The Case for Infusing Quantitative Literacy into Introductory Geoscience Courses

Abstract

We present the case for introductory geoscience courses as model venues for increasing the quantitative literacy (QL) of large numbers of the college-educated population. The geosciences provide meaningful context for a number of fundamental mathematical concepts that are revisited several times in a single course. Using some best practices from the mathematics education community surrounding problem solving, calculus reform, pre-college mathematics and five geoscience/math workshops, geoscience and mathematics faculty have identified five pedagogical ideas to increase the QL of the students who populate introductory geoscience courses. These five ideas include techniques such as: place mathematical concepts in context, use multiple representations, use technology appropriately, work in groups, and do multiple-day, in-depth problems that place quantitative skills in multiple contexts. We discuss the pedagogical underpinnings of these five ideas and illustrate some ways that the geosciences represent ideal places to use these techniques. However, the inclusion of QL in introductory courses is often met with resistance at all levels. Faculty who wish to include quantitative content must use creative means to break down barriers of public perception of geoscience as qualitative, administrative worry that enrollments will drop and faculty resistance to change. Novel ways to infuse QL into geoscience classrooms include use of web-based resources, shadow courses, setting clear expectations, and promoting quantitative geoscience to the general public. In order to help faculty increase the QL of geoscience students, a community-built faculty-centered web resource (Teaching Quantitative Skills in the Geosciences) houses multiple examples that implement the five best practices of QL throughout the geoscience curriculum. We direct faculty to three portions of the web resource: Teaching Quantitative Literacy, QL activities, and the 2006 workshop website -Infusing Quantitative Literacy into Introductory Geoscience Courses. These portions of the website are designed to give geoscience faculty the resources they need to infuse quantitative content into their entry-level courses, thereby building the QL of the students who enroll. The infusion of QL in the introductory geoscience classroom allows faculty to realistically represent the quantitative nature of the science to the students who may need it most. Ultimately, the inclusion of pedagogically sound quantitative activities and exercises will serve to increase QL of our educated citizenry.

Introducing Geoscience Students to Numerical Modeling of Volcanic Hazards: The example of Tephra2 on VHub.org

“…The majority of students in this course were able to execute the code on VHub.org, simulate volcanic eruptions, and interpret results of the simulation. Although not quantitatively assessed, this experience upholds the idea that introductory geology courses are an ideal venue for quantitative concepts (e.g.. Wenner et al 2009;Campbell et al 2011).…”

Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum, 1: The Idea and the Resource

“…This thinking was amidst a backdrop in which many in the geoscience education community, particularly the NAGT, were working to create an environment through faculty development workshops and educational resources development to enhance quantitative skills of geoscience majors (see Hancock and Manduca 2005;Wenner et al 2009). At the same time, there were many in the geoscience education community making a parallel argument: geoscience educators must stop avoiding elementary mathematics (such as relationships expressed in simple equations) in introductory, service-level geology courses (Goforth and Dunbar 2000;Wagner 2000;Vacher 2001), no matter how much the students complained on students evaluations about "doing math."…”

“…The other 49 courses are distributed across the curriculum (Table 3B), as was the intent of the project. Many (15) of the nonmathematics courses are geology courses, reflecting the geoscience-education heritage of SERC and its continuing workshops and other activities in that arena (e.g., Wenner et al 2009). …”

Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum, 2: Assessing Our Success with Students at Eckerd College

“…Many authors have described QL efforts across the curriculum, beyond formal mathematics courses (Hughes-Hallett 2001;Steele and Kiliç-Bahi 2008;Sweet et al 2008;Wenner et al 2009;Bressoud 2009). Furthermore, numerous authors have advocated using technology, such as spreadsheets, to develop students' math skills (Jacobson and Kozma 2000;Jiang and McClintock 2000;Ozgun-Koca 2001;Baker and Sugden 2003;Alagic 2003;Abramovich et al 2010).…”