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Abstract A tertiary course in Quantitative Reasoning (QR) has the potential to develop key practical and intellectual skills for citizenship, such as critical thinking, problem solving, quantitative literacy, and oral and written communication. In this article, we present research conducted on four instructors of such a QR course for students enrolled in a wide variety of nonscience degree programs at a university in the United States. The course used a student-inquiry approach to proportional reasoning, probability, statistical reasoning, and mathematical modeling. The findings are framed by a 5 C model of QR, which entailsCritical thinking to link real-worldContexts to mathematicalConcepts supported by studentCollaboration and QRCompetencies. The research addressed the questions of how university instructors support student development of the skills needed for critical citizenship and how this support relates to the 5 C model. We found that three of the four instructors viewed critical thinking as a central goal of the QR course and as supporting citizenship education. All four engaged students in tasks designed to develop a combination of skills associated citizenship, including critical thinking, self-questioning, collaboration, and communication. The discussion addresses such issues as the course’s merits and challenges, student engagement, the relative importance of the five Cs, the importance of instructional autonomy, and recommendations for related professional development and future research.
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This content will become publicly available on January 7, 2026
Empowering citizens: The importance of quantitative reasoning in higher education
Despite a growing emphasis on Quantitative Reasoning in education, particularly as universities develop courses that move beyond traditional mathematics, its role in fostering critical citizenship remains underexplored. The research reported herein explores the perspectives of instructors on teaching Quantitative Reasoning at university and examines how these courses can promote critical citizenship. By evaluating practical teaching approaches, the study highlights the evolving role of quantitative reasoning in preparing students for thoughtful civic participation.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2216197
- PAR ID:
- 10586408
- Editor(s):
- Deeprose, Catherine
- Publisher / Repository:
- Science Diffusion
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Scientia
- ISSN:
- 2644-3783
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- Quantitative reasoning Mathematical literacy Numeracy Quantitative literacy Subjective numeracy Critical thinking Citizenship Professional development
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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