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creativecraig · 6 years

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Khan Academy

Khan Academy like Skillshare is an online web-based course website in which people can use to learn or expand in different areas of their selected course type. As per usual I will be going through the website looking and commenting on what I find good,bad or room for improvement.

First reactions of the index page when loaded is that it is very blue as everything is either a shade of blue or white. This does show their colour palette of blue however the shades of blue differ in each section, just look as the shades of blue in the top navigation alone. A couple of shades would have done the same job and shown more consistency. The image in the background does not tell us much about what Khan Academy has to offer us and to be honest, the image looks like it has been taken straight off Dribbble. I also think the website reminds me of a typical bootstrap as everything from the navigation to the centered ‘You can learn anything’ section.

Having two navigations is also incredibly confusing and overwhelming as users can easily get confused as to what and where they are supposed to use for navigation, weather that be the search bar, the drop down or the horizontal navigation.

You Can Learn Anything, But Can You Really?

Khan Academy are very proud in the fact that you can learn anything but actually as you look more into it you can look at a wide range of content but there are two problems.

It is unbalanced in content, Maths has two sections filled with courses where as computing has very few content with its section. There is also no languages within the website, this is something that I think is incredibly important as most people tend to look at languages some part in their life.

The course overview section is very basic with an overload of information and very few visuals. Although content is key for a elearning website, visuals should also balance text to prevent it from appearing boring.

I do however like the navigation to the left as it allows the user to keep track of where they are on the page as well as makes it easier to navigation amongst the content, much better than that of the index page.

When a module is loaded a video appears at the top with a transcript, I believe the transcript is key as learners with disabilities need to always be considered. However I did straight away realise that the video was taken straight from Youtube which makes me ask the question why not just go to Youtube in the first place?

I also like how they have constantly got a test after each module however I do think this could be changed up in terms of test e.g. a quiz or game. People tend to get bored following the same stuff over and over again especially if they're not academically focused.

One feature I think is nice but at the same time does not work is their avatar system. Students are given an avatar which evolves like Pokemon with more they study. I think this is a nice idea... if you’re targeting children but from the overall feel of the website and the content within Khan Academy are clearly targeting an older audience which makes the avatar system very childish.

Khan Academy also use gamification with the use of badges when you complete different tasks. I again like the idea of the badges but think it is used for the wrong audience and would be better for children.

Price

Unlike the other places I have looked at Khan Academy actually is advertise and is Free with no add ons. This proves that by having an honest approach allows the user to trust the website and the content more. They do have a donation section in which users can donate to Khan Academy to help grow their business for more resources and content.

Reviews

“My child started using Khan Academy 4 months ago for school. She told me that some of the answers for the questions were incorrect. Also, if you don't get every single question right, you cant master it. Even if you do master it, it can easily get taken away. They have mastery challenges (tests on things you already mastered) and if you get 1 question wrong then you get it taken away, meaning you no longer have mastered that skill. This was the worst website for learning that I have ever even heard of. I would defiantly not recommend anyone to use this site. I do not trust that they are keeping my child's info safe. My child did the opposite of learn when using this website. She cried about losing mastered challenges and complained that it was too hard.”

Having read this review I have questioned why can you no repeat? Surely users need to learn from their mistakes as nobody is perfect and is going to get 100% in every single test.

“I think this website provides a great supplement to the education provided in schools, and might even replace it one day. For me as a university-student there are only a few subjects that are actually relevant, but the childish-badge system still works like a charm.”

This review has proved that the content is unbalanced as I previously stated, I think it is key that all subject advertised should be considered in the same about of depth as no subject is better than the other. This person did like the gamification effect but I still question if a 45 year old male had the same opinion.

#ixdbelfast #ixd303 #cwallen199 #education

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mathematicianadda · 4 years

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What do you guys study in the summer?

I just earned a math minor, and I want to continue my studies in mathematics. I hope to teach it at the high school level (and maybe college), because I’m beginning to discover just how much I like it. So far I have taken all my calculus courses and have taken one theoretical/proofs based class. What do some of you guys do in the summer to stay sharp and continue learning?

Sometimes I feel I forget small things I’ve already learned, and it can be pretty frustrating. I want to keep the stuff in my head longer. To do this I’m planning on looking back at my notes more frequently as I have recently organized them.

Also, Khan academy and youtube seem great. Any other suggestions? I really want to take the next step and start taking my maths studies more seriously, but it sometimes seems there is an overwhelming amount to learn. Any suggestions are appreciated

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succeedly · 6 years

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Teaching isn’t Rocket Science – It’s Way More Complex

Dr. Doug Green on episode 284 of the 10-Minute Teacher Podcast

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter

Dr. Doug Green challenges our thinking about school, how we should teach, and the flaws with the testing programs we have in education today.

