Center for Quantitative Education

"Mathematics is the language in which God has written the Universe" &mdash Galileo

At the Q-Center, we believe in teaching mathematics as a language. Students need to learn the grammar and vocabulary of mathematics - the skills of solving particular equations and the like. Beyond that, they need to learn to use the language to interpret the world as they need to be successful in their chosen path. Finally, learning a different language should provide an insight into new ways of thinking, and students should gain a cultural understanding of how mathematics fits into the world.

Of course, since it is their learning that matters, we can't do it for them. We can only provide the situation and support that they need to develop their own understandings. However, as we are paid to teach them, we take responsibility for their learning by

• determining what they need to learn,
• providing a situation in which they can and will develop this understanding,
• letting them struggle so that they make the learning their own, but to provide support so they don't give up and succeed in their struggle, and
• providing honest feedback so we know what we have accomplished and what we still need to work on.

The Q-Center was formally established in January 2006 with the initial charge to

• make College Algebra a modern, technologically rich course where more students are successful and satisfied;
• pursue extramural funding and continue our research program on undergraduate education in quantitative disciplines, with an emphasis on the effective use of technology; and
• maintain an outreach program to share our work with K-12 schools to help them better prepare students.