The Khan Academy
http://www.khanacademy.org
Age Range: 11 and up (Approximately middle school through high school and beyond; some young children may enjoy aspects of these presentations that range from the fairly simple to quite complex.)
A big THANK YOU to ClickScholar Mary Burns for suggesting this website whose creator has set the heartfelt goal to provide a world-class education to everyone for free. The brainchild of Salmon Khan (whose background is in math, computer science, and investment management), this non-profit virtual school provides over 1000 videos via YouTube covering:
- Arithmetic
- Algebra
- Biology
- Calculus
- Chemistry
- Differential Equations
- Geometry
- Finance
- Physics
- Probability
- SAT Preparation
- Statistics
- Trigonometry
You’ll also find informative courses in Banking, the Credit Crisis, Venture Capital, Investing, Economics – and there are even challenging Brain Teasers!
When you get to the site, scroll down the page to get to the extensive menu of video lessons. Click on any lesson and the YouTube page opens where the video begins to play. Because the videos are on YouTube (with its random ads and commentary), PARENTS, AS ALWAYS, SHOULD PREVIEW AND SUPERVISE to determine suitability of content.
Mary wrote, “I’ve looked at ‘Introduction to the Atom,’ (under Chemistry) that was about 25 minutes long. Mr. Khan explains the concepts while he illustrates with a light pen (like you’re looking at a chalkboard). It was very engaging and easy to watch.”
Testimonials at the site convey students’ enthusiasm for this approach. I usually don’t quote extensive text from websites, but Mr. Khan’s explanations for his style of teaching is worth noting verbatim:
“I teach the way that I wish I was taught. …Viewers know that it is the labor of love of one somewhat quirky and determined man who has a passion for learning and teaching. I don’t think any corporate or governmental effort–regardless of how much money is thrown at the problem–can reproduce this.”
He goes on, “A lot of my own educational experience was spent frustrated with how information was conveyed in textbooks and lectures. There would be connections in the subject matter that standard curricula would ignore despite the fact that they make the content easier to understand, enjoy, and RETAIN. I felt like fascinating and INTUITIVE concepts were almost intentionally being butchered into pages and pages of sleep-inducing text and monotonic, scripted lectures. I saw otherwise intelligent peers memorizing steps and formulas for the next exam without any sense of the intuition or big picture, only to forget everything within a matter of weeks. These videos are my expression of how the concepts should have been expressed in the first place, all while not compromising rigor or comprehensiveness.”
Based on the videos I reviewed at the site, Mr. Khan is succeeding in his mission. In addition to the instructional videos, visitors can log in and do problems online for further practice and comprehension. The program keeps track of your work and indicates what you’ve mastered and what needs more work.
The video lessons are just part of Khan’s much larger vision to build software covering the topics in the videos as well as simulation games to provide applied understanding of the concepts. Bookmark this site, you’ll want to return often as they add new material.
This website earns a ClickSchooling Award (CSAW) for excellence in using technology to deliver a better, more meaningful education to everyone for free.
