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Touch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=lgw0CFD5SJg Fibonacci: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9cX_14rf4g. Math Across the Curriculum. Rob Kimball. Or. If we are not going to use it outside of math class, why do we have to learn it?. Or.
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Touch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=lgw0CFD5SJg • Fibonacci: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9cX_14rf4g
Math Across the Curriculum Rob Kimball
Or If we are not going to use it outside of math class, why do we have to learn it?
Or We downloaded some data to a spreadsheet, calculated some statistics, and used those statistics to support oral arguments….In my English class!That math stuff must really be important.
Innumeracy Or It is everyone’s problem.
The simple fact is that many students who enter college are innumerate.
The simple fact is that many students who enter college are innumerate.Judging from what is going on in our society, you have to wonder how many college graduates are as well.
Innumeracy Innumeracy can make you poorer. • Couple’s numeracy skills linked to greater family wealth, study finds
Innumeracy • Innumeracy can makeyou unhealthier. • Understanding Food Nutrition Labels Challenging For Many People
Innumeracy • Innumeracy can make you misunderstand important information. • Numbers Are Just Numbers, But How You Grasp Them Fills In Details
Innumeracy • Innumeracy can be passed down through the generations • Parents should talk about math early and often with their children — even before preschool, report finds
National Center for Educational Statistics • 78% of adults cannot explain how to compute the interest paid on a loan • 71% cannot calculate miles per gallon on a trip • 58% cannot calculate a 10% tip for a lunch bill
National Center for Educational Statistics • 78% of adults cannot explain how to compute the interest paid on a loan • 71% cannot calculate miles per gallon on a trip • 58% cannot calculate a 10% tip for a lunch bill
National Center for Educational Statistics • 78% of adults cannot explain how to compute the interest paid on a loan • 71% cannot calculate miles per gallon on a trip • 58% cannot calculate a 10% tip for a lunch bill
National Center for Educational Statistics • 78% of adults cannot explain how to compute the interest paid on a loan • 71% cannot calculate miles per gallon on a trip • 58% cannot calculate a 10% tip for a lunch bill If you order the “Onion Soup” and “The Lancaster Special” compute the 10% tip you should leave.
Mathematical LiteracyrequiresConceptual Understanding Explaining MPG a recent YouTube video that went viral
Adding It Up: Helping Children Learn Mathematics, 2001 Mathematics is also an intellectual achievement of great sophistication and beauty that epitomizes the power of deductive reasoning. For people to participate fully in society, they must know basic mathematics. Citizens who cannot reason mathematically are cut off from whole realms of human endeavor. Innumeracy deprives them not only of opportunity but also of competence in everyday tasks.
The ability to perform some of the basic operations of mathematics is a necessary but not sufficient condition of quantitative literacy. Solve x - y = -17 25x + 8y = 532 Richardson and McCallumThe Third R in Literacy …tests showing that the demand for the product is expected to decrease 3,125 units for every 1.00 increase in price from the current level of 31.5 thousand units. The supply is expected to increase 1,000 units for each 1.00 increase in price from the current 17,000 units. Find the break-even point. {
A goal for mathematics departments: “Create a mathematically literate student.”
A goal for colleges: “Create a quantitatively literate student.”
Promote Math Across the Curriculum Non SMET students SMET students
Quantitatively Literate Teachers Politicians Business CEOs Voters Consumers Attorneys
QL: A habit of mind Quantitative literacy describes a habit of mind rather than a set of topics or a list of skills. It depends on the capacity to identify mathematical structure in context; it requires a mind searching for patterns rather than following instructions. A quantitatively literate person needs to know some mathematics, but literacy is not defined by the mathematics known.
Where is the Math? Statisticssamplingrepresentations of data (numeric/graphic)variability ModelsOptimizationPredicting MeasurementGeometry EstimationReasonableness Rates and ProportionsDensity Data Analysisnumeric, graphic Rate of Change
Where is the Literacy? Reasoning Sense Making Connecting Bridging Inferring Dialogue Debate Problem Stating Problem Solving Investigating
Curriculum Foundations Report (CRAFTY) Life Sciences …the definition of mastery of a mathematical concept recognizes the importance of both conceptual understanding at the level of definition and understanding in terms of use, implementation, and/or computation. • Business …help prepare business students by stressing conceptual understanding of quantitative reasoning and enhancing critical thinking skills. • http://academic.bowdoin.edu/faculty/B/barker/dissemination/Curriculum_Foundations/
Where is the math? • The math found in other disciplines is often transparent – • to students (and instructors?)
Persons Per Sq Mile 250-66,995 100-249 50-99 25-49 10-24 5-9 1-4 Population Densities (by county)
Teaching Math In Context It is difficult to teach students to identify mathematics in context – and many teachers have no experience doing this. It is much easier to teach an algorithm than the insight needed to identify quantitative structure. Teaching in context poses a tremendous challenge.
Teaching Math In Context Problems in mathematics courses can be contextualized – StatWay and QuantWay http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/developmental-math Problems in other disciplines are already contextualized – we must help students identify the math.
Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA, 2000) Mathematical Literacy: “An individual’s capacity to identify and understand the role that mathematics plays in the world, to make well-founded judgments and to use and engage with mathematics in ways that meet the needs of that individual’s life as a constructive, concerned, and reflective citizen.” More info on PISA: http://www.icme12.org/upload/submission/2001_F.pdf
APPLY the MATH Other disciplines
National Center On Education and the Economy Math Panel – A review of first year courses; “What are the quantitative skills used in the course?”
Missing Math The first-year courses students often take, in addition to a math class, require little in the way of mathematical thinking – numeracy – quantitative reasoning. Texts often focus on facts and procedures. Tests are often even worse. They are often computer - generated multiple choice questions that don’t require reasoning or sense making. (Rob’s review – not necessarily that of NCEE)
Math Across the CurriculumOrInterdisciplinary Studies Models
Learning Communities American History English College Algebra
Learning Communities English Arithmetic Study Skills Impact Studies at Queensborough and Houston Community Colleges Feb, 2011
Aligned Interdisciplinary Studies Communications Psychology Statistics A new paradigm.”…individuals must be broadly trained so that they can understand and contribute to research that overlaps different fields .” (National Research Council)
“Interdisciplinary learning is a 21st Century imperative. We are continually faced with societal and global challenges that require interdisciplinary thinking to identify suitable solutions, such as finding new energy sources, dealing with the effects of our changing climate, and ensuring populations across the globe have adequate food and healthy living environments.” Summary report from Project Kaleidoscope – “What Works in Facilitating Interdisciplinary Learning in Science and Mathematics”