Another book that may be a good text/reference for liberal arts students is
the text that accompanied the video series Annenberg/CPB Project "For All
Practical Purposes".
At 16:29 8/20/97 -0400, Ddeliberto@AOL.COM wrote:
>Barbara and list readers,
>
>I am so glad that to hear that there are others who are placing an emphasis
>on making the teaching of mathematics to the lives of our students. That was
>an ecellent post and I have two other books that you may wish to use in
>supplementing your course or perhaps you may have your students read as part
>of a course project. I actually met the author and he really has a knack
>for showing how it is possible to lie with statistics. Isn't thee a book
>with that title somewhere? Sampling is especially imprtant for anyone who
>will pursue careers in business/marketing research, psychology, research and
>law.
>
>Well here are the books you may want to check out. Both are by John Allen
>Paulos:
>
>Innumeracy
>
>Beyond Innumeracy
>
>Another good reference book for ideas is Mathematics for the Millions: How to
>Master the Magic of Numbers by Lancelot Hogben published by W W Norton
>Company originally published in 1937. The reading is fairly difficult for
>undergrads but you would be able to use many of the ideas with some
>modification.
>
>Hope that helps.
>
>Deanna M. De'Liberto
>President and Director of Assessment
>D SQUARED ASSESSMENTS, INC.
>(Specialists in Test Development / Validation and Test Administration)
>9 Bedle Road, Suite 250
>Hazlet, NJ 07730-1209
>Phone: (732) 888-9339
>Email: Ddeliberto@aol.com
>
>
>In a message dated 97-08-20 14:57:19 EDT, you write:
>
><< Phillip,
>
> We recently (3 years ago) developed a Mathematics for Liberal Arts
> Majors. It was a cooperative effort with the U. of A. Our guiding
> principal was:
> "What do you think a college-educated person should know about mathematics?"
> and our department's requirement. "Make it relevant...real life...usable!"
>
> Probability & Stats (esp. stats) topped the list. Definitely YES! We
>deal
> with stats from the cradle to the grave (Geisel Norms to Life expectancy..).
>
> It is important that these students understand what the "numbers are really
> saying". Also accent sampling etc (How to lie with statistics) Pick up
>the
> newspapers... We rarely see the reports...just the journalists
>interpretation
> of the report. (Those future journalists are in your class too!) One of
>my
> assignments is to have students locate a recent (last 2 weeks) non-medical
> report article and point out what information is included and excluded
>...and
> given that info...are they "buying the story". [I must admit that I go on a
> rampage about the 1-900-dial-in-your-opinion surveys... talk about your self
> selected participants.]
>
> Also exponential & logarithmic functions - Applications. Like present &
> future value. I had more students comment...wish I had taken this class
> BEFORE I bought the car, got the mortgage etc.
>
> We also included apportionment (like the US house of representatives)...even
> the methods of apportionment have historic names like Websters, Jefferson.
>etc
> The political science & history majors enjoy this one.
>
> Also group preference... like the Borda Count, or run off methods. How
> exactly do they come up the "All Star" game players?
>
> I also do a little on the Power Index. Looking at things from the local
>City
> Council to the U.N.
>
> The problem is finding a text book. Trust me I'm still looking for the
> perfect book. In the interum we settled on "modules".. produced in spiral
> bound format from : Innovative Textbooks in Irvine, CA (phone number 714
> 854-5667. We use three modules ... Mathematics of the Social Sciences,
> Applications of Exponents and Logarithms and Probability and Statistics.
> OF
> the three I really like the first two and find I have to supplement the 3rd
>as
> it doesn't have normal distribution and sampling techniques in it. The cost
> to the student of purchasing all 3 modules is TOTAL around $20. Some of
>the
> students are selective when selling them back to the bookstore. Keeping
>this
> one...selling this one back.
>
> Sure hope this helps. The good news for us lately has been that the U. of
> Arizona's School of Education has been encouraging it's elementary education
> majors to take the course because it gives a broad basis in the "everyman,
> everyday" uses of mathematics.
>
> Barbara C. Armenta
> Pima Community College - East Campus
> Tucson, AZ >>
>
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===================================================
David Faulkner D_Faulkner@lbl.gov
Staff Research Associate 510.486.7326
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
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