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NNN Journal

Numeracy: Advancing Education in Quantitative Literacy

The NNN is delighted to present our on-line, open-access journal: Numeracy: Advancing Education in Quantitative Literacy. Visit the Web site to learn more about the journal and to download articles.

Announcing Our New Journal Prize

This February, the Board of the National Numeracy Network announced the establishment of The Steen Award for the best article from the most recent volume of Numeracy, as judged by the Awards Subcommittee. The award is named for Lynn Steen, one of the early leaders of the quantitative literacy movement and author of many influential works promoting QL. (Biography of Lynn Steen) (Acrobat (PDF) 93kB Feb24 13)

Criteria for selection include:

the overall quality of the paper,
its effectiveness in promoting a significant numeracy theme or the movement in general,
use of evidence-based research in QL, possible impact on teaching and learning within QL, and
relevance to larger societal issues impacted by QL.

Although Numeracy has been published since January of 2008, this is the first time NNN has provided special recognition for authors. The Board intends to continue this award annually, and to provide a special one-time award for the best article selected from the first four years of publication. Award winners will be invited to a special presentation acknowledging their accomplishment at the NNN's National Meeting.

This year's award, selected from articles in Volume V, published during 2012, goes to Annamaria Lusardi, Professor of Economics and Accountancy at the George Washington University School of Business for her article, "Numeracy, Financial Literacy, and Financial Decision-Making," Vol. 5, Issue 1, January 2012. (Biography of Annamaria Lusardi) (Acrobat (PDF) 8kB Feb24 13)

While there were a number of high quality articles to choose from in Volume V, Lusardi's stood out for its clarity, thoroughness in reviewing the relevant literature, timeliness in addressing an issue that has had a significant impact on the global community in recent years, and relevance to examples that could be used in a QL classroom setting. It is an article that should be accessible and of interest to a wide audience.

Journal History

Len Vacher and Dorothy Wallace, two of the NNN's founding board members, had a grand plan to fill a major void: create a peer-reviewed journal to "promote education that integrates quantitative skills across all disciplines and at all levels." At the NNN's August 2006 board of directors' meeting in Seattle, Vacher and Wallace proposed the idea for the journal, which was unanimously approved. They then got to work. In December 2006, Wallace, Vacher, and Todd Chavez, from the University of South Florida's Libraries, guided a subset of NNN board members and associate editors in a journal planning meeting at Dartmouth College. The planners agreed that the journal should publish scholarly research and evidence-based case studies on a wide array of QL topics, including education research, teaching strategies and resources, curriculum design, assessment strategies, and faculty development. They agreed that the journal's scope should also include perspectives, notes, reviews, and commentaries. Since its first edition on January 1, 2008, Numeracy has published two issues per year. By the start of 2013, Numeracy had more than 32,000 downloads. We hope you enjoy reading the journal and that you will consider submitting to it, as well.