Khan Academy - A completely free online education on any topic

Khan Academy - A completely free online education on any topic - using video to reinvent education.
They are not accredited courses of course, but still have been clicked on over 9 million times.

Salman Khan on CNN

Watch. Practice. Learn almost anything for free. With a library of over 2,400 videos covering everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history and 180 practice exercises, we're on a mission to help you learn what you want, when you want, at your own pace.

Salman Khan talk at TED 2011


Salman Khan: Let's use video to reinvent education
www.ted.com...

How Khan Academy Is Changing the Rules of Education
www.wired.com...

some of his fans believe that Khan has stumbled onto the secret to solving education’s middle-of-the-class mediocrity. Most notable among them is Bill Gates, whose foundation has invested $1.5 million in Khan’s site. “I’d been looking for something like this—it’s so important,” Gates says. Khan’s approach, he argues, shows that education can truly be customized, with each student getting individualized help when needed.

The founder of the organization, Salman Khan, was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana.[3] After earning 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 pursued an MBA from Harvard Business School. In late 2004, Khan began tutoring his cousin Nadia in mathematics using Yahoo!'s Doodle notepad. When other relatives and friends sought similar help, he decided it would be more practical to distribute the tutorials on YouTube en.wikipedia.org...

His videos helped me get through pre-calculus in college last year. Pretty cool stuff. However, when I asked my professor what she thought of the Khan Academy videos, she said he made a lot of mistakes, and if you aren't careful you'll wind up making those mistakes as well.

I found it useful just being able to rewind and play over confusing math topics, hearing him explain the same thing over and over, sort of drilling the stuff into my head. That would be difficult in a classroom setting, when everyone else is ready to move on.

All in all, I recommend his vids on trigonometry to anyone struggling with the subject. Just be sure to check everything yourself. We all make mistakes.

But we need government for educashun.

Right guys? Right?

*Great post OP. The Khan academy is amazing. It is such a profound thing.

reply to post by newcovenant


I've gone through a few lessons after a friend recommended them to me. It really is thorough and makes so much more sense in comparison to what I've learned through my practical education. Seriously, everyone should check these videos out.

Thanks. Maybe he has better way of explaining Algebra. Those graphs are hurting me.

I don't like you have to signup with google or facebook though.

Originally posted by ZeroReady
However, when I asked my professor what she thought of the Khan Academy videos, she said he made a lot of mistakes, and if you aren't careful you'll wind up making those mistakes as well.

Your professor is probably the last person you should ask about the Khan Academy. It is absolutely in her best interest to lie about the Khan Academy and exaggerate any errors she thinks they may have made.

If things keeps up, things like the Academy will put professors like yours out of a job. In the future, there will be a small number of excellent professors that will dominate the video lecture/internet courses.

*Did she point out any specific errors that you would be able to link us to? Or was she just kinda throwing it out there? "He made alot of mistakes..."

this is really cool im gonna study some stuff and then go challenge some college students to see if they like paying money out the butt for something i learned for free! we can start a movement for internet classes to save the world a lil money

I'm always for self empowerment and education, things like this make me smile. Thanks OP for the thread.

Originally posted by ZeroReady
His videos helped me get through pre-calculus in college last year. Pretty cool stuff. However, when I asked my professor what she thought of the Khan Academy videos, she said he made a lot of mistakes, and if you aren't careful you'll wind up making those mistakes as well.

I found it useful just being able to rewind and play over confusing math topics, hearing him explain the same thing over and over, sort of drilling the stuff into my head. That would be difficult in a classroom setting, when everyone else is ready to move on.

All in all, I recommend his vids on trigonometry to anyone struggling with the subject. Just be sure to check everything yourself. We all make mistakes.

Thanks for responding and with very good advice. This seemed like such a great idea I just posted it here and forgot about it or I'd have responded quicker. Glad to discover that for you at least the positive features outweighed the negative. I suppose in any education there is going to be the possibility for some error in information presented. Teachers are only human but I think their very humanity, interest and concern is what makes some students do better than others or what makes some people excel.

I see a world where there are no teachers or physical schools and all our education is online like this. I don't like that world AT ALL, yet people call me liberal and progressive. Not so much. I think it is a very bad step to remove humanity from the world. If we are going in that direction which it appears we are - I think special steps must be taken to re-integrate social contact and humanity back into our daily lives. Hey online education and saving travel time etc should allow us to spend more quality time with our families. There is a plus.
Again...appreciate you taking the time to comment. Excellent information and I thank you for including it here.

Originally posted by Exuberant1
But we need government for educashun.

Right guys? Right?

*Great post OP. The Khan academy is amazing. It is such a profound thing.

Thank you very much. I think it is a great thing and when I saw it on FOX News I was astounded.
I think you will like my post explaining the space elevator.... It is futuristic, new and positive too.

I meant to start a thread but only added to a post from 2003. Yes 2003.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by Resonant
reply to post by newcovenant

 

I've gone through a few lessons after a friend recommended them to me. It really is thorough and makes so much more sense in comparison to what I've learned through my practical education. Seriously, everyone should check these videos out.

Cool. Thanks for responding.
I like that you can stop and start whenever you want and do everything totally on your own schedule in your own time. I imagine you would have to be very disciplined to rely on these courses for your education alone.

I think many people are just hungry for knowledge, all knowledge and soak it up.

It sets you free! And I think it is vital to even a National Interest to keep feeding our young people all the education in mathematics and the sciences that we can provide. Everyone gravitates toward the liberal arts - all good and well and personally enriching but we already have plenty of those with a basically useless skill set. Apologies and of course I take it back.... if your major is Liberal Arts!

Actually these course are ideal for people who are having trouble with a particular subject to, review and go over at your own pace and back up their formal education.

