• "One shot deal" versus immersion.

• Why "verbal, numerical, graphical, algebraic"??

  Hard to learn something deeply if we only know it from one angle (or Blind Men and Elephant). Multiple angles/contexts for QA.

  Both of preceding also promote lifelong habits of mind for citizen.s

  There is "the imperative of numeracy or quantitative literacy for alert and active citizens in today's data-driven society. Here the challenge is not just to help students learn to do mathematics when prompted, but to make evidence-based reasoning an ingrained habit of mind" Lynn Arthur Steen (St. Olaf College)

• Disciplinary Context and student interest & motivation

  1'. Citizens need exposure and practice engaging in QA in a diverse array of contexts to improve QL abilities important for engaged citizens and

  2' Secondly, QA (or QR, or the application of QL/Numeracy) can promote and advance deeper learning in non-mathematical academic disciplines -- and help advance the goals of their courses.

  Some Advantages of NAC
  (vs QL-focused courses), Cont.
  
  

• Opportunities of interdisciplinary collaboration
  
  
• (& unexpected collabs e.g. -- Enviro Math course)
  
  
• Minimally, interdisciplinary dialogue...
  
  
• ...and professional development for faculty
  
  
• "Cultural exchange" via curricular contacts lets faculty "wet feet" with the basics of other fields. Could lay groundwork for joint research projects/programs.

Some steps you can take

• Discuss these questions and ideas with your dept. colleagues and within your school

• Discuss with colleagues outside math dept

• Possible "Baby steps" for you and non-mathematics colleagues:

  • Assess where QA might help student learning (review of final exams, etc)

  • Survey your students (in different types and levels of classes) which QA areas they feel are "holding them back"

  • Try on the micro" scale (extra item or two on HW; extra example in class..)

• Share your thoughts with me (hxbarzilai@salisbury.edu) as to join list (infreq. announcements)

     See also: http://barzilai.org/nac/

When discussing NAC, what do we mean..?

• "Unofficial"
  • Non-math/sci dept include more QA learning activities in more of their courses?
  • Some non-math/sci dept include QL on a WEA "Wherever/whenever educationally appropriate) basis within each course?
  • ...etc..
  
  
  
• "Formal"
  • "XYZ University requires every department to..."
    and/or
    
  • "XYZ University requires every student to take at least..."
  
  
  
  
  
  
                 ...Discussion(s)?