Khan Academy: A Minion's Viewpoint

Being touted among many successful users of Khan Academy as a revolutionary in mathematics education, Salman Khan, the creator of KA, could be best described as a visionary who has taken the idea of the classroom lecture and “flipped” it. The “flipped classroom” concept (lectures/practice at home and problem solving with peers in the classroom) and the development of the Khan Academy wasn’t the initial intent of Sal Khan when he first began developing videos to help his cousin, Nadia, with math homework in 2004.¹ (Sal’s explanation of how he got started can be found in this TED talk video.)² Instead, Sal Khan quit his job at a hedge fund when the videos became wildly popular on YouTube and after getting recognition and financial support by major backers like Ann Doerr and Bill Gates, who announced Khan was his “favorite teacher” at the Aspen Ideas Festival.³ The idea quickly expanded into the now widely admired, (yet somewhat criticized among staunch educators) site which was officially founded in 2008. The academy’s mission statement which, in part, states a goal of “changing education for the better” and a “free world-class education for anyone anywhere” has drawn over 10 million users per month since 2012, and has provided 350 million lessons using adaptive features.⁴

Exactly what the academy has to offer students, coaches, and teachers as educational resources come in three different categories. First, the library of over 5,000 instructional videos provides information over a variety of Math, Science, Economics, Finance, History, and Art topics.

Second, using adaptive, interactive software, students have access to interactive exercises based upon their level of skill.

Additionally, based on each user’s previous site interactions, KA also provides a guided learning experience which helps direct students to lessons appropriate for their learning needs using a dashboard with real-time performance data. All the resources are provided free of charge to any user and are mostly targeted toward pre- and post-secondary students, teachers, coaches, and even adults in need of refresher exercises. Khan Academy encourages use of their resources in a best fit situation for the user’s needs, however, the main areas of use generally fall into school or after school programs (integrated with the curriculum), as a supplemental resource for students, or as a test prep for both students and adults.

With a full-time staff of 52 employees, and looking to hire more, Khan Academy boasts computer science engineers, software engineers, international relations personnel, educators, web designers, and even a happiness coach. Additionally, the team utilizes the services of over 13,000 volunteers to assist with translations and developing exercises to compliment instructional videos. Because the academy is non-profit, funds from Google, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ann & John Doerr, Reed Hastings, the O’Sullivan Foundation, the Valhalla Charitable Foundation, and the Broad Foundation are used to support the mission and goals of the academy as well as provide salaries for hired employees.⁵

Upon first visit, navigating the site might seem daunting, however starting with an overview of how to use the features in a video presentation by Sal Khan himself, might prove to be very useful in maneuvering through the many offerings.⁶ Users may choose to search the site without creating a profile by entering keywords which would generate links to videos and exercise examples related to the selected topic.

For example, entering “linear equations” in the search field would yield results categorized by topic, video, and skill.

However, the most effective way to utilize the academy’s offerings is by signing up as a free user, and establishing a profile by completing suggested activities.

After each completed activity, statistics will be generated in the user’s dashboard and will reflect the number of earned and possible badges, an activity graph to show daily progress, a graph to show topics and skills of focus, and a list of skills attempted and completed to mastery. In addition to the being able to practice math skills, users can join community discussions, practice writing computer programs, and even locate coaches within their area who are using Khan Academy in their schools or classrooms.

With all the various features constructed to assist practically “anyone anywhere”, however, according to some educational specialists, there remains the missing element of instructional design and pedagogy in the video presentations. In a criticism posted in 2012 on Ed Tech Researcher, Justin Reich sounds off about how the instructional videos teach only procedural mathematics and not the concepts students need for full understanding.⁷ Additionally, Reich mentions the spoof created by two Grand Valley State Professors who openly bash Sal Khan for errors and sketchy information provided during a video presentation of multiplying positive and negative integers.⁸ Other noted educators, including educational historian, Diane Ravitch, weighed in on Khan Academy’s approach after reading a Washington Post critique written by a former math teacher, Karim Kai Ani. In the article, Ani states, “…the videos aren’t very good”, citing the same issue the Grand Valley State professors had with lack of conceptual instruction as well as an admitted lack of preparation on Khan’s behalf.⁹ Ravitch’s blog post following the Post article summed up her thoughts toward the academy and how the nation’s educational system tends to “jump on bandwagons and adopt the latest fad and new thing”. ¹⁰

