Teaching Quantitative Literacy

Document Type

Presentation Abstract

Presentation Date

3-20-2008

Abstract

As individuals and as a society in the 21st century, we face challenges and choices that could affect our survival as a species. Understanding those issues and making informed decisions require fundamental quantitative skills that all college and university students should possess. In courses, careers, and life, students will face decisions about personal finance, voting issues, food, lotteries and gambling, risky behavior, and taxes. They ought to have the skills to understand the federal debt, the mathematics of pollution and deforestation, and health care issues. As teachers and students, we are all called to higher levels of quantitative literacy in order to be more effective citizens.

The grand challenge is to infuse quantitative literacy (QL) throughout the undergraduate curriculum. This talk will have a more modest theme: implementing a single QL course for liberal arts students. I will begin by briefly surveying the rationale for developing a QL course and justifying such a course as a legitimate alternative to college algebra for liberal arts students. Most of the talk will consist of examples of activities, problems, and projects used in an existing QL course. Discussion is encouraged and can focus on the implementation of a QL course or on the grand challenge of QL across the curriculum.

Additional Details

Thursday, 20 March 2008
4:10 p.m. in Math 103
3:30 p.m. Refreshments in Math Lounge 109

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