Modelling with AI: How complexity and experience shape ChatGPT use by pre-service teachers
César Gallart 1 , Irene Ferrando 1 , Carlos Segura 1 , Lluís Albarracín 2 *
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1 Departmento de Didáctica de las Matemáticas, Universitat de València, València, SPAIN2 Department de Didàctica de la Matemàtica i les Ciències Experimentals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, SPAIN* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Despite their potential to foster critical thinking, modelling tasks remain underrepresented in mathematics classrooms. Fermi problems (FPs), as open estimation tasks, are well-suited for introducing modelling in primary education. Given the growing presence of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, it is essential to understand how pre-service teachers (PSTs) engage with tools like ChatGPT in modelling contexts. This study analyses the use of ChatGPT by 133 PSTss solving FPs and examines how this use is shaped by problem complexity and prior experience. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis, three distinct profiles of AI use emerged—expert, assistant, and support—reflecting varying degrees of autonomy and delegation. Results show greater delegation to AI in more complex problems, while prior experience with outdoor problem-solving or ChatGPT fosters more autonomous engagement. These findings provide insights for integrating AI into mathematics education to support reflective, independent, and critical modelling practices.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 22, Issue 4, April 2026, Article No: em2816

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/18263

Publication date: 01 Apr 2026

Online publication date: 29 Mar 2026

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