The QRC

The Vassar College Quantitative Reasoning Center (QRC), established in January 2011, houses programs which support students and faculty in courses across the science and quantitative disciplines, in particular those which meet the college's QA Requirement.

 FOR STUDENTS:

  • Supplemental Instruction: A student-led collaborative learning program linked to select science and quantitative courses. SI is designed to organize and improve the ways in which students prepare for class outside of class. SI is attached to designated courses to provide students with a systematic and disciplined approach for processing the subject material assigned. Specially selected and trained students (SI Leaders) lead evening sessions twice a week to help reinforce concepts from the course and facilitate learning. Attendance at SI sessions is voluntary. Students report that regular attendance helps them retain and understand concepts better, develop good study habits, perform well on exams, and form close relationships with peers.
  • Q-Center: A drop-in center for students to learn from peers outside of the classroom. Students can meet individually or in groups with Quantitative Tutors (Q-Tutors) who are trained to help students with strategies in quantitative learning/reasoning. The Q-Tutors are students who have excelled in their specialty course(s). Q-tutors can help students in introductory courses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math, Psychology and Economics.  We also have interns available to help with your basic excel assignments and projects.  The Q-Center is located in the Library, Room 124.

FOR FACULTY:

  • The QRC hosts discussion groups, workshops, and speakers to address best practices in teaching and assessing quantitiave learning.
  • The QRC offers training for departmental interns who offer peer-support for QA courses.
  • The QRC Director is available for consultations with faculty on curricular support and development