integrating quantitative reasoning with writing: carleton’s quirky professional development...

Integrating Quantitative Integrating Quantitative Reasoning with Writing: Reasoning with Writing:

Carleton’s QuIRKy Carleton’s QuIRKy Professional Development Professional Development

AdventureAdventureNathan D. GraweNathan D. Grawe

Director, Quanitative Inquiry, Reasoning, and Director, Quanitative Inquiry, Reasoning, and Knowledge (QuIRK) InitiativeKnowledge (QuIRK) Initiative

With support from the US Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement With support from the US Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education, the National Science Foundation, and the WM of Post-Secondary Education, the National Science Foundation, and the WM Keck Foundation.Keck Foundation.

What is QR?What is QR?“…“…sophisticated reasoning with sophisticated reasoning with elementary mathematics more elementary mathematics more than elementary reasoning with than elementary reasoning with sophisticated mathematics.”sophisticated mathematics.”

Lynn SteenLynn Steen

Achieving Quantitative LiteracyAchieving Quantitative Literacy

1) QR requires a 1) QR requires a basic skill setbasic skill set

2) QR demands2) QR demands context context

3) 3) QR involves QR involves communicationcommunication

4) QR is a 4) QR is a habit of mindhabit of mind

““a a predispositionpredisposition to look at the work to look at the work through mathematical eyesthrough mathematical eyes” ” NCEDNCED

• “…“…numeracy is not something mastered in numeracy is not something mastered in a single course….Thus quantitative material a single course….Thus quantitative material needs to permeate the curriculum, … so needs to permeate the curriculum, … so that students have opportunities to practice that students have opportunities to practice their skills and see how useful they can be their skills and see how useful they can be in understanding a wide range of in understanding a wide range of problems.” problems.”

-Derek Bok (2006)-Derek Bok (2006)

• “…“…authentic and enduring learning…can authentic and enduring learning…can rarely succeed one course at a time.”rarely succeed one course at a time.”

-Lee Shulman -Lee Shulman (1997)(1997)

Examples of QRExamples of QR

““New Diabetes Drug Poses Major Risks, New Diabetes Drug Poses Major Risks, Panel Says” Panel Says” Washington Post Washington Post 10/21/0510/21/05

The lead:The lead:

““A diabetes medicine…sharply A diabetes medicine…sharply increases the risk of heart problems, increases the risk of heart problems, strokes, and death.”strokes, and death.”

Interdisciplinary Ownership Interdisciplinary Ownership Issues: Part 1Issues: Part 1

Interdisciplinary Ownership Interdisciplinary Ownership Issues: Part 2Issues: Part 2

QR and Argument:QR and Argument:A Rhetorical Hook for Buy-InA Rhetorical Hook for Buy-In

“ “Deploying numbers skillfully is as Deploying numbers skillfully is as important to communication as deploying important to communication as deploying verbs.”verbs.”

-Max Frankel, -Max Frankel, The New The New York Times MagazineYork Times Magazine

• ““Numbers [are] the principal language of Numbers [are] the principal language of public argument.” public argument.”

-BBC Program -BBC Program More or LessMore or Less

QR and Argument:QR and Argument:A Rhetorical Hook for Buy-InA Rhetorical Hook for Buy-In

Proposition 1: We Proposition 1: We allall want our students want our students to be able to argue effectively.to be able to argue effectively.

Proposition 2: Proposition 2: EachEach discipline brings discipline brings something distinctive and useful to something distinctive and useful to the discussion of QR in written the discussion of QR in written argument.argument.

Side BarSide Bar

Most institutions already possess Most institutions already possess writing programs which reflect the writing programs which reflect the individual institutional culture.individual institutional culture.

The Importance of the The Importance of the PeripheryPeriphery

““Even for works that are not Even for works that are not inherently quantitative, one or two inherently quantitative, one or two numeric facts can help convey the numeric facts can help convey the importance or context of your importance or context of your topic.”topic.”

Jane Miller, Jane Miller,

The Chicago Guide to Writing About The Chicago Guide to Writing About NumbersNumbers

What do the numbers show?What do the numbers show? How representative is that?How representative is that? Compared to what?Compared to what? Are the results those of a single Are the results those of a single

study or a literature?study or a literature? Who’s measured in the sample?Who’s measured in the sample?

