Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines
-
Upload
ahmed-johnson -
Category
Documents
-
view
28 -
download
0
description
Transcript of Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines
![Page 1: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Integrating Sustainability andQuantitative Reasoning
across the Disciplines
Caren Diefenderfer, Hollins UniversityEric Gaze, Bowdoin College
Corri Taylor, Wellesley College
![Page 2: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
SISL: Sustainability IncreasesStudent Learning
The National Numeracy Network (NNN) is one of the original 11 STEM disciplinary societies working together with the AAC&U to better prepare students for 21st century “Big Questions” that relate to real world sustainability challenges such as energy, air and water quality, and climate change.
![Page 3: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Why Sustainability?
![Page 4: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
It’s a Compelling, Urgent Topic
• The planet and its inhabitants are under unprecedented stress.
• Threats to life-sustaining ecosystems increase economic and food insecurity in all countries.
• Climate change is disrupting the food chain, creating clean water scarcity, displacing humans and destroying communities, and threatening to increase governmental instabilities.
• We have to educate about these issues and potential solutions to keep the planet livable.
![Page 5: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
“The challenge of living on this emerging planet is the challenge of our time, exempting no one, no organization, no nation, and no generation.”
-- David Orr
![Page 6: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Sustainability Is an Effective Context
• …For using high impact teaching practices (e.g., inquiry-driven, problem-based learning; service learning; cooperative learning).
• …For teaching key disciplinary-based concepts (in math, geology, chemistry, biology, physics, economics, sociology, psychology…)
• …For teaching “Essential Learning Outcomes”: http://www.aacu.org/leap/vision.cfm, including communication skills, critical thinking, information literacy, ethical action, and of course, quantitative reasoning.
![Page 7: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
![Page 8: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Why Quantitative Reasoning?
QR focuses on the
hands-on use of logic, statistics, and math to solve authentic problems in context-rich settings across a wide array of fields
![Page 9: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
QR Competencies for Courses, Careers & Every-Day-Life Decisions
* Reading and understanding quantitative info
in graphs, tables, etc.* Interpreting quantitative info and drawing
appropriate inferences* Solving problems using logic, math, statistics* Estimating answers and checking for
reasonableness* Communicating quantitative information:
verbally, graphically, numerically* Using and creating mathematical or statistical
models and recognizing their limitations
![Page 10: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Both Sustainability and QR Are…
• Relevant to the real world, sustaining student motivation and enhancing learning and retention.
• In demand by students in selecting colleges and coursework.
• Fundamental in attracting and retaining students in important STEM fields.
• Valued by today’s employers.• Needed to address the “Big Questions.”
![Page 11: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
QR & Sustainability: A Natural Pairing Across the CurriculumQR topics•Comparisons: ratios, percentage change•Large and small numbers•Central tendency and variation•Linear and exponential models•Unit conversions•Estimations
Sustainability•Climate change•Biodiversity•Energy sources and usage•Food, water, global commons•Waste reduction•Human Population•Personal decisions about resource uses
![Page 12: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Oxfam’s Sustainability Issues
![Page 13: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Sustainability & QRat All Levels of the Curriculum
Not only in… semester-long group projects in upper level courses in Environmental Studies, although these opportunities for advanced work are important, too…http://www.wellesley.edu/environmentalstudies/research/es300
![Page 14: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Capstone Projects
![Page 15: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
More Importantly for Wide Impact: Sustainability in Intro-Level Courses
Sustainability examples that use QR are easy to swap into introductory-level STEM courses
![Page 16: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Easy to Integrate
Sustainability problems that utilize QR do not have to be an “add-on” to busy course•Sub in sustainability examples in lessons•Use sustainability themed problems on homework exercises•Use for class activities/projects•Use as case studies•Use in research or service projects on campus
![Page 17: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Let’s Fix the Dissemination Problem
Sustainability education resources and QR resources exist, but many faculty are not aware of them.
![Page 18: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Agenda: the Rest of this Workshop
• Model of a classroom activity on QR & Sustainability – You are in role of students
• Reporting out on that activity – as an educator, how did it work?
• Coffee Break• Small group session: Brainstorming QR &
Sustainability activities/projects/lessons• SISL resources: Overall and QR/Math• How to contribute to the SISL collection
![Page 19: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Your Mission…
• Working in teams of 3-4 persons, determine whether it makes sense to change the lightbulbs in your home from incandescents to CFL or LEDs.
• What info do you need?• Make your case.• Demos with 60W equivalents here.
![Page 20: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Want More Time To DevelopQR & Sustainability Projects? • Join us for a week at the beach!• USE Math at the Beach (Undergraduate
Sustainability Experiences in Mathematics) is May 12-17 at Wallops Island, VA.
• Corri Taylor (Wellesley) and Ben Galluzzo (Shippensburg) lead the second of their USE Math workshops. (First was USE Math on Campus – held in July 2013 at Shippensburg.)
• Supported by NSF TUES funding and MAA PREP.
![Page 21: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
USE Math on Campus
![Page 22: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
USE Math at the Beach
![Page 23: Integrating Sustainability and Quantitative Reasoning across the Disciplines](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070401/5681364c550346895d9dccc5/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
USE Math at the BeachIn this workshop, participants will explore the relationship between sustainability and mathematics “at the beach.” Participants will study current USE Math projects and identify sustainability topics that are applicable for use in their introductory mathematics classes (including College Algebra, Quantitative Reasoning, Introductory Statistics, Precalculus, and Calculus I). They will then work on creating new projects dealing with themes such as beach erosion, waterfowl diversity, marine animal populations, aquaculture, and more. Sustainability-focused educators, marine scientists, and other professionals will give presentations on new initiatives in resource management and lead field excursions through the Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge. Participants will get dirty and wet while taking part in the excursions, and some activities will require participants to walk across wet, muddy, and sandy terrain. Following the intensive component workshop, participants will use the materials, evaluate their effectiveness, and prepare their projects for publication on the peer-reviewed USE Math website and for presentation at upcoming national meetings.