Quantitative Literacy in the Sciences Seventh Annual P-12 Regional Social Studies And Science Professional Development Conference David A. Young Fayetteville Public Schools July 22, 2010
What is QL/Numeracy? QL the ability to understand and use quantitative measures and inferences that allow one to function as a responsible citizen, productive worker, and discerning consumer. (Madison - Notices of AMS) QL is the ability to understand and use numbers and data in everyday life. (Madison – QL :Why Numeracy Matters) QL is the ability to identify, understand, and use quantitative arguments in everyday contexts. QL describes a habit of mind rather than a set of topics or a list of skills. (Deborah Hughes Hallett) QL is the capacity to deal with the quantitative aspects of life. (Lynn Steen)
Case Studies for Quantitative Reasoning (Second Edition) by Bernard L Case Studies for Quantitative Reasoning (Second Edition) by Bernard L. Madison, Stuart Boersma, Caren L. Diefenderfer, and Shannon W. Dingman, Pearson Custom Publishing, 2009
Quantitative Literacy The goals of the workshop include the following: Understanding what QL is Discussing QL case studies Developing QL case studies Adapting QL case studies to different grade levels Integrating QL case studies into different courses Assessing QL The outcome for the participants is sources of contextual mathematics and science problems and projects for use in classrooms.
QL Forces in US Constitutional mandate for a census Free market system -- minimally regulated labor markets Democratic accountability Representation of diverse interests -- minority representation Informing political debate -- how much for how many Confirming national identity -- what’s counted is what counts De-regulation – more freedom to choose Environmental protection and occupational safety Emphasis on wealth accumulation Heavy use of rapidly developing technology
Laws - regulation & de-regulation Court decisions Computers have made data easy to gather and analyze. Data and numbers occur in many areas of daily life. Individual Decisions Decisions as Citizens Health care Retirement plans Rents and mortgages Investing Credit rates and plans Insurance Wages and salaries Education results Consumer protection Sports results Voting and polling Laws - regulation & de-regulation Court decisions Minority representations Taxes Federal & state budgets Economic policy Political debates Risk of terrorism Election procedures
Mathematical Practices Common Core 1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. 2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. 4. Model with mathematics. 5. Use appropriate tools strategically. 6. Attend to precision. 7. Look for and make use of structure. 8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
5 miles square or 5 square miles? The Green Zone 5 miles square or 5 square miles?
Numbers in Context
Your meeting was at 3:17. How late are you?
Your meeting was at 1:17. How late are you?
Now You Do It!