Quantitative Literacy as a Quality Enhancement Project (QEP)Rachel ManspeakerAssociate Professor of MathematicsQEP Implementation DirectorCoker College

What is a QEP?

The Quality Enhancement Plan is a document submitted to the accrediting body, SACS-COC, that● includes a process identifying key issues emerging

from institutional assessment, ● focuses on learning outcomes and/or the

environment supporting student learning and accomplishing the mission of the institution,

● includes broad-based involvement of institutional constituencies in the development and proposed implementation of the QEP,

● and identifies goals and a plan to assess their achievement.

Why Quantitative Literacy?

Preparation Gap (2012 data):

Why Quantitative Literacy?

DFW comparisons (2002 through 2012)

QEP: Quantitative Literacy

The Quantitative Literacy QEP at Coker College seeks to ● develop quantitatively literate students● create a campus culture of cross-disciplinary

scholarship where mathematics and numerical reasoning are widely used tools for investigation and problem solving.

Coker College students will ● improve their mathematical proficiency● understand the application of quantitative

reasoning within their major programs.

Objectives

Student Learning○ Updated mathematics program - general education

level mathematics courses updated to include authentic problem solving

○ Major Program QL competencies - individual majors identify quantitative skills relevant to discipline and create a plan to assess them

Institutional Adoption○ The Quantitative Literacy Center - offers trained

peer tutoring tutoring and help sessions for gen ed math courses

○ Cross-curricular QL enrichment - selected general education courses have assignments with quantitative elements

○ Campus initiatives - extracurricular events

Timeline

● Year 1 (2015-2016): Hire QL Center Director, begin course development, equipment purchase

● Year 2: Prepare QL Center for opening, pilot courses, starting Go Figure! Events, develop assessment tools

● Year 3: Open QL Center, Go Figure! Events, Visiting Fulbright Scholar, data collection

● Year 4: Data Collection, revision and adaptation● Year 5 (2019-2020): Closing the loop: data

analysis, Five-Year Report, evidence based future projects

2015 PKAL Summer Institute

● June 2015, I attended the PKAL Summer Leadership Institute for STEM Faculty○ Participated in leadership training activities○ Developed professional and personal goals for

the QEPLasting takeaways:● Identifying my own leadership strengths

○ Strategic Thinking and Executing● Bringing in members of my team that have

complementary strengths○ Influencing, Relationship Building

2015 PKAL Summer Institute Takeaways

● Active Learning Exercises to build empathy○ Change is uncomfortable○ Communication is not always clear, needs

constant work○ Open up about personal challenges and build a

community around a common purpose to better achieve goals

● Work to maintain a personal balance (still a struggle)

● Be ready to adapt to unforeseen challenges

Challenges: Changing Student Population

● Placement

Challenges

● New General Education Implementation○ Same “Core” math classes, but different

liberal arts requirements

● Faculty Challenges○ ⅓ eager, but overstretched○ ⅓ neutral○ ⅓ sees little connection to their

discipline

Challenges

● Friction caused by visiting Fulbright Scholar

● Project management challenges○ Both QEP Implementation Director and

QL Center Director needed FML time.○ Change in IT, administration oversight

Preliminary Successes

● QL Center attendance○ Fall 2017: 99 distinct students with 391

visits○ Spring 2018: 138 distinct students with

237 visits● QL adapted assignments in 8 general

education courses across the curriculum ● Computer carts and TI Calculators

available for checkout to faculty and students

ART 101- Example QL Enrichment

Go Figure! Events 2016/2017

Go Figure! Events 2017/2018

Coloring Night

Go Figure! Events 2018/2019

Questions? Suggestions?

● Keeping momentum after year 5○ Faculty support○ Administrative and Financial Support

● Valuable data analysis tools for small samples

Contact Information

● Dr. Rachel Manspeaker Coker College, Hartsville, SC

○ rmanspeaker@coker.edu○ QL Center Website