Teaching Quantitative Reasoning - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Teaching Quantitative Reasoning

Presented by Dr. John Willems

Sponsored

by the Committee for the Assessment of Student

Learning (CASL)

How does EIU measure up?

CLA+ RESULTS – Quantitative Reasoning: In AY 2018, CASL administered the CLA+ exam to 84 freshmen and 89 senior students. The mean score in quantitative reasoning for EIU freshmen was 67 points lower than the National Average for freshmen while the mean scores for EIU seniors was 27 points lower than the National Average for seniors Although there is a much larger gain of 87 made by EIU seniors than the National Average gain of 47, EIU seniors still graduate with significantly less skill in this area than the national average.

Mean Score (and range from 25

th

-75

th

percentile)

Difference

EIU

National Average

EIU

Freshmen

432 (391-498)

499 (473-519)

67↓

Seniors

519 (453-597)

546 (524-567)

27↓

Mean Gain

87

47

Summary of CLA+ Results:

Quantitative Reasoning

EIU’s 75% score for freshman is 498 while the average score for freshmen nationwide was 499.

EIU’s average score for seniors was 519 while the 25% score for seniors nationwide was 524.

EIU’s average scores for freshmen and seniors were well below nationwide averages -- a fact that is consistent

with 2015 CLA+

results

in Quantitative Reasoning.

Student Perception

of Q

uantitative Reasoning Skills(National Survey of Student Engagement, 2017)

Never

Sometimes

Often

Very Often

In coursework, reached conclusions based on own analysis of numerical information

EIU/ Midwest Public Freshmen

9%/ 11%

33%/ 39%

43%

/ 37%

14%

/ 13%

EIU/ Midwest Public Seniors

14%/ 11%

36%/ 35%

33%

/ 35%

17%

/ 19%

Used numerical information to examine a real-world problem or issue (unemployment, climate change, public health,

etc

)

EIU/ Midwest Public Freshmen

19%/ 20%

45%/ 43%

23%

/ 28%

12%

/ 9%

EIU/ Midwest Public Seniors

20%/ 18%

37%/ 39%

27%

/ 28%

16%

/ 14%

Evaluated what others have concluded from numerical information

EIU/ Midwest Public Freshmen

18%/ 19%

41%/ 45%

32%

/ 28%

9%

/ 8%

EIU/ Midwest Public Seniors

20%/ 16%

42%/ 42%

26%

/ 29%

12%

/ 13%

Student P

erception of Quantitative

Reasoning

Abilities vs. Actual Performance

Students

believe that their experiences at EIU have

contributed to their knowledge, skills, and personal development in quantitative reasoning.

Their

actual scores

in quantitative reasoning highlight a large disparity between

quantitative

reasoning skills and the perception of their quantitative reasoning skills

.

Suggests a need for explicit instruction in teaching

quantitative

reasoning.

Adoption of Quantitative

R

easoning

Learning GoalAs of AY 2018, approximately 53% of departments included the quantitative reasoning learning goal as part of their assessment plans.

Of

EIU’s five

undergraduate

learning

goals, the quantitative reasoning learning goal has been

adopted at the

lowest

level

by departments.

Quantitative Reasoning:

Undergraduate

Learning Goal

Performing basic calculations and measurements.Applying quantitative methods and using the resulting evidence to solve problems.

Reading, interpreting, and constructing tables, graphs, charts, and other representations of quantitative material.

Critically evaluating quantitative methodologies and data.

Constructing cogent arguments utilizing quantitative material.

Using appropriate technology to collect, analyze, and produce quantitative materials.

Defining Quantitative

R

easoning

Quantitative Literacy (QL) – also known as Numeracy or Quantitative Reasoning (QR) – is a "habit of mind," competency, and comfort in working with numerical data (Association of American Colleges & Universities:

https://www.aacu.org/value/rubrics/quantitative-literacy

)

Individuals with strong QL

skills can:

reason

and solve quantitative problems from a wide array of authentic contexts and everyday life situations.

understand

and can create sophisticated arguments supported by quantitative evidence

clearly

communicate those arguments in a variety of formats (using words, tables, graphs, mathematical equations, etc., as appropriate).

Resources for Teaching Quantitative Reasoning

Quantitative Reasoning, Inquiry, and Knowledge (

QuIRK

): The Carleton QuIRK initiative is a project designed to create curriculum and practice around the teaching of quantitative reasoning. https://apps.carleton.edu/quirk

/

Curriculum:

https://apps.carleton.edu/quirk/curricular

/Quantitative Writing:

https://

serc.carleton.edu/quirk/quantitative_writing/index.html

Teaching with Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum:

https://

serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/ssac/index.html

What If Math: A collection of quantitative reasoning exercises that make use of spreadsheets, rated by level of difficulty.

https://whatifmath.org

/

Guide to Writing with Statistics (Purdue University Online Writing Lab): A resource on integrating statistics with writing offers suggestions for

“quick

tips, writing descriptive statistics, writing inferential statistics, and using visuals with statistics

.”

https

://

owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/using_research/writing_with_statistics/index.html

Driving Across Town for Cheaper Gas:

A Cost/Benefit Analysis

Teaching with Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum:

https://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/ssac/index.html

In class group activity of mathematical modeling

Supporting the following Quantitative Concepts

Estimation

Rates

Unit Conversion

Conclusion

:

The

final

model shows

that we

lost 12

minutes

and $0.07

by driving to the “cheaper gas station” after including maintenance

costs and our time.

Other good examples from

Teaching with Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum:

Simple versus Compound Interest –

Spreadsheeting

the Difference

Investing for

Retirement

Dirty Jobs vs. Clean Jobs –

A

Comparison of Salaries

And many more from a variety of disciplines

Thank You!