Origin and Development of the Notion of Mathematical Modelling Competency/Competencies

The notion of mathematical modelling competency/cies has been, during the last three decades, an important topic both in the theoretical debate about the learning and teaching of mathematical modelling and in empirical investigations. In this paper, we aim at charting the origin and the historical development of this and similar notions and at analysing the current state-of-affairs. We distinguish, in particular, two approaches to conceptualising the notion of modelling competency/cies, called “top-down” and “bottom-up”, as well as two approaches to advancing modelling competency/cies, called “holistic” and “atomistic”. Eventually, we discuss relations between modelling competency/ies and other mathematical competencies.