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I speculate that students who spend time learning from internet resources like Khan Academy will get a significant leg up over their colleagues in this case; ev

I speculate that students who spend time learning from internet resources like Khan Academy will get a significant leg up over their colleagues in this case; even more so than usual. This applies both in the sense that "They will learn more effectively", and "They'll have a better shot at getting into universities".

seanmcdirmid 5y ago
Any kid who is disciplined and focused enough to do and benefit from self learning already has a big leg up, whether they are in school or at home.
MattGaiser 5y ago
This has always been true in a way. A lot of schools have nothing to offer the top 10% of students, so the students/parents of the students who broke away from the pack were finding ways to learn on their own/have their kids learn on their own.
- analog31 5y ago
  Top 10% of what? I was technically in the top 10% of my high school class, GPA wise. I also got a national merit scholarship, and had learned computer programming. I would simply not have had the self discipline or motivation to learn everything on my own, no matter how good the learning materials were. Oddly enough, even through college, there were subjects that I easily taught myself, such as electronics and programming, others that I needed to learn in a classroom, such as math and physics. I would have had no parental supervision at home -- both of my parents worked. The kids who succeed will succeed. That's not to say that everybody succeeds in school either.
  - Valakas_ 5y ago
    I was in the top 1% both in highschool and college and for me going in person, in terms of learning, was (and still is) a waste of time. I would learn MUCH faster outside of classes. I much prefer a recording of a class which i can watch, rewatch, play at 2x, take notes without stress and note down all my questions, than a regular in person class. The only thing I got from being in person was friends. But that can be achieved in other ways without having to be forced to sit on a class. Group studying is one, and helps a lot in learning. If people choose a course and then don't have motivation for it that's a totally different problem. The problem lies not in tricks to make the person do it anyway, but on them reassessing why they chose that course in the first place. I always had motivation to do my course on my own because I chose it for a reason. And if kids are too young to see why they might want to do this specific course, then maybe the course itself needs to change to be a tiny bit more practical and fun.
- mavelikara 5y ago
  > A lot of schools have nothing to offer the top 10% of students IMO, the ability to self-study ahead of peers is a defining criteria for being in that top 10%. So, the system is working as designed.
  - MattGaiser 5y ago
    But to succeed in the educational system, you have to self study in a way that the system appreciates. That usually requires at least some external guidance. A student who studies the wrong subjects in chemistry gets no credit for that on the exam.
    - whimsicalism 5y ago
      If the school is so easy that you have to self-study to stay engaged, then you don't have to worry about flunking your chemistry exam. This is very different from, say, perceiving school to be "so easy" that you are too advanced for it.
    - daniel-cussen 5y ago
      No, they still get something out of it. If they just study. Study anything, learn anything, actually open a book, it'll pay off in time.
Terry_Roll 5y ago
Books are remote learning, this isn't a Khan Academy thing, arguably its an introvert/extrovert thing.
- xwdv 5y ago
  For too long extroverts have built a world that is hostile to the needs of introverts. It is time for a new order.
wrycoder 5y ago
And I doubt that the private and charter schools are chaotic like this. So, the students who attend those get yet another leg up over those who attend our failed public school system.
Nbox9 5y ago
For people in highly competitive situations (like highschool) this is a selection event for those that can adapt to remote-first while being highly productive. In 5 years the people that did the best remote-first studying for the ACT/SAT/AP will be graduating from the top colleges and begin claiming the top jobs. The people getting promotions in knowledge work now are the people that have been performing well over the last two years of remote-first. The longer this stays the greater long-term impact it will have, as those that are doing well in this environment move to situations where they lead and create policy.

seanmcdirmid 5y ago

Any kid who is disciplined and focused enough to do and benefit from self learning already has a big leg up, whether they are in school or at home.

MattGaiser 5y ago

This has always been true in a way. A lot of schools have nothing to offer the top 10% of students, so the students/parents of the students who broke away from the pack were finding ways to learn on their own/have their kids learn on their own.

analog31 5y ago
Top 10% of what? I was technically in the top 10% of my high school class, GPA wise. I also got a national merit scholarship, and had learned computer programming. I would simply not have had the self discipline or motivation to learn everything on my own, no matter how good the learning materials were. Oddly enough, even through college, there were subjects that I easily taught myself, such as electronics and programming, others that I needed to learn in a classroom, such as math and physics. I would have had no parental supervision at home -- both of my parents worked. The kids who succeed will succeed. That's not to say that everybody succeeds in school either.
- Valakas_ 5y ago
  I was in the top 1% both in highschool and college and for me going in person, in terms of learning, was (and still is) a waste of time. I would learn MUCH faster outside of classes. I much prefer a recording of a class which i can watch, rewatch, play at 2x, take notes without stress and note down all my questions, than a regular in person class. The only thing I got from being in person was friends. But that can be achieved in other ways without having to be forced to sit on a class. Group studying is one, and helps a lot in learning. If people choose a course and then don't have motivation for it that's a totally different problem. The problem lies not in tricks to make the person do it anyway, but on them reassessing why they chose that course in the first place. I always had motivation to do my course on my own because I chose it for a reason. And if kids are too young to see why they might want to do this specific course, then maybe the course itself needs to change to be a tiny bit more practical and fun.
mavelikara 5y ago
> A lot of schools have nothing to offer the top 10% of students IMO, the ability to self-study ahead of peers is a defining criteria for being in that top 10%. So, the system is working as designed.
- MattGaiser 5y ago
  But to succeed in the educational system, you have to self study in a way that the system appreciates. That usually requires at least some external guidance. A student who studies the wrong subjects in chemistry gets no credit for that on the exam.
  - whimsicalism 5y ago
    If the school is so easy that you have to self-study to stay engaged, then you don't have to worry about flunking your chemistry exam. This is very different from, say, perceiving school to be "so easy" that you are too advanced for it.
  - daniel-cussen 5y ago
    No, they still get something out of it. If they just study. Study anything, learn anything, actually open a book, it'll pay off in time.

Terry_Roll 5y ago

Books are remote learning, this isn't a Khan Academy thing, arguably its an introvert/extrovert thing.

xwdv 5y ago
For too long extroverts have built a world that is hostile to the needs of introverts. It is time for a new order.

wrycoder 5y ago

And I doubt that the private and charter schools are chaotic like this. So, the students who attend those get yet another leg up over those who attend our failed public school system.

Nbox9 5y ago

For people in highly competitive situations (like highschool) this is a selection event for those that can adapt to remote-first while being highly productive. In 5 years the people that did the best remote-first studying for the ACT/SAT/AP will be graduating from the top colleges and begin claiming the top jobs. The people getting promotions in knowledge work now are the people that have been performing well over the last two years of remote-first. The longer this stays the greater long-term impact it will have, as those that are doing well in this environment move to situations where they lead and create policy.