Table 1. Summary of aspects of quantitative literacy that were or will be assessed in the 2015-16 QL ILO assessment. What will be assessed? How? What did we learn? What did we do? The scope and adequacy The adequacy of Westmont’s quantitative The pre-2015 QAR GE Learning The QL ILO, QAR GELO, and QAR of quantitative literacy and analytical reasoning (QAR) GE Learning Outcome (GELO) and course course certification criteria were education inputs at Outcome (GELO) was assessed in certification criteria did not changed in the Spring of 2015 to Westmont? Specifically, discussions among the instructors of QAR adequately emphasize the use of better emphasize our desire that whether our QAR GE courses and by comparing the existing quantitative reasoning in problem students grow in their ability to category is adequate in GELO with the literature on quantitative solving. employ quantitative literacy in terms of the number and literacy education. problem solving applications. range of courses The disciplinary scope and availability of There are adequate QAR offerings These findings were presented to represented, and the QAR approved GE courses was reviewed. among the lower division science, the GE committee, academic intended pervasiveness computer science and math senate, and full faculty. Other and rigor of QL in a courses but relatively few in the actions are pending GE Westmont education. humanities and social sciences, committee, senate, and whole partly because these students faculty discussion of the QAR either take the math statistics assessment results and more work course or meet the GE through an may be needed to assess the elective. We also learned that pervasiveness of quantitative there are few upper division QAR literacy content in upper division courses. and major courses. A survey of 2015 graduate data was Most students (~90%) meet the These findings were presented to undertaken to determine how our students QAR GE requirement through a the GE committee, academic meet the QAR GE Requirement? Westmont course. In addition, senate, and full faculty. While our 38% of students meet the QAR GE ultimate course of action is requirement through a pending GE committee, senate, required course. and whole faculty discussion of the QAR assessment results, the consensus so far is that the pervasiveness of QAR in upper division and major courses is possibly a greater area of concern.
Table 1. Summary of aspects of quantitative literacy that were or will be assessed in the 2015-16 QL ILO assessment. What will be assessed? How? What did we learn? What did we do? The scope and adequacy of quantitative literacy education inputs at Westmont? Specifically, whether our QAR GE category is adequate in terms of the number and range of courses represented, and the intended pervasiveness and rigor of QL in a Westmont education. The adequacy of Westmont’s quantitative and analytical reasoning (QAR) GE Learning Outcome (GELO) was assessed in discussions among the instructors of QAR courses and by comparing the existing GELO with the literature on quantitative literacy education. The pre-2015 QAR GE Learning Outcome (GELO) and course certification criteria did not adequately emphasize the use of quantitative reasoning in problem solving. The QL ILO, QAR GELO, and QAR course certification criteria were changed in the Spring of 2015 to better emphasize our desire that students grow in their ability to employ quantitative literacy in problem solving applications. The disciplinary scope and availability of QAR approved GE courses was reviewed. There are adequate QAR offerings among the lower division science, computer science and math courses but relatively few in the humanities and social sciences, partly because these students either take the math statistics course or meet the GE through an elective. We also learned that there are few upper division QAR courses. These findings were presented to the GE committee, academic senate, and full faculty. Other actions are pending GE committee, senate, and whole faculty discussion of the QAR assessment results and more work may be needed to assess the pervasiveness of quantitative literacy content in upper division and major courses. A survey of 2015 graduate data was undertaken to determine how our students meet the QAR GE Requirement? Most students (~90%) meet the QAR GE requirement through a Westmont course. In addition, 38% of students meet the QAR GE requirement through a course. These findings were presented to the GE committee, academic senate, and full faculty. While our ultimate course of action is pending GE committee, senate, and whole faculty discussion of the QAR assessment results, the consensus so far is that the pervasiveness of QAR in upper division and major courses is possibly a greater area of concern. required
QARAssessmentcompilationdocumentcurrenttoFeb2016.docx