal distinct patterns in students' preferred AI roles, including AI as a tutor (providing explanations and feedback), AI as a tool (assisting with calculations and representations), AI as a collaborator (suggesting strategies and co-creating models), and AI as a peer (offering encouragement and fostering reflection). Differences across learner profiles highlight how students' dispositions shape their expectations for AI. These findings advance understanding of AI-supported MM and provide design implications for adaptive, learner-centered systems.","short_abstract":"Mathematical modelling (MM) is a key competency for solving complex real-world problems, yet many students struggle with abstraction, representation, and iterative reasoning. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been proposed as a support for higher-order thinking, but its role in MM education is still underexplored. This...","url_abs":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.06617","url_pdf":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2510.06617v1","authors":"[\"Wangda Zhu\",\"Guang Chen\",\"Yumeng Zhu\",\"Lei Cai\",\"Xiangen Hu\"]","published":"2025-10-08T03:50:59Z","proceeding":"cs.HC","tasks":"[\"cs.HC\"]","methods":"[]","has_code":false}