The Cognition and Technology Group (http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/ltc/general/ltcproj.html) at Vanderbilt University developed Jasper as a computer software program on laserdisc and CD-ROM. The program incorporates constructivist thinking and generative learning techniques. The webpage, "Jasper in More Detail" gives this account of Jasper: "The Jasper series is based on the assumption that thinking is enhanced by access to powerful concepts and not simply through access to a general set of thinking skills"(http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/projects/funded/jasper/theory/
theory.html). Larry Koelper of John Carroll University found that the Jasper program challenges learners by controlling the environment for the students, which then leads into "discussion, argumentation, and generative activities that are much more than the traditional passive learning activities"(http://143.105.24.3/educatio/shapiro/
ed586/larry/critique.htm). The software presents a visual story of an adventure that leads to questions and problem solving. Many of the problems presented require collaborative efforts. Because of the technology, the students are enabled to go back and review the story as many times as they need. The generative techniques used enable the students to engage in a high-level transfer of knowledge to the real world.

Jasper is a set of twelve videodiscs that incorporate stories of adventures that are designed to help students in the fifth grade and up. It was originally designed for mathematics. However, this instructional design could be transferred and adapted in other disciplines. Jasper was conceived in 1989 by John Bransford at Vanderbilt. He took two groups of students and asked one group to read and remember only the facts; the other group, he asked to read and remember things as if they were going to take a trip down the Amazon River. Later, he found that the group that was the "facts oriented" had remembered less than the group that was "problem oriented," for they had thought of things like water and how much things would weigh. Bransford then tested 534 students throughout one school year. He found that the Jasper students (more than 40%) had done much better than the others. This seemed to bring about the idea that real life knowledge is retained much longer. Hence, the idea of using constructivism to transfer knowledge to real things.

Constructivism is defined on the web as when a person has to construct his or her own interpretations of what they see (http://www.uib.no/People/sinia/CSCL/). People will not learn directly from other people. That is, there is no knowledge transfer between people. This usually involves more experimentation. When someone experiments, that person usually constructs his or her own reality of knowledge. Instruction within the constructivist paradigm typically involves active learning, peer tutoring, collaborative learning, and situating cognitive experiences in authentic activities. Constructivism recognizes learning as the process of constructing meaning about, or making sense of, our experiences. Many of these qualities of constructivism are usually not found in the standard classroom, especially in post-secondary education levels. Nevertheless, the qualities can be found within innovative classrooms among students and teachers alike with the initiative and motivation to make it work. This enables collaborative learning in distance education that points to a more constructivist approach. For example, students online can take experiences that they have had and integrate them with new ones. Then, students can share these experiences with other students. Relating these things to others via email and chat while being monitored by the teacher can support the constructivist approach. A checklist of the multiple perspectives of constructivism employed include: student-directed goals, teachers as coaches, metacognition, learner control, authentic activities & contexts, knowledge construction, knowledge collaboration, previous knowledge constructions, problem solving, exploration, apprenticeship learning, conceptual interrelatedness, alternative viewpoints, scaffolding, and primary sources ofdata (http://calvin.stemnet.nf.ca/
~elmurphy/emurphy/cle5d.html).

Several features in the Jasper program help students construct their own knowledge. Each one influences the other. Some of the features include video-based format which makes complex math problem solving accessible to students who have difficulty reading; narratives with realistic problems that makes information easier to remember and makes math and reasoning relevant to everyday events; a generative format that teaches the student to find and define the problem to be solved and provides opportunity for use of reasoning skills; embedded data design that motivates students to find relevant data and gives all the students the necessary data for the problem; problem complexity that helps the student deal with complexity; pairs of related adventures which creates discussion and helps clarify what can be transferred and what cannot; and links across the curriculum that helps extend mathematical thinking skills to other subject areas. (referenced fromhttp://143.105.24.3/
educatio/shapiro/ed586/larry/critique.htm)

Jasper further exposes three paradigms of learning. First, is that which is contrasted to the anchored instruction approach. It does not provide opportunities for the students to find and formulate problems on their own. This is very similar to the standard "read and regurgitate" approach. The second paradigm is structured problem solving. This method has the teacher guide the student through a few different plans to solve the problem. The teacher's guidance minimizes errors and confusion on the part of the student. This is also required on the part of constructivist teaching. The third paradigm of instruction is the guided generative style. This is the primary paradigm used in the Jasper program. This third model uses constructivist scaffolding which is built up to support and assist the learners, students and teachers alike, in growing skills for problem posing, solving and reasoning. (referenced from http://143.105.24.3/educatio/shapiro/ed586/larry/critique.htm)

Many students that learn using Jasper fair much better than they would have in traditional settings. It helps eliminate that intimidation feeling from sitting next to the student that always gets an A. Many students' comment that it is fun to watch and participate compared to reading a book. It also adds an element of prestige and self-confidence to a student's character.

Books describing the Jasper Project (http://www.erlbaum.com/2517.htm) in more detail are available through the Erlbaum Associates Website (http://www.erlbaum.com/index.htm). In addition, John T. Bruer wrote a book called Schools for Thought that eventually became "The Adventures of Jasper Woodbury."

Jim Bunnell
james_bunnell@hotmail.com
diamondback@netscape.net