<p>Really great</p>
<p>*Khan</p>
<p>And Sal is the best!</p>
<p>I wasn’t able to catch the whole story, but honestly, I was kind of disappointed with this story. There’s a lot of valid criticism of Khan Academy, but they seemed to just brush it off Sal Khan refuting something that’s not really a big deal. For starters, I’d be uncomfortable with basing a curriculum off those videos where Khan learned the content from Wikipedia shortly before making them.</p>
<p>Also, I don’t see how any of his ideas are innovative. Flipping the classroom is how all of my discussion based classes have been structured; you do the readings before class and discuss them during class. My middle school had similar math and reading software as what Khan Academy offers, where you go at your own pace and don’t proceed until you’ve mastered concepts, and teachers get data, etc. I even had short 10-15 minute videos for my lectures in my AP Physics class I took through EPGY. I might be confused as to what “innovative” means though.</p>
<p>I don’t think it is necessarily “innocative” education, but making it available to the masses for free-equalizing education is innovative, IMHO. I wish DS had utilized it to self-study topics that interested him rather than work within his mediocre public school materials.</p>
<p>warbrain, i can see that you are obviously against the idea of a man going out of his way to educate millions for free. He doesn’t learn his stuff from wikipedia and then teach others about it 10-15 min later. He is very well educated in math, science, economics, and other subjects. What he is doing is charity work that is going to pay off by educating the uneducated that want to learn.</p>
<p>I fully support Khan Academy.</p>
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<p>Which videos are those? So far as I’m aware, most of the Kahn Academy videos he personally made were on math and science, and he’s well qualified to explain those topics.</p>
<p>Yes, 60 Minutes indicated not only does he have multiple degrees from MIT, but that he read numerous textbooks on topics before he recorded them. Maybe he used wiki to refresh his memory (I dont know), but that’s not the same thing as learning only from wikil</p>
<p>^ If I remember right, Khan was a double major in math/EE at MIT (and I think he also indicated participation in the USAMO in one or two videos). Given that the videos in math cover basic addition through differential equations/linear algebra, he has more then enough experience to cover those topics.</p>
<p>I like how they emphasized at least twice that Khan is a non-profit - yet Gates gave him 15 million (billion?) to develop his business. Would love to see his tax form 990.</p>
<p>Khan has degrees in math and computer science, yet he has videos on physics, chemistry, economics, history. He mentioned on in interview on the Colbert Report that he learns from wikipedia to make videos about topics he doesn’t know about.</p>
<p>And I think that what Khan is doing great, since a lot of people seem to enjoy his videos and they learn a lot from them. But there’s a lot of valid criticism out there about heavily relying on these materials in the classroom by people that I think might know what they’re talking about, like teachers for example. And 60 minutes didn’t mention anything about that. Honestly, their story about Aerosmith was more critical than this one.</p>
<p>Another great example of how the Internet is making information available to more people than ever. Knock him all you want, but this guy is making a difference to a lot of people.</p>
<p>Aerosmith Rocks!</p>
<p>My child had a difficult time learning stoichiometry from her chemistry teacher. She watched about 3 of the videos and it helped her get it. Once she went back to class she got what the teacher was trying to say.</p>
<p>I don’t know it would be the ONLY source for education, but to watch a 10 minute video that got to the heart of the matter saved her.</p>
<p>He mentioned on in interview on the Colbert Report that he learns from wikipedia to make videos about topics he doesn’t know about.</p>
<p>I think the key words in that sentence are Colbert Report</p>
<p>Salman Khan holds three degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology: a BS in mathematics, a BS in electrical engineering and computer science, and an MS in electrical engineering and computer science. He also holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.</p>
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<p>I think he is self-deprecating at times and is more than qualified to do what he does. I think it speaks well of him that he does what he does, and speaks well of Gates for supporting him.</p>
<p>Love to see the tax forms? Let google be your friend.</p>
<p>[Nonprofit</a> Report for KHAN ACADEMY INC](<a href=“http://www2.guidestar.org/organizations/26-1544963/khan-academy.aspx]Nonprofit”>http://www2.guidestar.org/organizations/26-1544963/khan-academy.aspx)</p>
<p>Sal would’ve been the first to admit the limitations of his Academy. An academy he didn’t build from his closet to raise lots of money. Given the industry investments, he could have raised beaucoup dollars through a for profit venture. </p>
<p>Gates has wasted and is wasting tons of money in education (like most everyone else) but funding Khan is not a bad idea.</p>
<p>PS Fwiw, being trained or qualified to teach the younger generations has not been high on the totem pole. Unless you confuse certification and qualifications. Most teachers in our country are generalists who earned a degree in education and not a degree in the subject they teach. Perhaps they ought to learn from Wikipedia too!</p>
<p>Thanks xiggi :). I don’t have a guidestar account set up to access Kahn’s 990 - however, many foundations with nothing to hide have their 990’s published on the Internet - my guess is he receives a big salary, tax exempt. Whether or not it matters is only an issue because 60 mins. made it one. Is he much different than Sylvan except for social media and more advanced computer technology?</p>
<p>Khan videos have been a source of help or just to answer a question on several occassions in several math and science topics. It offers another type of learning. I often think my son would have learned much better in this type of concept.</p>
<p>Khan Academy is getting more brain:</p>
<p>[Craig</a> Silverstein, Google’s First Employee, Departs for Khan Academy - International Business Times](<a href=“http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/296139/20120209/craig-silverstein-first-google-employee-khan-academy.htm]Craig”>http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/296139/20120209/craig-silverstein-first-google-employee-khan-academy.htm)</p>
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<p>Give the guy the Nobel prize and be done with it. I recommend his programming all the time as a supplement to school based math and other instruction and for nearly everyone I recommend it, it provides the sort of paced, structured, clarity that most people need in math. It is not EPGY but the higher level lectures are great for kids who are attending schools with math teachers who did not go to MIT… Is he any less qualified to teach math then someone with a BA in Elementary Education who hated math themselves in school (which I dare say describes a fair number of elementary school teachers)? Give me a break…like there is something oh so precious about elementary (or secondary) math or science instruction in the U.S.??</p>
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<p>Right, because an MIT comp sci/math major wouldn’t know physics or chemistry. LOL…I think he’s qualified to teach AP chem or physics–even if taking chemistry and physics (mechanics & Electricity/magnetism) as a freshman wasn’t required by everyone at MIT. Also, I will add that comp sci. majors at MIT in the 90’s were required to take a core class in circuits and possibly more classes on the EE side as electives, so I would expect Kahn to be even more proficient in applied physics than a typical mit grad.</p>
<p>As for economics, those are very popular classes at MIT to take since they count toward the extensive humanities requirement (8 classes.) So presumably Kahn has taken one or more of those classes.</p>
<p>While the 60 minutes special concentrated on how the Kahn Academy helps kids who are having trouble in school, I think it also helps kids who are “gifted.” Many “gifted” kids are jerked around in the public school districts in an attempt to slow them down enough so that they fit in the mainstream. I didn’t learn math in school for 4 years when I was in elementary school as the public school system tried various ways to slow me down. And I lived in an affluent area. They refused to even provide me with textbooks for me to learn on my own. For me, the best thing about the kahn Academy is that it takes the power away from the school district and puts it in the hands of parents. Because, by-and-large, I don’t think that the public school system has used that power responsibly, especially when dealing with “gifted” kids.</p>