5 ms·

Sal Khan and the Khan Academy to the rescue

80 points by derekc 16y ago

MikeCapone 16y ago
You can find his "Khan Academy" site here: http://www.khanacademy.org/ http://www.khanacademy.org/
- MikeCapone 16y ago
  I suggest you pass it along to any people in school you know (or anyone else who you know might be interest). It's a small thing, but it's the kind of site that could change someone's life, so it's worth taking the time to do it.
- paulgb 16y ago
  The quantity and quality of content Khan produces is astounding. I've found the videos useful for reviewing linear algebra and probability problems.
  - jacquesm 16y ago
    Besides wikipedia he's one of the best things to come out of the internet from an educational point of view. Simply amazing.
    - paulgb 16y ago
      Agreed. Also on my list: PlanetMath and MathWorld.
      - jacquesm 16y ago
        It would be nice to have a list of such sites! http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1353362 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1353362
  - bvi 16y ago
    Agreed. I've been guilty of spending numerous hours going through his videos and (re)learning a great deal in the process. Someone should translate his videos into other languages and spread the wealth of knowledge he helps create.
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
piguy314 16y ago
I love the format he uses for his videos. It's the same format as CBT Nuggets; voice narration over a whiteboard/blackboard/drawing pad program. I think that format is much more compelling and "sticky" than traditional classroom instruction or even video taped lectures. I've used video modules like this to study for software certifications and I find it extremely effective. When I found out that the internet classes at my community college were just assigned reading and forum discussion I was actually kind of disappointed, I've been thinking about showing them khan academy and telling them to copy his format for their online classes, after all how expensive is it to create this kind of content if you already have instructors; 30 bucks for a copy of fraps and a microphone?
keeptrying 16y ago
Theres some real quality here and I daresay some kind of business model because theres so much value in his videos.
- cpr 16y ago
  But the whole point is not to have a business model--he's doing it for philanthropic reasons.
  - keeptrying 16y ago
    Understood. But what I meant was that if someone was trying to create a startup in this space, they might use some of his ideas. I think its great that he's doing it for philanthropic reasons but I think education businesses could definitely learn something from him.
    - owyn 16y ago
      These guys have a startup that is exploring this area: http://www.supercoolschool.com/ http://www.supercoolschool.com/
pavs 16y ago
Free online accredited college/school is an idea up for grabs and needs to happen. Monetization could be paying for the exams (fixed price per course as opposed to per credit) and a single "sponsor" per course where the sponsor pays for the cost_of_making_the_course + $x for the ability to be a "sponsor" of that said course for first year. ie, MS/Apple/Google sponsoring CS related courses. Where they sign contract stating to not have any influence on study materials. Exams on brick and mortar exam halls (rent rooms in traditional colleges?). The only problem I can see for this kind of online only college is for some courses where you actually need hands-on lab experience. Possible?
- nirmal 16y ago
  The only problem I can see for this kind of online only college is for some courses where you actually need hands-on lab experience. My advisor, Dr. Thad Starner, taught CS 3651 (http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/AY2010/cs3651_spring/ http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/AY2010/cs3651_spring/) this past Spring. I was the TA. This class is designed to teach CS students how to build physical devices. The tagline is "just enough electrical and mechanical engineering to make you dangerous". Given the time constraints of the 1 hr class, Thad decided that the best way to really get students building was to do most of his lectures outside of class and every day was a "lab" day. Basically students knew what they were going to have to build, knew the math needed to calculate resistor/capacitor values but didn't know what random parts Thad would show up with. Then the whole class period was Thad and I helping students build. It was a great experience and he's going to make the videos a more official part of the class.
  - pavs 16y ago
    I was thinking more in the line of Chemistry/Biology/ labs. Are't labs absolutely essential to be a major in those subjects?
    - nirmal 16y ago
      Yes. I think that brick and mortar institutes could follow the lead if open courseware but then have places for labs. Accessible videos gives students more time to prep outside of class, at their leisure, and more one on one time with instructors during time than normally would be filled with banal lecture.
morphir 16y ago
Haha! Khan Acad. keeps growing and growing in terms of videos and popularity.. this is just awesome! :D