Although the critics have been seemingly harsh toward the methods of Sal Khan’s teachings, most seem to agree the videos are a good resource for reinforcement, especially for students who have had concepts introduced in the classroom, but needed more practice. Even Eric Bean, a coach/volunteer for the Khan Academy, recognizes the need for a more structural approach to the lessons, but gives them credit for being useful for practice and strengthening skills. ¹¹ Additionally, the criticisms the academy has received haven’t been overlooked by Khan, many of which Sal himself posted replies or comments welcoming opposing viewpoints so efforts could be put forth toward improving the videos and other offerings.¹²

One might conclude the statement made by Gates alone might persuade even the staunchest of critics to give a nod in the direction of Sal’s work, but the praise lauded from users who have experienced success after using the program seems to have been the greatest voice for advocacy.¹³ From adults returning to school, to students trying to boost ACT/SAT scores, to elementary school students, story after story of success and gratitude have been expressed on the academy’s site, as well as through comments posted following articles written by critics such as Ravitch, Bean, and Ani. Even online sources for evaluating educational materials such as Common Sense Media gave the academy a 4 out of 5 star ranking stating it’s a “solid resource to supplement classroom instruction on basic math skills”.¹⁴
PCMag.com also gave a review stating the site was “impressive” and “free and open to all”.¹⁵

Having read extensive information from both critics and proponents, and also having created a personal profile on the Khan Academy site, the good (solid reinforcement, adaptive assessments, practice skills) seems to outweigh the bad (some lack of methodology and pedagogy) in terms of the benefits received. Additionally, with the type of support bolstering the academy’s efforts and the team of experts dedicated to making the academy an effective learning tool, the future of Khan Academy and what it can provide its users seems boundless and exceedingly positive.

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[1] https://www.khanacademy.org/talks-and-interviews/other-features/v/overview-of-khanacademy-org^↩

[2] http://youtu.be/nTFEUsudhfs">Salman Khan: Let's use video to reinvent education^↩

[3] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A07Pj71TUA&feature=youtu.be^↩

[4] http://khanacademy.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/441307-press-room^↩

[5] https://www.khanacademy.org/careers^↩

[6] https://www.khanacademy.org/talks-and-interviews/other-features/v/overview-of-khanacademy-org^↩

[7]http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/edtechresearcher/2012/06/dont_use_khan_academy_without_watching_mmt2k_first.html^↩

[8]http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/edtechresearcher/2012/06/dont_use_khan_academy_without_watching_mmt2k_first.html^↩

[9] http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/khan-academy-the-hype-and-the-reality/2012/07/23/gJQAuw4J3W_blog.html^↩

[10] http://dianeravitch.net/2012/07/23/math-teacher-debunks-khan-academy^↩

[11] http://www.tonybates.ca/2012/03/14/a-short-critique-of-the-khan-academy^↩

[12] http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/sal-khan-responds-to-critic/2012/07/25/gJQA83rW9W_blog.html^↩

[13] https://www.khanacademy.org/stories^↩

[14] http://www.commonsensemedia.org/website-reviews/khan-academy^↩

[15] http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2397123,00.asp^↩

Kid Friendly Search Engines

I, like most my students, tend to default to using Google anytime I need to begin finding information about practically anything the mind can conceive. However, working with younger students in an elementary setting, the vast array of information a Google search generates can be both daunting and sometimes inappropriate for younger audiences. Nonetheless, with a little research, I was able to find ones I felt were worthy enough to bookmark for students to use in our school library.

Maintained by librarians, Kidsclick! is a search engine and site directory where kids can search by topic or browse by keyword(s). In addition, the site provides resources for facing issues such as bullying or death, homework helpers, and fun activities. I personally found the layout and design to be slightly primitive; however the simplicity may be part of the ease of use for younger audiences. I was impressed with the number of resources available through the broad topic searches, yet when using more specific keyword searches, the resources were limited. Grades K-3 would likely benefit most from use of this free site, no login required site.

