Past+Discussions

=MB-L1: Perspectives on Anchored Instruction Symposium (Mon Feb 23)=

Greetings from Group A,

After re-introducing ourselves within our group, each of us expressed an interest in determining how the use of educational technology may promote equity within the science and math classroom for students of different cultures, genders, and abilities. As such, we (John, Crystal, Phillip and Ashley) have named ourselves The Equalizers.

For the Jasper Symposium, we were to address the following questions:

What perceived issue or problem are the Jasper materials responding to? Do you agree that this is an issue or problem? How is this issue addressed in the design of the Jasper materials?

In their article, the Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt (1992b) discuss the need for students to be active in their own learning and in the creation of knowledge. They also express the necessity for students to be exposed to instruction that heightens the thinking and reasoning required to solve complex mathematical word problems. The Group at Vanderbilt (1992b) states that "traditional word problems often provide the goal and only those numbers needed to solve the problem; hence they afford only computational selection. In other cases, even the type of computation is made clear to the students (because the chapter focuses on a particular operation such as addition), so the word problems actually provide only computational practice" (pp. 296).

The traditional, textbook method of teaching word problems influences students to adopt a passive role within the classroom and rarely provides opportunities for students to apply their mathematical skills to everyday experiences. We find that when involvement and discussion are limited within the mathematics classroom, students become uninterested and confused with the course material. This is exactly what the Jasper Series attempts to address.

The Jasper Series consists of 12 instructional videos depicting complex real-life situations from which a number of mathematical problems may be formulated (Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt, 1992b). The typical process through which the problems are addressed are as follows: watching the Jasper video, brainstorming as a group, collecting and interpreting data, and presenting the solution(s) to the class (Jasper in More Detail, n.d.). Group work is a critical and valuable component of the Jasper Series. Vye et. al (1997) indicate that students who work together rather than on their own are increasingly aware there may be various solutions for a particular problem.

Upon reviewing the literature our impressions of the Jasper Series were primarily positive. Mathematics classroom are typically lecture-based and provide little room for students to develop applicable problem-solving skills. Introducing an interactive technology-oriented program such as the Jasper Series would increase student interest and discussion within the classroom. However, one of our group members raised an interesting point. Would the series be inclusive of all learners? For example, in today's multicultural, multilingual classrooms, students speak English as a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th language and have also been taught math using the metric system. Sophisticated grammar coupled with a measurement system they have never seen before might discourage them. Also, how would teachers who don’t have access to a class set of computers or DVD players and televisions use these videos in their instruction? A project like this one might require the use of a lab for one period consistently for one week or more. This simply would not be possible in certain schools.

Overall our group gives the intentions of the Jasper Series a thumbs up, but we also want to note that this innovative, technological approach may not be feasible for all mathematics classrooms.

References:

Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt (1992b). The Jasper series as an example of anchored instruction: Theory, program, description, and assessment data. Educational Psychologist, 27(3), 291-315.

Jasper in More Detail. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2008 from http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/projects/funded/jasper/theory/Chap1Jasperbook.html.

Vye, N.J., Goldman, S.R., Voss, J.F., Hmelo, C., & Williams, S. (1997). Complex mathematical problem solving by individuals and dyads. Cognition and Instruction, 15(4), 435-484.