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Developing a Framework for Quantitative Literacy:

Developing a Framework for Quantitative Literacy:. Counting on IASSIST Wendy Watkins IASSIST2006 Ann Arbor, MI. Alternate Title. Information, Numbers and Turf. Outline. Addressing a Need Recent Events Making a Plan Bringing on Partners Semantics Turf Making a Plan2

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Developing a Framework for Quantitative Literacy:

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  1. Developing a Framework for Quantitative Literacy: Counting on IASSIST Wendy Watkins IASSIST2006 Ann Arbor, MI

  2. Alternate Title Information, Numbers and Turf

  3. Outline • Addressing a Need • Recent Events • Making a Plan • Bringing on Partners • Semantics • Turf • Making a Plan2 • Developing the Outline • Workshops 1-5 • Getting Faculty Buy-in • Next Steps • IASSIST Inspirations

  4. Addressing a Need • “In today’s “world awash in numbers,” strong quantitative reasoning skills are required in: • virtually all academic fields • most every profession • decision-making in everyday life” Corrie Taylor, ICPSR OR meeting, Oct. 2005 • According to the ALLS*, 12 of 13 provinces and territories scoreBELOW the MINIMUMfor successful day-to-day functioning ** * Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey, 2003 ** Statistics Canada Daily, Nov. 9, 2005; Globe and Mail, Nov. 10, 2005

  5. Addressing a Need (con’t) “In fact, the labour market returns to numeracy skills overshadowed the return to education. Hence, if well-educated adults were lacking in numeracy skills, they derived no benefit from any additional years of schooling.” • Results of the 2003 ALLS reported in the Statistics Canada Daily, May 11, 2005

  6. Recent Events • Release of ALLS results for Canadian numeracy • Publication of special IQ issue on statistical literacy • Focus of ICPSR on quantitative literacy • Corrie Taylor’s presentation at last OR meeting • IASSIST Strategic Plan’s focus on education • Integration of Learning Commons into Libraries

  7. Making a Plan1 • Use Information Literacy as a model • Target graduate students • Stress numeracy as the goal (not producing mathematicians) • Collect materials • Develop a curriculum

  8. Bringing on Partners • Can’t do it alone • Liaison with Learning Commons • Good discussion of areas of mutual interest • Expression of interest in developing curricula for: • Workshops on quantitative literacy • SPSS workshops • Introduction to GIS • Good support from the Dean of Students

  9. Semantics • Information Literacy ≠Quantitative Literacy Mentioning Information Literacy = • Library Stuff • Been there, done that • Don’t understand the stress on everyday quantitative skills

  10. Turf • Mentioning Quantitative Literacy= Math and Stats • Don’t understand the stress on everyday quantitative skills • Want to teach calculus and statistics • Grad Studies wants to set curriculum • Don’t understand the stress on everyday quantitative skills • Sound familiar? • Need a different plan

  11. Making a Plan2 • Learning Commons geared to undergrads • Lower sights • Aim at 1st year, 1st term • Revamp curriculum • Series of 5 workshop • Use graduate students to deliver • Data Centre provides expertise • Grad students provides labour

  12. Developing the Outline • Catchy title • A Survival Kit for the World of Numbers • Combination of quantitative literacy and research process • Addresses problems faced by Learning Support • Introduces students to data at the earliest stage • Workshops still a work in progress – many changes anticipated

  13. Workshop 1 • Can We Count on You? • General overview of numbers in the everyday world • Basic numeracy • Percents • Rates • Ratios • Relative risk • etc. • Exercises

  14. Workshop 2 • Where are the Real Numbers? • Sources of Data • National • International • Aggregate • Microdata • Who can you trust? • Exercises

  15. Workshop 3 • Getting the Real Story • Crime in Canada • Violent Crime • Guns in the Cities • SARS – The real risk • Support for IRAQ – Gallup vs. Ipsos-Reid • Exercises

  16. Workshop 4 • The Research Life-cycle • Choosing a topic • Asking a question • Choosing a dataset • Reviewing the literature • Forming an hypothesis • Topics and datasets will be chosen beforehand

  17. Workshop 5 • Telling a New Story • Choosing variables • Creating tables • Creating graphs • Writing it up • Students will use Nesstar to do this

  18. Getting Faculty Buy-in • Faculty are on-board • Workshops merely scratch the surface • They are the only introduction to quantitative material at present • Asked for feedback • Can we do more? • Pilot project • Attendance=1 grade point

  19. Next Steps • Evaluate the workshops • Content • Relevance • Coverage • If successful, expand • 1st-year seminar • Interdisciplinary • Full-credit course • Patterned after the University de Montréal’s success

  20. IASSIST Inspirations

  21. IASSIST Inspirations

  22. Questions?

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