Provided by the Family Information Network, Fact Monster is an enormous source for kids needing to search for information, get help with homework, keep up with current events or learn historical events, and even take polls or quizzes. A dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, and almanac are searchable by keyword, and all other features are categorized by topic or area of interest. I have used this site before with my students when researching topics assigned by their teachers, and many have reported using it at home for the homework helper section. Topics are appropriate for up to grade 8, and there is no site fee or login required.

Geared toward the slightly older kids in middle and high school, Sweet Search pulls information from 35,000 pre-screened resources which have been reviewed by researchers, teachers, and librarians to ensure accuracy. However, deep dives can lead students to op-eds or other articles with less credibility, which sometimes comes with the territory of a search engine for older audiences. (Thus, the skills of learning how to filter information for quality remains important for students to exercise when gathering research.) I personally felt the search results could have been more useful if there had been a one or two sentence descriptor for each result, and also felt the home page layout was a bit lackluster. Plus, when I searched the word “giraffe”, some of the results included graphic stories of a giraffe being killed at a zoo, so some content or images may be disturbing. There is no charge for the site, and no login is required.

Called the “Librarian of the Internet”, Finding Dulcinea is an online resource for middle school students providing both original site content and trustworthy, expert reviewed external links covering topics such as history, science, technology, health, and even how to conduct web research. To help students with learning how to site information, source information is provided with each article, and the content isn’t too difficult for a middle school reader to understand. Additionally, this site allows blog posts which use a language filter, and articles can be shared through social media sites. Out of the sites reviewed, this one was one of my favorites.

Powered by Google, Kid Rex is the elementary student’s version; however the results are filtered using Google SafeSearch technology using their own database of inappropriate keywords and websites help eliminate inappropriate results. In addition, there’s a page for parents with an overview of how the site works as well as a way to report sites which may have “fallen through the cracks”. The site works as easily as the “older” Google search engine, but if inappropriate terms are entered, and “Oops, try again!” message is displayed. Again, this search engine is also free of charge.

Wolfram Alpha is not a search engine, but instead a source which uses data to collect information and arrive at a specific answer to a user’s question. Each question must be phrased with quantifiable words such as “what”, “where”, “how many”, and “when” instead of “why” because the answers are based on information housed in the Wolfram Alpha database. Results can be given in the form of text, diagrams, or images which can be shared on social networking sites. Additionally, because not all questions can be answered factually, some users may become frustrated, and the language seems to be written for a more mature audience. However, when needing to find a quick answer to a question, as long as it’s found within the database, Wolfram Alpha can provide even reluctant readers with multiple formats of an answer. The service is free to use, and also includes a community forum and blog, although there is a charge for Wolfram Alpha Pro.

Instructions for Inserting Links and Images Using HTML Code

I learned today how to insert links and add images using HTML code, so I wanted to write a post which included a link to Dr. Strange's video for adding links and breaking code in case I needed it later to refresh my memory.
You can access the video by clicking here.
I also learned how to insert code for starting a new line. Below is an image I uploaded showing instructions.

Thoughts on Plagiarism

As educators, it is essential we equip students with the necessary skills for success, and one very important skill which must be effectively communicated to students as well as teachers and parents, is knowing how to avoid academic cheating, or plagiarism. Before becoming a media specialist, I taught 8th grade for 17 years, and in my experience, I observed students committing academic fraud not necessarily because they wanted to cheat, but simply because they did not know they were doing something wrong. Therefore, I feel it is our job as educators to ensure students know at an early age what constitutes plagiarism, and the ways to avoid it. I feel the best deterrents for committing plagiarism are introducing students in elementary school to examples of cheating, showing them how to appropriately cite resources, and then continuing the process consistently throughout their academic careers. Educators must also emphasize the ramifications of being caught as well so students understand there are consequences which might cause significant damage to a student's future. As a media specialist in an elementary school, I feel an even larger sense of responsibility to the learning community to communicate the importance of avoiding plagiarism, and to provide teachers with the tools they need to effectively safeguard their students from committing fraudulent academic activity. Additionally, I feel a positive learning climate, strong parental support, and a commitment to promoting positive self images among students goes a long way in helping them make the right decisions related to being responsible learners.

Digital Story-Christmas BINGO at the Wilsons