1. © 2012 1 Re-Envisioning Mathematics Pathways North Carolina Math Curriculum Improvement Project Kick-Off Event August 30, 2012 North Carolina Math Curriculum Improvement Project Kick-Off Event August 30, 2012 Amy Getz Charles A. Dana Center The University of Texas at Austin

2. © 2012 The structure of the college mathematics sequence... If you needed math, you needed Calculus... 2

3. © 2012 The structure of the college mathematics sequence... If you needed math, you needed Calculus... 3

4. © 2012 The structure of the college mathematics sequence... If you needed math, you needed Calculus... 4

5. © 2012 The structure of the college mathematics sequence... If you needed math, you needed Calculus... 5

6. © 2012 The structure of the college mathematics sequence... If you needed math, you needed Calculus... 6

7. © 2012 More and more courses built to support a sequence based on the skills need for Calculus 7

8. © 2012 The problem was... College Board of Mathematical Sciences 201 Survey of Undergraduate Mathematics: Community College Enrollments by Course The proportion of students going to Calculus was shrinking 8

9. © 2012 When will I ever use this? People started looking for real evidence... 9

10. © 2012 Failure rates started rising And for a while we didn’t worry about it... 10 We were maintaining rigorous standards

11. © 2012 Failure rates started rising And for a while we didn’t worry about it... 11 We were maintaining rigorous standards They were adults and responsible for their own failure

12. © 2012 Failure rates started rising And for a while we didn’t worry about it... 12 We were maintaining rigorous standards They were adults and responsible for their own failure If we had to do it, why shouldn’t they?

13. © 2012 But some people start asking the question... Should we block access to higher education to someone because they do not master a skill that does not further their educational goals? 13

14. © 2012 This is not to say that students shouldn’t take math... But is the algebra needed for Calculus the most appropriate math for everyone? 14

15. © 2012 You mean all math isn’t algebra? Multiple pathways that are rigorous and meaningful to students’ programs of study and lives...  STEM (leads to Calculus or technical programs with a need for algebraic manipulation)  Statistics  Quantitative Literacy (QL) or Quantitative Reasoning (QR) The new vision for college mathematics 15

16. © 2012 What is Quantitative Literacy? QL prepares students with the skills needed to be an informed, thoughtful and discerning citizen and consumer in a world saturated with quantitative information. 16

17. © 2012 What is Quantitative Literacy? Despite is occasional use as a euphemism for statistics in school curricula, quantitative literacy is not the same as statistics. Neither is it the same as mathematics, nor is it (as some fear) watered-down mathematics. Quantitative literacy is more a habit of mind, an approach to problems that employs and enhances both statistics and mathematics. (2001). Mathematics and Democracy: The Case for Quantitative Literacy. Prepared by The National Council on Education and the Disciplines, Editor: Lynn Steen. 17

18. © 2012 What is Quantitative Literacy? In math, what we need is “quantitative literacy,” the ability to make quantitative connections whenever life requires (as when we are confronted with conflicting medical test results but need to decide whether to undergo a further procedure) and “mathematical modeling,” the ability to move practically between everyday problems and mathematical formulations (as when we decide whether it is better to buy or lease a new car). Garfunkel, S. and Mumford, D. (2011, August 24). How to Fix Our Math Education. The New York Times. 18

19. © 2012 What is Quantitative Literacy? Quantitative literacy insists on understanding. This understanding must be flexible enough to enable its owner to apply quantitative ideas in new contexts as well as in familiar contexts. Quantitative literacy is not about how much mathematics a person knows but about how well it can be used. Deborah Hughes Hallett (2003). The Role of Mathematics Courses in the Development of Quantitative Literacy. in Quantitative Literacy: Why Literacy Matters for Schools and Colleges. National Council on Education and the Disciplines. p. 91. http://www.maa.org/ql/pgs91_98.pdfhttp://www.maa.org/ql/pgs91_98.pdf 19

20. © 2012 What is Quantitative Literacy? Quantitative literacy is simple math used in complex situations. 20

21. © 2012 Content of QL Courses Numeracy and fluency with numbers Proportional reasoning Basic algebraic skills Modeling Descriptive and Inferential Statistics A consumer of statistics less than a creator Interpreting and evaluating quantitative information embedded in text Mathematics in service of context 21

22. © 2012 Contexts that are important to the general population Personal Finance Health Literacy Statistical information as presented in the media Social and political issues 22

23. © 2012 Is this college material? 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) Measured quantitative literacy defined as “the knowledge and skills needed to identify and perform computations using numbers embedded in printed materials.” Percentage of people proficient or above: Bachelors degree: 31% Graduate courses or a graduate degree: 36% (2007). Literacy in Everyday Life: Results From the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy. National Center for Educational Statistics. p. iii. http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007480http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007480 Do college students have these skills? 23

24. © 2012 For more information about the Dana Center’s Work:  Amy Getz: getz_a@austin.utexas.edugetz_a@austin.utexas.edu  General information: www.utdanacenter.orgwww.utdanacenter.org  Higher Education work: www.utdanacenter.org/mathways www.utdanacenter.org/mathways  Contact the Dana Center Higher Education Team at mathways@austin.utexas.edu mathways@austin.utexas.edu 24