Jasper Issues

The issue that I believe the Jasper materials are responding to is the inability of students to tackle and solve complex mathematical problems. Many students are taught only the basics of mathematics - just enough to get them through the next standardized test. Many students also struggle with word problems, and I believe that as a result of this, teachers may reduce the complexity of the questions and try to teach a simple way to solve them, rather than trying to teach differently.

The Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt, makers of the Jasper Series, noted the following:

The types of activities of learning activities that we want our materials to support are consistent with recommendations suggested by NCTM Commission on Standards for School Mathematics (1989). The NCTM's suggestions for changes in classroom activities include more emphasis on complex, open-ended problem solving, communication, and reasoning; more connections from mathematics to other subjects and to the workd outside the classroom; more uses of calculators and powerful computer-based tools such as spreadsheets and graphing programs for exploring relationships (as opposed to having students spend an inordinate amount of time calculating by hand) (GTGV, 1992a, p. 68).
I agree that this is an issue, because it is one that I face as an instructor in Adult Basic Education. Many students come into our program with negative memories from math in grade and high school. Even though many have matured and are now ready to learn on their own terms, word problems in math can still be a stumbling block. Additionally, in the materials that we use, word problems are presented in very simple fashion, with no more than two steps involved, and they are almost always related to the section that the students are currently working in (for example, addition of decimals).

Reference

Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt (1992a). The Jasper experiment: An exploration of issues in learning and instructional design. Educational technology, Research and Development, 40(1), 65-80.