The Jasper series was created to address a perceived lack of deep learning and a lack of complex problem solving skills in students in mathematics. One part of complex problem solving is breaking a large problem down into smaller parts, something few teachers expose their students to, even today. In creating Jasper Vanderbilt’s Cognition and Technology Group used purposefully ill-defined problems with multiple solutions to address these issues, from my perspective, quite handily.
The Jasper series is built on an anchored instruction framework, which has its roots in problem based learning. The video based series took advantage of the random access affordance of the video disk, so not only did students experience the scenario through video, but they also could easily move to any place in the video to review information. Video technology presents the cognitive advantage of students being able to enter into the scenario more fully over using text only, and because the pictures are moving, become more real to the students than static images. The social affordance of students being able to review sections easily allow them to discuss with each other immediately after all students in one group simultaneously view a section, presenting a more effective environment than text only would produce.
With today’s technology Jasper could be improved on. Splitting the video into smaller segments and viewing with a computer on or off line, supplying less information so students would have to research, creating online communities for students to share and compare and collaborate across space and time, and creating the opportunities for accessing experts to give advice and even participate in the problem solving process are all areas that our newer technologies afford us, which could be incorporated into an anchored instruction based unit. As well, students could offer and share their solutions in a variety of formats, such as videos, Prezis, slideshows, web pages or even that old technology called posters.
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