An Activity Based Liberal Arts Math Course Dr

An Activity Based Liberal Arts Math Course Dr. Greg Cripe Pete Wildman Spokane Falls Community College

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Our Story • Prior to 2013, all students pursuing an Associate of Arts Degree in the state of Washington needed to show “Intermediate Algebra Proficiency” • At Spokane Falls Community College this meant that most entering students needed to complete at least 3 (maybe 4) developmental math courses • We found that while many entered these courses, few made it out!

Our Story • We redesigned a developmental math sequence from 2008 -2010, and success rates improved somewhat but students still needed to complete the same number of courses. This was still a barrier to many! • In 2013 the state board removed the Intermediate Algebra Proficiency requirement. We agreed to a statewide standard for Math for Liberal Arts (Math in Society)

Our Story • We started an alternative pathway for non STEM majors in 2013. Using the “New Life” approach. This course only leads to Math in Society or Statistics. • Course immediately became popular and success rates improved significantly • Our students however entered with different strengths and skills than before. What does this mean for the Math for Liberal Arts course?

What topics should be in Math for Liberal Arts? • • • Interesting but unusual math topics? Math history topics? Math for “citizenship”? Math that they might use “everyday” What is in the “math for liberal arts book” • Fortunately – The state developed some guidelines for the course

Math In Society Core Topics • • • Proportional reasoning The mathematics of personal finance Probability Descriptive statistics Growth and decay models (linear and exponential)

Statement from the Guidelines • The focus in Math &107 is on the “big ideas” in these areas—the aspects of growth, finance, and statistics that are essential knowledge for an educated citizenry—rather than an extensive emphasis on procedures and details. The intent is to define a rigorous liberal arts quantitative course that provides an important piece of a well -rounded general education, namely, building a student’s ability to reason quantitatively.

Our Course • Activity based – less lecture and direct instruction • All open resource • Uses technology – especially spreadsheets to analyze finance and growth patterns • Writing, research and presentation of ideas

Proportional Reasoning? • What proportional reasoning skills should we possess and why?

Proportional Reasoning Activities • Greenland Problem • Washington Wind Power

Statistical Reasoning? • What statistical reasoning skills should we have?

Statistics Activities • The Zombie Problem • Stop-Question-Frisk • Each from our colleague from last year Ben King

Finance? • What financial reasoning skills should we have?

Finance Activities • Financing your new car • Student loan financing