Sponsor: The STLinATL Conference will be at Woodward Academy in Atlanta July 26-27, 2018. I’ll be speaking with other amazing educators like Suzy Boss, Janet Zadina, Jay McTighe, Dr. Brendan Ozawa de Silva, Scott Sanchez, Dr. Ayanna M Howard and more. For $295, this all-inclusive event (except for hotel and travel) is an amazing opportunity to learn. www.stlinatl.com

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Listen to the show on iTunes or Stitcher

Stream by clicking here.

***

Enhanced Transcript

Teaching isn’t Rocket Science – It’s Way More Complex

Link to show: Date: April 5, 2018

Vicki: Author Dr. Doug Green @DrDougGreen is with us today, talking about “Teaching Isn’t Rocket Science. It’s Way More Complex.”

Now, Doug, you argue that we’ve kind of gone off track in education.

How have we gone off track?

Doug: Well, there are two problems.

There are two problems with the way we teach today

One is the historical practice of one-size-fits-all teaching that we adopted back in the 1800s sometime.

And even though teachers have tried to differentiate to more personalized instruction, the federal mandated testing has forced teachers to prepare every kid in their cohort for the same tests every year.

So that has led to more one-size-fits-all instruction and testing, and the same target for 99% of the kids, which is really fighting the innovators in our business.

Vicki: So, Doug, you say that we have one-size-fits-all teaching.

But, I mean, isn’t that what standards are about? You think standards have brought us here?

How is standardized teaching different from a one-size-fits-all teaching?

Doug: Well, standards and standardized testing. Who wants to be standard?

If every student learned as fast as they possibly could, they’d all move at different paces, and accomplish things as quickly as they can.

And if that happened, what would happen to the achievement gaps that people are all hot and bothered about is that they’d increase. The only way to close that gaps is just to slow down the fast learners. And that’s what you do when you are preparing every kid for the same test at the same time.

Vicki: And you also argue that there’s really no choice for teachers but to be dishonest?

Doug: No, not at all. What I think teachers and their leaders should do is try to focus on personalizing and self-pacing instruction. And if they still have to give these tests, in May or April or whenever they roll them out. Fine. Give them.

If you provide good, engaging instruction that the students can deal at, at their own pace and their own ability, they’ll probably be doing better on their tests anyway. Even if you don’t do any test prep — which is just usually bad teaching.

Vicki: So what are the solutions?

What do you think? Where do we need to go?

What are the solutions?

Doug: Well, if every kid has their own computer, then they can watch the direct instruction on their own, anytime, anywhere. And then when they’re in class with the teacher, the teacher can work with one student or a group of students or even the whole class — depending upon what they’re trying to get at — to help them better internalize the direct instruction they’ve been watching. You know, go over it from a different direction.

And then, when it comes to testing… students should take tests when they are ready for them.

“I’m ready for the Unit 1Test.”

“Fine. Take it. Did you master it? Great. Go on to Unit 2.

“Did you not master it? Well, let me sit down and see if we can figure out what you need to do to master Unit 1.”

So students can kind of move at their own pace.

It’s a bit like the flipped instruction model…

Vicki: (agrees)

…if you’re familiar with that, or better yet — flipped mastery.

Vicki: So we need to personalize learning.

Doug: Yeah.

Vicki: But you know, everybody in their grade levels.

Doug: Yeah.

Vicki: So, you know, I’ve had people on the show who said, “You know, somebody might need to be in 11th-grade Chemistry and 8th grade reading.”

Doug: Yeah. Fine. Why not?

Vicki: So how do we do that?

Doug: Well get rid of grade levels.

I mean, why do we harvest kids like crops?

Agricultural Model: Why do we harvest kids like crops?

We’re still doing some of the things that we were done originally back in the 1800s just because they were convenient for adults.

In Chemistry, I should be able to finish Chemistry in April or next October, depending on how fast I go through it.

And if I’m slower at one thing, give me more time.

And also, you can take failure out of the system, because nobody ever fails anything that they haven’t finished yet.

Vicki: So, for you…

The essential element is one-to-one computing.

So one-to-one computing is the answer?

Doug: Yeah.

That can free up the teacher to spend more individual time with students in small groups, facilitating the learning at that level. There’s no point in kids listening to lectures. You can get those online.

Vicki: You can. But you know, I found that I create so many of my videos, my curriculum, everything that I have. I have to create it myself. And it just sounds overwhelming.

Doug: Yeah.

Vicki: I mean, I try to personalize as much as I can, but it does sound overwhelming, Doug.

Doug: Well, the people that started this back in about 2007… They just started recording their lessons.

And then the kids who had missed class…. Watched the lessons.

And then an exchange student came in, maybe halfway through the year, and they said, “Oh, Geez…

Let’s start watching the September videos.

