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This study explores the adaptations made by elementary school teachers to promote student Productive Disciplinary Engagement (PDE) during modeling activities within an online learning context. PDE means students make collective intellectual progress by using disciplinary practices and ideas to formulate possible solutions or answers. Given the abrupt transition to remote education instigated by the COVID-19 pandemic, student engagement and hands-on learning opportunities have faced significant challenges. This study adopts a collective case study design with an interpretivist perspective, investigating three fourth-grade teachers over the 2020–2021 school year. We collected multiple data sources, including professional learnings, observations, teacher interviews, and student artifacts. The study identified four significant themes pertaining to teacher adaptations that corresponded with increased students’ PDE: leverage technology tools for constructing models; maximise student-centered choice and position students as epistemic agents in modeling; incorporate family and community resources for modeling; and utilise students’ diverse knowledge and expertise in modeling. These findings contribute to our understanding of effective strategies for promoting student engagement and the practical application of scientific modeling in online learning environments.
