Outstanding Contribution Award

  

Whereas H. Len Vacher has provided exceptional editorial leadership of the journal Numeracy in its first decade and Whereas Numeracy has been established as the primary venue for scholarly discussion of the advancement of our cause, the Board of the National Numeracy Network recognizes with gratitude the many achievements of H. Len Vacher.   [Presented by NNN President, Eric Gaze]

Audio-only:  Eric Gaze presenting,   Len Vacher acceptance.   Nathan Grawe Numeracy

Video:  Eric Gaze 3 min; 10s load,   Len Vacher 3 min; 10s load.   Nathan Grawe 19 min; 24s load

2017 NNN Annual Meeting
Barnard College  Nov 17-19

Welcome by Eric Gaze, NNN President (video 6 min)

A very-successful conference.  Over 100 registered participants.
Thirty-two sessions on QL/QR/Statistical Literacy topics.

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Welcome to the new NNN website

2017 marks the roll-out of this website: the new home of the National Numeracy Network (NNN).  This website highlights NNN's three primary activities: (1) Organizing annual meetings on numeracy, (2) Sponsoring Numeracy: the #1 peer-reviewed journal focused on Quantitative Literacy, and (3) Coordinating Quantitative Centers at colleges.

Mission: See "About the NNN"

With your support we can improve the level of numeracy in academia, schools and the world at large.

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Numeracy News

2018/06/20.  Syntax vs. Semantics:  Quote: "Fortunately, only one in ten Americans have died from being struck by lightning in the three decades between 1981 and 2010"  Author intended to say "Fortunately, only one in ten Americans being struck by lightning in the three decades between 1981 and 2010 have died"   Small changes in syntax can create big changes in semantics. Source: https://gizmodo.com/5936361/what-happens-when-you-get-struck-by-lightning   [Analysis by Milo Schield]

2018/05/01  Six Habits of Highly Numerate People by Doug Birdie.   Pdf

2018/04/08  Pamela Burdman announces Just Equations.  The goal: "re-conceptualizing the role of math in ensuring equal educational opportunities for students.  Just Equations is an independent resource on the role of mathematics in education equity, working across education systems and advancing evidence-based strategies to ensure math policies give all students the quantitative foundation they need to succeed in college and beyond."

 2018/03/05  Data Literacy:  NNN officers, Marc Isaacson and Milo Schield, present a workshop on Data Literacy at the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit 2018 in Grapevine, TX. Over 50 IT executives attend.  The Gartner keynote address notes that Data Literacy is now the biggest problem in dealing with big data.  Quant-Fluent website

Gartner ($4.8 B revenue) is the world's leading research and advisory company and a member of the S&P 500. Gartner sponsors high-end conferences for those working in Information Technology.  

2017/11/15   NNN Numeracy Editor, Nathan Grawe, authors Demographics and the Demand for Higher Education.

2017/10/25. Nate Silver video: Journalists need statistical literacy. 

2017/10/22 Beware! Figures Are Often Manipulated by Bruce Wilds.  "In today's world, innumeracy is an even greater danger than illiteracy."   Innumeracy: "An inability to understand the rules of percentages, ratios, statistics and basic math logic."  "we must have a sound and basic understanding of numbers, what they represent, and how to relate to them."

2017/09/18   US Median Income Up -- Maybe.
In 2015, "income" is redefined to include money from retirement accounts.  pdf

2017/09/11   Why Math Is the Best Way to Make Sense of the World.
To improve critical thinking, take more math and science, Rebecca Goldin

2017/08/20  CSU Ends Remedial Classes by Pamela Burden
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Numeracy Questions!!! [Milo Schield]

1)  Eight Men have Half the World's Wealth
     Which is this?  (1) "Half of all the wealth in the world" or (2) the wealth of "half the world" or
         "half the world's population"?  What do your students think? 
          If it is #2, is it (a) "the wealth of the poorer half" or (b) "the wealth of the richer half"?
          If (2a), is it misleading to omit mentioning the "poorer half"?
          Could the richest 8 men have the same wealth as the richest half of the world's population?
 
2)  US 2014 abortion rate lowest in last 10 years   

Q. Which is this? 
(1) the abortion rate per 1000 women (age 15-44) or
(2) the abortion rate per 100 pregnancies? 
Q. Is it possible that #1 could go down in the US
while #2 could go up during the same time period? 
Q. What would cause or explain #1 going down?
Q. What would cause or explain #2 going up?

QL Blog by Eric Gaze - NNN President

https://thinkingquantitatively.wordpress.com/

Quantitative Reasoning & Writing: Bernie Madison

Audio (35minutes)   Bernie's frank overview of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the Quantitative Literacy movement.  This was the plenary talk at the 2011 NNN National Meeting in Asheville, NC, Oct 14-16.  The introduction is by Caren Diefenderfer.