Neil LutskyNeil Lutsky

QR’s Professional Development QR’s Professional Development ChallengesChallenges

• ““Finding 5: Faculty in all disciplines need significant Finding 5: Faculty in all disciplines need significant professional support in order for them to enhance professional support in order for them to enhance the role of quantitative literacy in their courses.”the role of quantitative literacy in their courses.”

-(NCED), Forum -(NCED), Forum on Quantitative on Quantitative

LiteracyLiteracy

• ““[Pedagogical reforms] require much more effort. [Pedagogical reforms] require much more effort. Instructors have to change long-standing habits and Instructors have to change long-standing habits and master new skills for which many of them have master new skills for which many of them have little preparation.”little preparation.”

-Derek Bok (2006)-Derek Bok (2006)

An Engaging Professional An Engaging Professional Development CurriculumDevelopment Curriculum

Assessment of Student WritingAssessment of Student Writing

An Engaging Professional An Engaging Professional Development CurriculumDevelopment Curriculum

Assessment of Student WritingAssessment of Student Writing Integrative WorkshopsIntegrative Workshops

Ex: Writing with NumbersEx: Writing with Numbers

Start Seeing NumbersStart Seeing Numbers

Quantitative Reasoning University Quantitative Reasoning University

An Engaging Professional An Engaging Professional Development CurriculumDevelopment Curriculum

Assessment of Student WritingAssessment of Student Writing Integrative WorkshopsIntegrative Workshops Practical SymposiumsPractical Symposiums

Ex: Medical Research and Personal Ex: Medical Research and Personal Health Health

An Engaging Professional An Engaging Professional Development CurriculumDevelopment Curriculum

Assessment of Student WritingAssessment of Student Writing Integrative WorkshopsIntegrative Workshops Practical SymposiumsPractical Symposiums QR Speakers on Timely TopicsQR Speakers on Timely Topics

Ex: “Private Guns, Public Health” (David Ex: “Private Guns, Public Health” (David Hemenway)Hemenway)

““When Counting is Not as Easy as 1, 2, 3: Iraq When Counting is Not as Easy as 1, 2, 3: Iraq Mortality Since the U.S. Invasion” (Scott Mortality Since the U.S. Invasion” (Scott Zeger) Zeger)

An Engaging Professional An Engaging Professional Development CurriculumDevelopment Curriculum

Assessment of Student WritingAssessment of Student Writing Integrative WorkshopsIntegrative Workshops Practical SymposiumsPractical Symposiums QR Speakers on Timely TopicsQR Speakers on Timely Topics

Ex: “Beyond Freakonomics” (Steven Levitt)Ex: “Beyond Freakonomics” (Steven Levitt)

““Voting Decisions and Statistics” ( Donald Voting Decisions and Statistics” ( Donald Saari)Saari)

““Chance and the Prepared Mind” (Stephen Chance and the Prepared Mind” (Stephen Stigler)Stigler)

Exciting Results Exciting Results Across the CurriculumAcross the Curriculum

Biology, Chemistry, Cinema and Media Biology, Chemistry, Cinema and Media Studies, Economics (3), Educational Studies, Economics (3), Educational Studies, English and American Studies Studies, English and American Studies (4), Environmental Studies, Geology (4), Environmental Studies, Geology (2), History, Mathematics and (2), History, Mathematics and Computer Science, Music, Philosophy Computer Science, Music, Philosophy and Cognitive Studies, Physics, Political and Cognitive Studies, Physics, Political Science (4), Psychology (2),and Science (4), Psychology (2),and Sociology (2). Sociology (2).

Exciting Results Exciting Results Across the CurriculumAcross the Curriculum

Biology, Chemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Cinema and Media Cinema and Media Studies,Studies, Economics (3), Educational Economics (3), Educational Studies, Studies, English and American Studies English and American Studies (4),(4), Environmental Studies, Geology Environmental Studies, Geology (2), (2), History,History, Mathematics and Mathematics and Computer Science, Computer Science, Music, Philosophy Music, Philosophy and Cognitive Studies,and Cognitive Studies, Physics, Political Physics, Political Science (4), Psychology (2),and Science (4), Psychology (2),and Sociology (2). Sociology (2).