An Informed Approach to Improving Quantitative Literacy and Mitigating Math Anxiety in Undergraduates through Introductory Science Courses

通过科学入门课程提高本科生的定量素养和减轻数学焦虑的明智方法

• 批准号: 1140398
• 负责人: Donald McCarthy
• 金额: $ 19.95万
• 依托单位: University of Arizona
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-09-01 至 2016-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1140398&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Informed; Approach; Improving; Quantitative; Literacy

Intellectual Merit: The project is developing a two-fold approach to the improvement of quantitative literacy in undergraduate students by (1) studying how students' quantitative literacy can be assessed and improved through the introductory sciences, and (2) educating other university faculty about the need to improve quantitative literacy while training them to address the problem in their own classrooms. While numeracy is essential to understanding science, there are no data on whether introductory science can be used to improve students' numerical ability during a one-semester course. Beginning with the general-education introductory astronomy course, in partnership with Pima Community College, this project is investigating how introductory science classes for non-majors can be used to improve students' comfort and ability with numbers and mathematical reasoning skills. Such skills include graph reading, proportionality, percentages, probability and number sense. This research is important in understanding where basic quantitative literacy among college students is insufficient, and whether literacy can be improved and skills established through science courses. Broader Impacts: The project is taking advantage of extensive teaching experience - in formal and informal settings, from junior high to adult learners, and in a variety of scientific disciplines - and educational research to develop a workshop for instructors of introductory science courses. This workshop provides the methods, curricular materials, and educational tools faculty need to help improve quantitative literacy in their classrooms. By increasing awareness regarding the life consequences of quantitative illiteracy and by providing tested curricular materials and practical ideas designed to help develop quantitative skills, the project is encouraging an emphasis on numeracy in the science classroom that serves students well by itself and also helps them learn the science.

智力优势：该项目正在开发一种双重方法来提高本科生的数量素养，方法是：（1）研究如何通过入门科学评估和提高学生的数量素养;（2）教育其他大学教师提高数量素养的必要性，同时培训他们在自己的课堂上解决这个问题。虽然计算能力对于理解科学至关重要，但没有数据表明入门科学是否可以在一个学期的课程中用于提高学生的计算能力。该项目与皮马社区学院合作，从普通教育天文学入门课程开始，正在调查如何利用非专业的科学入门课程来提高学生对数字和数学推理技能的适应度和能力。这些技能包括图形阅读、比例、百分比、概率和数字感。这项研究对于了解大学生的基本数量素养不足，以及是否可以通过科学课程提高素养和建立技能具有重要意义。更广泛的影响：该项目正在利用广泛的教学经验-在正式和非正式环境中，从初中到成人学习者，以及在各种科学学科中-和教育研究，为入门科学课程的教员举办一个讲习班。这个研讨会提供的方法，课程材料和教育工具教师需要帮助提高他们的课堂定量识字。该项目通过提高对数量文盲的生活后果的认识，并通过提供经过测试的课程材料和旨在帮助发展数量技能的实用想法，鼓励在科学课堂上强调计算能力，这本身对学生很有帮助，也有助于他们学习科学。