The Jasper Project is a teaching tool that utilizes various methods of delivery and uses a problem-solving approach to teaching mathematics. Additionally this project helps demonstrate the need to master the skills being taught and shows how these skills are applicable to life.

It has been shown through many studies that many students learn kinesthetically by doing. Students sometimes have difficulty learning when they do not have the questions of how and why these skills are necessary answered for them.

"The Adventures of Jasper Woodbury" was developed by the Cognition and Technology Group, a department of Vanderbilt University. It was developed for use in classrooms for grades five through eight.

The Jasper Project consists of various media in which to deliver the content including video, written materials and computer-based materials. The media is effective in providing the instruction due to the design of the program. The Jasper Project is a story or adventure that challenges the students to learn mathematics techniques and combines the math skills with other academic areas.

There are 12 video discs in the series. Each video disc holds an adventure which runs about 17 minutes long. Additionally, problem solving skills are taught from the disc as well. Students are able to go to sections of the disc for review and reinforcement as well as reference. A list and description of the adventures is available ate the web sitehttp://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/projects/funded/jasper/
preview/AdvJW.html At the end of each adventure the learned is challenged to sole a problem based on the video that they have just seen.

This format is unique as it utilizes problem solving, reasoning and communications skills as well as helping the students make connections between the skills that they are using and the applicability of the skills in their every day life. Also, the program incorporates learning objectives from other academic disciplines including social studies, science, literature and history. Data needed to solve the problems is provided to the students within the story being presented. The math problems require the solution to many other math problems in order to solve the adventure.

The Jasper Project also includes options that the teachers and students can use to enhance the learning experience. This includes technical support, training materials for teachers and the SMART Challenge Series. The SMART Challenge Series is the Special Multimedia Arenas for Refining Thinking. The Smart Challenge Series puts students and teachers in touch with other students and teachers who are working on the same challenges in the "Adventures of Jasper Woodbury." This gives the students an opportunity to discover what other students are doing as well as allowing teachers to learn how others are incorporating the Jasper Project into their teaching.

Students who have used the Jasper Project have more self-confidence in performing mathematics tasks. This is due to the motivational factor that the Jasper Project encourages as well as the fun aspect of the project. Additionally, by linking the mathematics skills with real life tasks, the students are able to see the applicability of the skills to their life experiences. Students have performed as well as or better than other students who have not been exposed to the Jasper Project on standardized tests.

I believe that the Jasper Project is an exciting method of teaching. Particularly I find it encouraging that the applicability and the worth of knowing the skills are emphasized.

For more information, visit:

http://www.erlbaum.com/2517.htm
http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/GPC/Jasper.html
http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/projects/funded/jasper/jasperhome.html