Cyberchase

Cyberchase
Format	Animated television series Education
Created by	WNET
Directed by	Larry Jacobs Jason Groh
Starring	Christopher Lloyd as The Hacker Gilbert Gottfried as Digit Jacqueline Pillon Novie Edwards Annick Obonsawin Linda Ballantyne Richard Binsley Len Carlson Phil Williams Robert Tinkler Kristina Nicoll Bianca DeGroat Matthew A. Wilson
Country of origin	United States Canada
No. of seasons	8
No. of episodes	94 (List of episodes)
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Production company(s)	Nelvana Flying Minds Title Entertainment WNET 2007-2012
Broadcast
Original channel	PBS Kids (January 21, 2002-October 10, 2004) PBS Kids GO! (October 11, 2004-present)
Picture format	480i (SDTV)
Original run	January 21, 2002 – July 23, 2010

Cyberchase is an American/Canadian educational television series for children age 7–13 that teaches children discrete mathematics. The series takes place in Cyberspace, a virtual world, and chronicles the adventures of three children, Jackie, Inez, and Matt, as they use math and problem solving skills to save Cyberspace and its leader, Motherboard, from The Hacker, the villain. Cyberchase has received generally positive reviews and won numerous awards. Thirteen/WNET New York and Nelvana produced the first five seasons, while Thirteen, in association with Title Entertainment, Inc. and WNET.ORG, produced seasons six through eight. The show airs on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and PBS Kids GO! in the United States. All episodes (season 1-8) have been released free on the Cyberchase Website. Since July 2010, Cyberchase has been put on hiatus, but was announced that starting in November, Cyberchase will be revived and start airing new episodes with its 9th season.

Plot

See also: List of Cyberchase episodes and List of Cyberchase characters

The show stars three Earth mathematician children—Jackie, Matt and Inez—and Digit, a bird-like cyborg. The series takes place in Cyberspace, the electronic medium of computer networks, in which online communication takes place, with planet-like bodies called "Cybersites", which are based on locations such as Ancient Egypt, the American Old West, mythological Greece, and Carnival. The guardian of all Cyberspace is Motherboard; her repairman is Dr. Marbles. The three kids and Digit use their math and problem solving skills to stop the evil deeds of the Hacker, a villain who breaks into Motherboard and her networks, and his two cyborg henchmen, Buzz and Delete.

Each Cyberchase episode is followed by "Cyberchase For Real", a live-action educational supplement linking concepts learned in the show to real life experiences. The actors Bianca DeGroat and Harry Matthew A. Wilson are in their thirties, but amusingly act in a manner similar to the age of the target audience. "For Real" is produced by WNET in and around New York City after production is completed on the animated segments. These "For Real" segments are broadcast exclusively on PBS in the United States where the program runs longer and fill the time gap where there might be breaks for commercials. Some "For Real" segments can also be viewed online. As of September 17, 2012, "Oh Noah!", shorts that teach kids to speak Spanish, have replaced the "For Real" segments.

History

According to the Website, Motherboard(sometimes referred to as Mother B.)is the "Brain of the giant computer system that oversees all of Cyberspace. Her technician computer scientist, Dr. Marbles, keeps her functioning properly. Dr. Marbles creates Hacker as an assistant, but Hacker turns against Motherboard. Digit is the assistant to The Hacker and watches as Hacker steals the Encryptor Chip. He eventually escapes Hacker, after Dr. Marbles banishes Hacker to the Northern Frontier

Educational philosophy

Cyberchase aims to show kids that math is everywhere and everyone can be good at it. The series encourages viewers to see, think, and do mathematics in their world. The show and supporting activities have been designed to support math education and reflect the curriculum standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The show’s philosophy is to foster enthusiasm for math, to model mathematic reasoning, to help children improve their problem-solving skills and to inspire all children to approach math with confidence and a "can-do" attitude.

Reception

Critical response

The series has had a generally positive response.

On the site common sense media, the show was for ages 5 and up and rated 4/5 stars. The reviewer, Joly Herman, commented that "the adventures aren't scary, violent, or sexually inappropriate" but "require fortitude and brain power". Proposed discussion points sprouting from the series include "Can your child take the skills learned in each episode and figure out how to apply it to everyday life?" Herman noted that the only downside was that the adventures did not take place in the "real world" but added that the "For Real" segments solved this problem. The show was given a rating of 3/5 smiley faces under the "The Good Stuff" section.

Carey Bryson of About.com gave the show a rating of 4/5 stars. Bryson noted that the series' explanations of "simple mathematical idea[s]" are "usually explained well and woven throughout the story in a fun and interesting way". The review commended the series for its accessibility: "Children can easily learn from the example in the cartoon story" and praised the "Cyberchase For Real segment that follows each episode". Citing an example from the series using codes, Bryson explained how the show could be used to expand upon the curriculum: "Not only did [her five-year-old] learn about codes, but she also got in a ton of spelling practice". Bryson commended the series: "Educationally, Cyberchase delivers".

Awards

Cyberchase has been nominated for five Daytime Emmys and won in 2007 in the Outstanding Broadband Program category. Cyberchase also won a CINE Golden Eagle in 2006.

Year	Category	Recipient(s)	Result
2007	Outstanding Broadband Program - Children's		Won
2008	Outstanding New Approaches - Children's		Nominated
	Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program	Christopher Lloyd	Nominated
2009	Outstanding New Approaches - Daytime Children's		Nominated
2012	Outstanding New Approaches - Daytime Children's		Nominated

^2007 Outstanding Broadband Program nominees : Frances Nankin, Sandra Sheppard, Ellen Doherty, Jill Peters, Bob Morris, Suzanne Rose, Michelle Chen, Elizabeth Hummer, Arash Hoda, Anthony Chapman, David Hirmes, Bianca DeGroat, Matthew A. Wilson, George Arthur Bloom
^2008 Outstanding New Approaches nominees : Sandra Sheppard, Frances Nankin, Ellen Doherty, Jill Peters, David Hirmes, Kelly Lafferty, Michelle Chen, Tanner Vea, Bob Morris, Matthew A. Wilson
^2009 Outstanding New Approaches nominees : Sandra Sheppard, Frances Nankin, Ellen Doherty, David Hirmes, Tanner Vea, Denyse Ouellette, Gilbert Gottfried, Philip Williams, Robert Tinkler
^2012 Outstanding New Approaches nominees : Frances Nankin, Sandra Sheppard, Jill Peters, Marj Kleinman, Ellen Doherty, Kristin DiQuollo, Michelle Chen

External links

• Studies on Cyberchase on Informalscience.org
• PBS Kids: Cyberchase Official Site
• Cyberchase Parents and Teacher Website—lessons, video, and tools to teach math.