Amidon Planet E145: How Puzzles Bring People Together (w/ Jeff Wanko)
What if puzzles were about more than finding answers?
In this episode, I talk with Dr. Jeff Wanko, Dean of the College of Education and Health Sciences at Bradley University, about how puzzles create opportunities for both community and reasoning. While puzzles are often viewed as individual challenges, Jeff shares how they can become powerful experiences that bring people together around curiosity, conversation, and shared problem solving.
We explore how puzzles encourage learners to explain their thinking, test ideas, listen to others, and make sense of complex situations. Along the way, we discuss why productive struggle can strengthen both understanding and relationships, and how puzzles help create spaces where everyone has an opportunity to contribute.
Whether you’re a teacher, leader, or simply someone who enjoys a good challenge, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on what happens when people think together. Plus, the Physical Media of the Episode, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King.
Enjoy!
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Connected Mathematics Project at Michigan State University
Service, Teaching, & Research (STaR) in Mathematics Education: Supporting Early Career Professionals
Games World of Puzzles Magazine
