Data Services and Quantitative Literacy: Two Works-in-Progress

1. Data Services and Quantitative Literacy:Two Works-in-Progress Bo Wandschneider and Wendy Watkins OCUL Data Group Toronto December, 2005 Dino Dec. 2005 - ww/bw

2. Outline • What is Quantitative Literacy? • Why Quantitative Literacy? • Recent events • Promoting Quantitative Literacy • What’s happening at Carleton? • What’s happening at Guelph? • What’s happening where you are? • How can we use DINO to promote Quantitative Literacy? Dino Dec. 2005 - ww/bw

3. What is Quantitative Literacy • Also known as numeracy • The ability to use mathematical reasoning skills to be able to function in everyday life in a modern knowledge based society • It is NOT “Calculus” – It is Practical • Examples: • Determine doseages for babies using weight • Make a budget • Read a bank statement • Determine gas consumption • Calculate interest costs on credit card statements Dino Dec. 2005 - ww/bw

4. Why Quantitative Literacy? • “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 IALSS, 12 of 13 provinces and territories scoreBELOW the MINIMUM for successful day-to-day functioning * *Statistics Canada Daily, Nov. 9, 2005; Globe and Mail, Nov. 10, 2005 Dino Dec. 2005 - ww/bw

5. Why Quantitative Literacy? “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 IALSS reported in the Statistics Canada Daily, May 11, 2005 Dino Dec. 2005 - ww/bw

6. Recent Events • Release of IALSS 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 Dino Dec. 2005 - ww/bw

7. Promoting Quantitative Literacy: Strategies • Alert undergraduate classes to data resources • Partner with the Learning Commons, IF resources permit • Need to be proactive • Go to them • Stress numeracy as the goal (not producing mathematicians) • Use the Training Repository as a resource • Begin to collect other resources Dino Dec. 2005 - ww/bw

8. What’s Happening @ Carleton • Liaison with Learning Commons • Initial meeting • Good discussion of areas of mutual interest • Combine our expertise with their bodies • Expression of interest in developing curricula for: • Workshops on data literacy • SPSS workshops • Introduction to GIS • Very favourable report in Library’s Friday memo Dino Dec. 2005 - ww/bw

9. What’s Happening @ Carleton • Resources shared: • Corrie Taylor’s slides on Quantitative Reasoning (QR) • Wellesley’s study package for the QR assessment • IQ special issue on statistical literacy • Sociometrics Data and Internet Literacy Training Modules • Plans • Work this term to develop curricula • LC staff to provide instructors • Workshops to begin Sept. 2006 • Hope for an enlightened Provost Dino Dec. 2005 - ww/bw

10. What’s Happening @ Guelph? • Similar to Carleton • Talking to people • Sharing resources • Searching out people discussing the issues • Discussing new College of Management and Economics • Provost White Paper on undergraduate learning • Can be a slow process – don’t rush it Dino Dec. 2005 - ww/bw

11. What’s Happening @ Guelph? Provost released a White Paper: • The Lighting of a Fire: Re-imagining the Undergraduate Learning Experience • “…numeracy and the ability to communicate are essential to intellectual development..” • “As our students graduate and enter the workplace they will need to have a full understanding and appreciation of the skills they have acquired … these include general skills needed by all graduates, such as literacy and numeracy…” • “Identify courses in the existing curriculum that put a premium on the development of students' literacy and numeracy skills.” • “Expand the university's support systems for students working to improve their numeracy and writing skills in the Learning Commons.” Dino Dec. 2005 - ww/bw

12. What’s Happening @ Guelph? • Learning Commons • Expand our workshop program in partnership • Focus on grads because that is where the emphasis is at the moment • One department is surveying students history to correlate to performance in 1st year • Calculus comes out as a strong indicator • But there is no calculus in this 1st year course • There is literature that suggests that calculus is just the proxy for something ‘else’ • Statistical Advisory Committee • Reps from Colleges • Not “biting” Dino Dec. 2005 - ww/bw

13. What’s Happening Where You Are? • Discussion Dino Dec. 2005 - ww/bw

14. How can we use DINO to promote Quantitative Literacy? • Discussion • Is there something we can do collectively? Dino Dec. 2005 - ww/bw