W9 - Using an Ecosystem Model to Support Practitioners in Changing the Institutional Quantitative Skills Support Landscape

Program Abstract: This workshop will introduce participants to the ecosystem model of quantitative skills support developed through conversations among faculty and staff at eight selective, small liberal arts colleges. The ecosystem comprises four domains: bridge programs with a quantitative component, approaches to assessing readiness and advising, curricular on-ramps, and supplementary support for courses that require quantitative skills. Workshop participants will analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the ecosystem at their institutions, select one of the four ecosystem domains that could be strengthened on their campus, and explore factors and questions for stakeholders that might maximize the effectiveness of that domain in their local context. Participants will leave the workshop with a potential framework for identifying approaches to aligning and changing their institutional quantitative skills support systems to better meet student needs.