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“QR at Wellesley College”

“QR at Wellesley College”. Corri Taylor, Director Quantitative Reasoning Program. Timeline. 1990: Faculty express concerns about students’ QR skills 1991: First pilot QR assessment administered in 3 courses 1992-96: Trial years of assessment 1997: Assessment given for real!

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“QR at Wellesley College”

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  1. “QR at Wellesley College” Corri Taylor, Director Quantitative Reasoning Program

  2. Timeline 1990: Faculty express concerns about students’ QR skills 1991: First pilot QR assessment administered in 3 courses 1992-96: Trial years of assessment 1997: Assessment given for real! Two-part QR requirement begins and continues to this day.

  3. Two-part QR Requirement • QR Basic Skills Requirement (FY) – Pass QR Assessment (18 open-ended questions – samples in book on NNN Web site) or pass Basic Skills Course in first year • QR Overlay Requirement (Any year)– Take a designated QR-overlay course that emphasizes the analysis of data in a specific discipline. (Note: this rqmt is in addition to our Mathematical Modeling Rqmt.)

  4. The QR Assessment • Study packet sent in summer • Administered during Orientation • Test is 90 minutes; 18 questions; 9.5 to pass • Most questions are NOT multiple-guess • No calculators allowed

  5. Sample Assessment Question Summer sublets tend to be expensive in the Cambridge area. This table from a local housing office advertises the monthly rental costs for two-bedroom apartments. For example, the table indicates that there are six apartments available for $1200/month. Use the table to answer the following questions.

  6. Assessment Question Continued • What percentage of these apartments sublet for more than $1,200 per month? • What is the mean (average) monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment?

  7. Intro to QR Course • Lectures and computer labs (mainly using Excel) • Emphasis on practical uses of logic, math, statistics often with QR skills taught “just-in-time” • Topics include: * Education data * US demographics * Astronomically large to microscopically small – a physical sense of space * Personal finance • Using & Understanding Mathematics: A Quantitative Reasoning Approach, by Bennett & Briggs

  8. Astronomy Biology Chemistry Computer Sciences Geology Mathematics Physics Economics Education Philosophy Political Science Psychology and Sociology QR Overlay Courses in….

  9. “Celebrating QR Connections”Series at Wellesley College QR & Art (Spring 2004) QR & Biology (Fall 2005) QR & Forensic Evidence (Spring 2007) QR, Polling & Predictions (Fall 2008) QR & Women’s Health (Spring 2010) QR & Sustainability (Fall 2011) Three or four lectures in each series….

  10. Assessing How We’re Doing • Student Attitude Assessment – developed at Dartmouth – on four scales: utility, personal growth, ability, interest • Pre- and Post- Assessments of Skills • OIR analyses and surveys on course-taking behavior • New study: “Regression discontinuity analysis” – examines students at margin on QR assessment • QuIRK rubric tested on sample papers • Continuous feedback from quantitative faculty

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