And it wasn’t long before they were refining and refining and refining their videos.

And the other thing is

A lot of teachers…

You know, if I taught math, I’d be harvesting videos from the Khan Academy or places like that, rather than creating my own.

I think the kids like it when the teacher does their own. I mean, that’s cool from the kid’s point of view. But they don’t all have to be your own videos.

Vicki: Yeah. I mean, I guess they don’t.

I mean, it’s just so hard to find exactly what is in there that’s you want. There are just so many challenges to this.

So, Doug, have you seen any schools or organizations that are doing this right?

Doug: Yes.

Who is doing this right?

Vicki: Give us some examples.

Doug: Well, the Science Learning Academy in Philadelphia is one where I visited.

Vicki: (agrees)

Doug: Kids walk in there.They hand them a Mac laptop. There’s a great deal of self-paced learning. You know, a lot of one-to-one time with the teachers, lots of peer instruction, and the kids go at their own pace, and they’re not going to fail. Because they have, you know, chances to retake tests if they don’t master a unit.

The other thing I think we need to look at, you know. We want to prepare kids for careers?

Well, who in a career, when they don’t know something, doesn’t just go online and find it out? Who in a career ever does any computations? We need to teach students WHEN to divide, not how to divide. You know, we’re not giving the kids the tools in school along with opportunities to collaborate, that they need on the job, that the companies are asking for.

Vicki: Yeah, unless you’re an engineer like my husband. He computes all the time. But I guess that it depends on the field, huh?

Doug: But not with paper and pencil, he doesn’t.

Vicki: Ohhhhh… well. (laughs)

We won’t talk about that.

He uses Excel, but he does use paper and pencil a lot, depending on what it is…

So, Science Leadership Academy, of course, Chris Lehmann’s…

Doug: Yes, Chris Lehmann…

Vicki: …who was there for a while, and is now superintendent, I believe.

And so are there some other places that you think are exemplars in this?

Doug: There’s a woman called Starr Sackstein. She has a blog on Education Week.

Vicki: (agrees)

Doug: She’s doing some amazing things with her kids in Queens. Where the kids.. Ideally…

You’re familiar with Genius Hour?

Vicki: Of course. Yes.

Doug: I mean, you know, the kids are going to do a lot more profound learning if they’re engaged in something they’re interested in.

While you might not be able to do that all the time, but you should be able to do it some of the time.

If they’re not interested in anything, well, then it’s the teacher’s job to try to expose to stuff that might become interested in.

Vicki: (agrees)

So, teachers, we are talking about the fact that teaching is not rocket science. It’s way more complex. And it is.

And we do have the capability to personalize learning so much more.

There are many great people that we will add to our PLN. We’ll, of course, include this in the Shownotes.

Doug, as we finish up, could you give us a 30-second pep talk about personalizing learning for the students in our classroom today?

So, in summary, why is personalized learning essential?

Doug: Well, letting kids proceed at their own level, and not expecting all at the same place at the same time.

The worst thing you can do is give a kid in the 2-percentile level the same test that everyone else is taking.

You want to make sure that your formative assessments are based on where the student is at, not some kind of standard that every student in your classroom has to jump through.

Instead of raising the bar, we should be giving every student their own bar.

Vicki: Well, this is a challenge for all of us…

Doug: It is…

Vicki: Think about it for Thought Leader Thursday, about how we can personalize learning for our students.

Thanks, Doug!

Doug: Thank you!

Transcribed by Kymberli Mulford [email protected]

Bio as submitted

I have been an educator since 1970. After teaching chemistry, physics, and computer science, I became an administrator for the next 30 years with experience at the secondary, central office, and elementary levels. I have also taught a number of leadership courses for The State University of New York at Cortland and Binghamton University and authored over 300 articles in computer magazines and educational journals. In 2006 I gave up my job as an elementary principal to care for my wife who had Lou Gehrig’s disease. After her death in March of 2009 I decided to see how I could use my expertise to help busy educators and parents hone their skills and knowledge.

DrDougGreen.Com is all about Bite-Sized daily Self-Development. It focuses on book summaries that present the main concepts of important books in about 15 paragraphs. I am active on Twitter, and when I find an interesting link or tweet, I post it in my Dr. Doug Mines the Net section. I post things I find myself, which includes free access to New York Times articles thanks to my subscription. On occasion, I post my own work and ideas and look forward to reader comments. Working educators and parents don’t always have time to read a lot, but I do. So this is my gift to our common mission to help all children learn. If you think I can help you or your district in any specific way please contact me so we can discuss the matter.

Blog: http://DrDougGreen.Com

Twitter: @DrDougGreen

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored podcast episode.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to include a reference to their product. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” This company has no impact on the editorial content of the show.

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strivesy · 6 years