80 points by derekc 16y ago

MikeCapone 16y ago

You can find his "Khan Academy" site here: http://www.khanacademy.org/ http://www.khanacademy.org/

MikeCapone 16y ago
I suggest you pass it along to any people in school you know (or anyone else who you know might be interest). It's a small thing, but it's the kind of site that could change someone's life, so it's worth taking the time to do it.
paulgb 16y ago
The quantity and quality of content Khan produces is astounding. I've found the videos useful for reviewing linear algebra and probability problems.
- jacquesm 16y ago
  Besides wikipedia he's one of the best things to come out of the internet from an educational point of view. Simply amazing.
  - paulgb 16y ago
    Agreed. Also on my list: PlanetMath and MathWorld.
    - jacquesm 16y ago
      It would be nice to have a list of such sites! http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1353362 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1353362
- bvi 16y ago
  Agreed. I've been guilty of spending numerous hours going through his videos and (re)learning a great deal in the process. Someone should translate his videos into other languages and spread the wealth of knowledge he helps create.

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]

piguy314 16y ago

I love the format he uses for his videos. It's the same format as CBT Nuggets; voice narration over a whiteboard/blackboard/drawing pad program. I think that format is much more compelling and "sticky" than traditional classroom instruction or even video taped lectures. I've used video modules like this to study for software certifications and I find it extremely effective. When I found out that the internet classes at my community college were just assigned reading and forum discussion I was actually kind of disappointed, I've been thinking about showing them khan academy and telling them to copy his format for their online classes, after all how expensive is it to create this kind of content if you already have instructors; 30 bucks for a copy of fraps and a microphone?

keeptrying 16y ago

Theres some real quality here and I daresay some kind of business model because theres so much value in his videos.

cpr 16y ago
But the whole point is not to have a business model--he's doing it for philanthropic reasons.
- keeptrying 16y ago
  Understood. But what I meant was that if someone was trying to create a startup in this space, they might use some of his ideas. I think its great that he's doing it for philanthropic reasons but I think education businesses could definitely learn something from him.
  - owyn 16y ago
    These guys have a startup that is exploring this area: http://www.supercoolschool.com/ http://www.supercoolschool.com/

pavs 16y ago

Free online accredited college/school is an idea up for grabs and needs to happen. Monetization could be paying for the exams (fixed price per course as opposed to per credit) and a single "sponsor" per course where the sponsor pays for the cost_of_making_the_course + $x for the ability to be a "sponsor" of that said course for first year. ie, MS/Apple/Google sponsoring CS related courses. Where they sign contract stating to not have any influence on study materials. Exams on brick and mortar exam halls (rent rooms in traditional colleges?). The only problem I can see for this kind of online only college is for some courses where you actually need hands-on lab experience. Possible?

nirmal 16y ago
The only problem I can see for this kind of online only college is for some courses where you actually need hands-on lab experience. My advisor, Dr. Thad Starner, taught CS 3651 (http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/AY2010/cs3651_spring/ http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/AY2010/cs3651_spring/) this past Spring. I was the TA. This class is designed to teach CS students how to build physical devices. The tagline is "just enough electrical and mechanical engineering to make you dangerous". Given the time constraints of the 1 hr class, Thad decided that the best way to really get students building was to do most of his lectures outside of class and every day was a "lab" day. Basically students knew what they were going to have to build, knew the math needed to calculate resistor/capacitor values but didn't know what random parts Thad would show up with. Then the whole class period was Thad and I helping students build. It was a great experience and he's going to make the videos a more official part of the class.
- pavs 16y ago
  I was thinking more in the line of Chemistry/Biology/ labs. Are't labs absolutely essential to be a major in those subjects?
  - nirmal 16y ago
    Yes. I think that brick and mortar institutes could follow the lead if open courseware but then have places for labs. Accessible videos gives students more time to prep outside of class, at their leisure, and more one on one time with instructors during time than normally would be filled with banal lecture.

morphir 16y ago

Haha! Khan Acad. keeps growing and growing in terms of videos and popularity.. this is just awesome! :D