1. An Activity Based Liberal Arts Math Course
Dr. Greg Cripe
Pete Wildman
Spokane Falls Community College

2. ?
Trump
Just how good of a businessman is the president-elect

3. Our Story
Prior to 2013, all students pursuing an Associate of Arts Degree in the state of Washington needed to show “Intermediate Algebra Proficiency”
At Spokane Falls Community College this meant that most entering students needed to complete at least 3 (maybe 4) developmental math courses
We found that while many entered these courses, few made it out!

4. Our Story
We redesigned a developmental math sequence from , and success rates improved somewhat but students still needed to complete the same number of courses. This was still a barrier to many!
In 2013 the state board removed the Intermediate Algebra Proficiency requirement. We agreed to a statewide standard for Math for Liberal Arts (Math in Society)

5. Our Story
We started an alternative pathway for non STEM majors in Using the “New Life” approach. This course only leads to Math in Society or Statistics.
Course immediately became popular and success rates improved significantly
Our students however entered with different strengths and skills than before. What does this mean for the Math for Liberal Arts course?

6. What topics should be in Math for Liberal Arts?
Interesting but unusual math topics?
Math history topics?
Math for “citizenship”?
Math that they might use “everyday”
What is in the “math for liberal arts book”
Fortunately – The state developed some guidelines for the course

7. Math In Society Core Topics
Proportional reasoning
The mathematics of personal finance
Probability
Descriptive statistics
Growth and decay models (linear and exponential)

8. Statement from the Guidelines
The focus in Math &107 is on the “big ideas” in these areas—the aspects of growth, finance, and statistics that are essential knowledge for an educated citizenry—rather than an extensive emphasis on procedures and details. The intent is to define a rigorous liberal arts quantitative course that provides an important piece of a well-rounded general education, namely, building a student’s ability to reason quantitatively.

9. Our Course Activity based – less lecture and direct instruction
All open resource
Uses technology – especially spreadsheets to analyze finance and growth patterns
Writing, research and presentation of ideas

10. Proportional Reasoning?
What proportional reasoning skills should we possess and why?

11. Proportional Reasoning Activities
Greenland Problem
Washington Wind Power

12. Statistical Reasoning?
What statistical reasoning skills should we have?

13. Statistics Activities
The Zombie Problem
Stop-Question-Frisk
Each from our colleague from last year Ben King

14. Finance?
What financial reasoning skills should we have?

15. Finance Activities
Financing your new car
Student loan financing