• Creating digital video is now more available and more efficient than it was when the Jasper series were initially developed. Briefly, if given the opportunity, what kind of mathematical or science adventure might you design? Why? Pay attention to your underlying assumptions about teaching and learning regarding your design and your definition of technology. How would instruction in this adventure help to address misconceptions in math or science for some students?

The Jasper Series included many innovative (for the time) techniques to engage and involve students in active problem-solving. I can strongly appreciate the focus of showing students the usefulness of the science and math while giving them self-confidence (Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt). However, many issues have been raised with programs that are purely project-based learning (Park & Park 2012). Park & Park (2012) among others have exposed how PBL alone is not enough to ensure that holes and misconceptions are not present in student learning. Direct instruction must be coupled together with the series in order for maximum effectiveness. Also, Biswas, Schwartz, & Bransford (2001) showed that in order for learning to be fully flexible and able to be transferred to other areas, more scenarios are needed for students to apply the learning in multiple contexts, lets the information be welded into the one specific context in which it was learned.

For these reasons, and because I strongly believe that students need to be using technology in ways that will prepare for them for the future, I would propose a new system that blends advanced problem solving, building concepts, the integration of key, explicit standards in math and science taught as mini-lessons, as well as work with emerging technologies. By coupling all these together, complex, real-world, situations could be created in which students are using key mathematical and scientific concepts that have been taught in class to solve advanced technological problems.

For example, a popular program for teaching physics and math (among other things) is The Kerbal Space Program. In this program, students are engaged with real-world physics, math, and problems that exist in designing, building, launching, and flying a rocket into outer space or to the moon. The complexity of the game is exponential as different challenges could be employed. Furthermore, the Kerbal Space Program could function as a teachable agent (Park & Park 2012), as the student must program the rocket in the way it should go and receive feedback through trial and error. A successful launch and mission could mean a mastery of skills. A failed mission sets them back to problem-solve and check calculations.

Simulations/gameplay like this could be created and enhanced with VR, robotics, or digital design for most situations that come up in the science and math classroom, allowing students to see the immediate applicability and receive instantaneous feedback from their calculations. Paired together with an intelligent course designer that is teaching relevant mini-lessons on math and science standards, students would be well-prepared for success in any STEM field that they desire, with their misconceptions and gaps filled in and real-world experience in solving a wide variety of problems.

-Jonathan-

References

Biswas, G., Schwartz, D., & Bransford, J. (2001). Technology support for complex problem solving: From SAD environments to AI.

Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt. “The Jasper series as an example of anchored instruction: Theory, program description, and assessment data.” Educational Psychologist 27.3 (1992): 291-315.

Park, K., & Park, S. (2012). Development of professional engineers’ authentic contexts in blended learning environments. British Journal of Educational Technology, 43(1).