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In physics and mathematics educational environments, meaningful learning paths should be balanced interactive explorations of the different epistemological and cognitive phases of the modelling cycle. Our approach in this context involves sequences of interactive engagement learning activities with computational modelling that explore the different kinds of modelling, progressively introduce scientific computation, generate, and resolve cognitive conflicts in the understanding of physics and mathematics, and comparatively analyze complementary mathematical model representations. In this work we present a learning sequence about light polarization for intermediate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) university courses during which students can create and explore in the computer relevant mathematical physics models and animations that help and complement the learning processes in theoretical lectures and problem-solving paper and pen activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]