From the website “The Adventures of Jasper Woodbury” I discovered a series of videos available with a fee to support math curriculum through multiple challenges.
“The Adventures of Jasper Woodbury™ consists of 12 videodisc-based adventures that focus on mathematical problem finding and problem solving. In particular, each adventure provides multiple opportunities for problem solving, reasoning, communication and making connections to other areas such as science, social studies, literature and history (NCTM, 1989; 1991). Jasper adventures are designed for students in grades 5 and up. Each videodisc contains a short (approximately 17 minute) video adventure that ends in a complex challenge. The adventures are designed like good detective novels where all the data necessary to solve the adventure (plus additional data that are not relevant to the solution) are embedded in the story. Jasper adventures also contain “embedded teaching” episodes that provide models of particular approaches to solving problems. These episodes can be revisited on a “just-in-time” basis as students need them to solve the Jasper challenges. Each adventure is designed from the perspective of the standards recommended by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM).”
These videos and challenges are a great add-on to the math curriculum in a classroom, I believe. They are challenging and offer life “as we know it” problem. The students are facing real life situation where they could think of what they would do exactly to help solve the challenges. I think it was a great concept to represent problem solving, reasoning, communication, etc. To build this adventure and add all the details and make them visible without knowing it, it was a great representation of PCK. The creators knew their content and had pedagogical experience to have the learner figure out the solution without giving information freely. It would be interesting to rebuild something like this today, with actual problems lived by our students. Could it be on a field trip to the mountains, maybe a group of students going on a ski trip through their Phys. Ed. program. On the way, they might find an injured elk and try to find someone to save him. This adventure project made me think of any opportunities that I miss to make some connections to real life with my students. I will be more attentive to these possibilities to offer a better understanding through problem solving situations.
Cheers,
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