Originally posted by Manhater
Thanks. Maybe he has better way of explaining Algebra.

Those graphs are hurting me.

I don't like you have to signup with google or facebook though.

edit on 26-9-2011 by Manhater because: (no reason given)

I don't like that aspect of it either. Facebook sucks so bad lately - I think someone should contact the Winklevoss Twins and see if they might not want to give it another go?
I will sign up with them and drop FB just to prove a point.

Originally posted by Calex1987
this is really cool im gonna study some stuff and then go challenge some college students to see if they like paying money out the butt for something i learned for free! we can start a movement for internet classes to save the world a lil money

Not a bad idea....I think it is the direction we are going. This is ideal for people who are in school who need tutoring and want to supplement their education. Some people need the formal classes because they lack personal discipline and motivation and need a real body to provide that inspiration.

Thanks very much for responding!

reply to post by newcovenant


great post !!! I will bookmark this site. I believe that video will help people to learn. The current education system is about memorizing which button to push and not about how something really works. Knowledge is much more tham memorizing times tables and how to spell words but a deeper understanding of how something works. Then with that knowledge you can use knowledge to relate to other ideas and theroies.

Originally posted by Chewingonmushrooms
I'm always for self empowerment and education, things like this make me smile. Thanks OP for the thread.

Lastly but certainly not leastly (and yes I know that is not a word... )I must thank you for stopping by. It has been a pleasure to make your acquaintance here in the thread. Unfortunately I am all out of words, as you can see I am starting to make them up - but I will stop by and check in to new replies later on.

Self empowerment is definitely positive and a good thing all the way around. I could not agree with you more. Cheers and more power to you!

Originally posted by fnpmitchreturns
reply to post by newcovenant

 

great post !!! I will bookmark this site. I believe that video will help people to learn. The current education system is about memorizing which button to push and not about how something really works. Knowledge is much more than memorizing times tables and how to spell words but a deeper understanding of how something works. Then with that knowledge you can use knowledge to relate to other ideas and theories.

I wondered if it was my imagination because it did not seem many people knew this was available. I am glad you may get some use out of it and of course hope that you do. Thanks for the reply and words of encouragement. Makes me glad I started the thread REMINDING people it is available as another option or supplement to their education choices....and it's FREE!!!

reply to post by newcovenant


May I thank you very much for this ?

I'd never heard of Khan Academy before. I'm watching one of their videos right now ... it's about Fractional Reserve Banking. I've learned so much in only 10 mins ... I now understand what M0, M1, M2 etc etc are measures of.

Star & Flag. And thanks so much

Originally posted by LeBombDiggity
reply to post by newcovenant

 

May I thank you very much for this ?

I'd never heard of Khan Academy before. I'm watching one of their videos right now ... it's about Fractional Reserve Banking. I've learned so much in only 10 mins ... I now understand what M0, M1, M2 etc etc are measures of.

Star & Flag. And thanks so much

It is kind of cool you can't jump ahead of your knowledge with the 9 question progression and philosophy "If you know this you are ready for that"

They literally begin math with 1 + 1 = 2.


Since there is this continuity of data and teacher views in fact it is designed by teachers, they can teach people better. Flipping classes is effective where they do what they typically do as homework inter personally in the classroom setting and assign one of the videos as homework.

When people are able to learn and teachers can track where they are in the learning model, they have found students once thought to be slow were only hung up on a concept. Used to be these students were placed in slower learning classes.

What they discovered is that once the difficult "concept" was mastered these students quickly surged ahead surpassing other students and now those same students who might have been labeled SLOW OR LEARNING DISABLED IN THE PAST - (and education and promise reduced)
they now consider gifted.

I can't think of a better way to DENY IGNORANCE!
Rock on!

Originally posted by Exuberant1

Originally posted by ZeroReady
However, when I asked my professor what she thought of the Khan Academy videos, she said he made a lot of mistakes, and if you aren't careful you'll wind up making those mistakes as well.

Your professor is probably the last person you should ask about the Khan Academy. It is absolutely in her best interest to lie about the Khan Academy and exaggerate any errors she thinks they may have made.

If things keeps up, things like the Academy will put professors like yours out of a job. In the future, there will be a small number of excellent professors that will dominate the video lecture/internet courses.

*Did she point out any specific errors that you would be able to link us to? Or was she just kinda throwing it out there?

After listening to the second video you can see the incredible potential of this type of a learning program at least for all the subjects where the curriculum is fixed such as most of the sciences and math. Like Bill Gates said, "We are looking at the future of education..."

well your welcome for my last reply and its true...me and my step dad have been saying this for quit some time now that school will evetually be taught online with one teacher online to do tests but will give you videos to learn ect....all they will be there for is to answer any questions mark your tests and thats it.....so instead of going out spending say $30,000 for a class i can learn for free and probably get better marks online...why not...if it helps people become more productive and open up more areas for people why not? why keep holding people back because of marks they cant get in a normal class but by this means they excel well beyond class rooms marks....

i remember going to class (special ed)..when it was 12 students 3 teachers i was doing amazing in class...the better the one on one for students the more productive we became....up till highschool my general marks were in the 74-98% area nothing really lower...i got throwen into a normal class 25-30 students one teacher and it was hell...i could get by but i couldnt handle the stress of how fast they were pushing it on and if i didnt get it it just built up my stress level until i finally lost it and said im done n left.....

not everyone is the same some learn fast on some subjects others take forever to get it..i could always get math/english/science fairly easily others would scratch their head for hours.....so if you can get the one on one and replay it till you get it and what not...why not do this why not make a nation more successful...why not put more people into careers and not just jobs by doing something like this....it would benefit us all in the long run and make our 2 nations greater..

S&F for you btw