ANCHORED
Authentic New Collaborative Highly-visual Open Real Engaging Design
Response Question:
What perceived issue or problem are the Jasper materials responding to? Do you agree that this is an issue or problem? What does the current literature say about this issue? How is this issue addressed in the design of the Jasper materials? In what ways do contemporary videos available for math instruction (c.f. Khan Academy or Crash Course) address or not address these issues?
Issue or Problems
The Jasper material developers were concerned with what typical tests do not test or measure. They created the Jasper series to not primarily focus on component skills: “These component skills are important…but students need to develop them in the context of meaningful problem posing and problem-solving activities rather than as isolated ‘targets’ of instruction” (Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt (CTGV), 1992, pg. 66). Becoming independent thinkers who can not only respond to given problems but “identify and define issues and problems on their own” (pg. 66). There have identified valid concerns with the current math curriculum as computational knowledge and skill are only one part of mathematics which should serve the greater purpose of understanding patterns, relationships, laws, and theorems for the purpose of solving real world problems.
Is it possible that the fragmentation of skills and focus on computational skills has resulted from testing methods? It’s certainly easier to test computational ability and chunked skills than complex, multi-step problems.
Current Literature
In one study involving students with disabilities (Bottge, Heinrichs, Mehta & Hung, 2002), anchored instruction was successful with mainstream grade seven students, but there were mixed results for the special education students which was disappointing to the researchers. There was a small number of study participants and very small number of special education students from which to draw conclusions. The special education students did not get their usual extra time and support and the contextualized test was more complicated requiring the calculation of 25 pieces of information. It’s possible that if the pace of instruction was adjusted and the special education students could not rely on their academically stronger partner, there would be better gains overall. Even though the special education students’ computational knowledge worsened from the beginning to the end of the study, some performed with excellence on the hands-on concrete, real world problem. Possibly these results suggest that computational knowledge/teaching are important to success in problem-based instruction, meaning a combination of direct instruction and open problem solving are best.
A study focused on improving high school students’ statistical reasoning skills (Prado & Gravoso, 2011), found that proposing a problem or task changed the teacher’s role from disseminator to coach by allowing students to “develop and make sense of the information” (pg. 71). Authentic discussions were prominent in the class, thus creating a community of practice atmosphere. Post learning experience interviews revealed that students found the learning interesting, could relate to the characters, were motivated to solve the tasks on their own, appreciated that they could collaborate with other students, and caused a change in perception of statistics. Most students preferred this new teaching method to how they had learned about statistics in the past where the content was dry, removed from their experience, and there was one right answer. This example with second year high school students in a ‘university bound’ math course highly supports this type of learning with students who have a solid computational background.
Jasper Series Addresses these Issues
The Jasper series has constructivist origins. Firstly, students engage in “generative rather than passive learning activities” (pg. 67) that are more successful in overcoming their misconceptions (Confrey, 1990) because the more active process of using and refining their existing knowledge as they “attempt to make sense of alternate points of view” (CTGV, 1992, pg. 67) results in a deeper learning. The active construction of the problem and solution to the problem, which could have several possible solutions, is more likely to affect a change in perspective—to dispel preconceptions or misconceptions (Confrey, 1990). People are generally resistant to change, so an active learning process with real, individual decision making is going to be more effective (Posner, Strike, Hewson & Gertzog, 1982). Secondly, the problems are meant to be solved collaboratively in a way that students are forming their own sort of communities of inquiry in their quest for a solution (CTGV, 1992). Finally, although they have an end-point of what they need to solve, since the solution has multiple steps, the students have an opportunity to “create problem structure” (CTGV, 1992, pg. 68) which is quite different from finding the solutions to a given traditional word problem where there is one or two steps and all the data needed is given in the problem.
Khan Academy Assessment
I have a lot of respect for the Khan Academy learning endeavor and what it represents in terms of free education for all. It’s an impressive database of teaching in video format. The creator, Salmon Khan, started this academy for other family members to learn more about math and science, but it garnered attention from Bill Gates and then Google (and other contributors) to provide the funds to make it the developed environment that it is currently. Khan has the following purpose and format:
Keeping it simple…. He takes a laid-back approach, focuses on a single concept and keeps the videos to a digestible 10 minutes. He purposely did not create clips featuring himself [sic] standing at a whiteboard. He wanted something more akin to sitting next to someone and working out a problem on a sheet of paper. (USA Today, 2008)
In analyzing my experiences with Khan Academy, I believe the videos do not address the issues meaningful problem posing and problem-solving activities or creating independent thinkers who can identify and define issues on their own. The lessons and materials have been designed with current (American) curriculum standards in mind. The organization of the site revolves around their standards by grade to grade eight and then by type, i.e. algebra, geometry, trigonometry, etc. He purposely focuses on a single concept in the teaching which is a transmission teaching think aloud. The practice questions are specific computations and problems with all the data available in the question. It is drill and practice. Despite this assessment that it does not meet the concerns of the Jasper series creators, which I agree are valid and real concerns, I really like Khan Academy. I have found it very helpful to go through his chunked lessons. He has some very concrete illustrations to make abstract concepts understandable, and I do think that it has given me a greater understanding of math overall.
References:
Associated Press. (2008, Dec 12). Need a tutor? YouTube videos await. USA Today. Retrieved Feburary 10, 2014, from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-12-11-youtube-tutoring_N.htm.
Bottge, B.A., Heinrichs M., Mehta, Z.D., & Hung, Y. (2002). Weighing the benefits of anchored math instruction for students with disabilities in general education classes. Journal of Special Education, 35, 186-200.
Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt. (1992). The Jasper experiment: An exploration of issues in learning and instructional design. Educational Technology, Research and Development, 40(1), 65-80.
Confrey, J. (1990). A review of the research on student conceptions in mathematics, science, and programming. Review of research in education, 16, pp. 3-56.
Posner, G.J., Strike, K.A., Hewson, P.W. & Gertzog, W.A. (1982). Accommodation of a scientific conception: Toward a theory of conceptual change. Sci. Ed., 66, pp. 211–227. doi: 10.1002/sce.373066020.
Media Credit:
David Castillo Dominici. (2012). Business Team Work With Puzzle Stock Photo. Freedigitalphotos.net. Retrieved February 10, 2014 from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Teamwork_g404-Business_Team_Work_With_Puzzle_p79324.html.