Quantitative Reasoning
We define Quantitative Reasoning as the ability to manipulate, analyze, and/or evaluate numbers and numerical data.
What We Expect Our Students to Learn
Students will utilize mathematics and mathematical concepts to solve applied problems.
Sample: Who are we looking at?
All students enrolled in MATH 115, 125, and 135
Measure: How are we rating their performance?
Common question(s) are embedded on the final exam for each course
Target: What score did we expect?
- Individual student scores are at least 60% accurate
Findings: What score did our students earn?
| Targets per Math Course | Findings per Math Course | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| MATH 115 | Student scores are at least 60% accurate | Student scores were 61.0% accurate | Target met |
| MATH 125 | Student scores are at least 60% accurate | Student scores were 65.0% accurate | Target met |
| MATH 135 | Student scores are at least 60% accurate | Student scores were 61.0% accurate | Target met |
Action Plans: The financial questions will need to be even more specific on how to round in-between calculations. Each of the algorithm methods is fairly involved and when students make a mistake early in the process, it can have major implications later. This is not only an issue of rounding during intermediary steps, but some errors can cause future steps to become impossible to complete.
Students will demonstrate knowledge of core mathematical principles and theories.
Sample: Who are we looking at?
All students enrolled in MATH 115, 125, and 135
Measure: How are we rating their performance?
Common question(s) are embedded on the final exam for each course
Target: What score did we expect?
- Individual student scores are at least 60% accurate
Findings: What score did our students earn?
| Targets per Math Course | Findings per Math Course | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| MATH 115 | Student scores are at least 60% accurate | Student scores were 73.0% accurate | Target met |
| MATH 125 | Student scores are at least 60% accurate | Student scores were 65.0% accurate | Target met |
| MATH 135 | Student scores are at least 60% accurate | Student scores were 75.0% accurate | Target met |
Action Plans: Change the central limit questions to open-ended or have multiple-choice for steps in-between because one multiple choice question is not enough to assess student understanding. We will continue to emphasize SLOs and strive for improvement.
Students will be able to use the model of supply and demand to illustrate one immediate and one secondary effect of a public policy.
Sample: Who are we looking at?
All students enrolled in ECON 200 and 202
Measure: How are we rating their performance?
Items #7 and #8 on the Economics Departmental Test (EDT)
Target: What score did we expect?
All student scores are at least 75% accurate
Findings: What score did our students earn?
| EDT Items | EDT Targets | EDT Findings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDT #7 | Average overall scores for both test items is at least 75% | Student scores were 72.8% accurate | Average overall scores for EDT items # 7 & 8 86.20% Target Met |
| EDT #8 | Student scores were 96.3% accurate | ||
Action Plans: While students met this target overall in both cycles, question #7 has proven to be the lesser understood of the two questions. Professors have been asked to continue to spend more time on the shortage and surplus implications of the Supply and Demand Model. The practice of putting price floors and/or price ceilings into place, is critical to understanding the public policy implications that may occur when the price controls are actually applied.