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Colin, why should we even care in 2014 what this person thought about Khan Academy in 2011? Khan Academy has changed[1] since then, and looking at recent posts

Colin, why should we even care in 2014 what this person thought about Khan Academy in 2011? Khan Academy has changed[1] since then, and looking at recent posts from the same blog doesn't inspire confidence that the author has a lot of thoughtful things to say about education improvement. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7674168 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7674168

ColinWright 13y ago
OK, I have neither the time nor the energy to write something detailed, accurate, and carefully worded. Rather than leaving your question unanswered, here is a brain dump. I may find that tomorrow I don't agree with it all, but it's intended to give you a flavour of my thinking. I've worked with, tried to use, and interacted extensively with KA over the past 5 years. To start with I thought it had fantastic potential, and I still do. But I had reservations to start with, and they have not gone away. Repeatedly, on-line and in real life, I find people who think KA is the saviour of math education, and everyone should start to use it rather than trying to improve real-life interactions. When I first met the KA I was originally hopeful, tinged with concern. I know the KA has evolved, but I remain concerned. Occasionally I run across an article that expresses how I feel so much better than I ever could, so I try to share them to balance what I sometimes perceive as undiluted but misplaced enthusiasm. I know you like KA. You may not beleive this, but so do I. But it's not the panacea, nor the unmitigated wonder than some people make it out to be. Yet. I can only hope that continuing to point out problems, past and present, can provoke someone into doing something better. Or complementary. So far people mostly just seem to be giving up and leaving it to the KA. That bothers me.
- tokenadult 13y ago
  I know you like KA. It might be more accurate to say that I don't decry the existence of Khan Academy or worry about it much. Basically, Khan Academy is usually supplemental mathematics instruction, that is mathematics instruction for people who would otherwise be getting even less mathematics instruction without it. I can live with that. I recommend several other programs much more than I recommend Khan Academy. I have one child (among four) who actively likes Khan Academy, but he uses a lot of other resources besides Khan Academy to learn his mathematics. (His favorite subject is life sciences, and his biggest leisure-time activity is realistic drawing with computer-based drawing software.) So I agree with you that Khan Academy is not a panacea. I rather suspect that the staff of that organization agree with that proposition too. I do think that much of the criticism of Khan Academy from people who have products to sell to the public school system loses force because they haven't fully shown that they can do any better. If they do improve upon what Khan Academy does, more power to them.

ColinWright 13y ago

OK, I have neither the time nor the energy to write something detailed, accurate, and carefully worded. Rather than leaving your question unanswered, here is a brain dump. I may find that tomorrow I don't agree with it all, but it's intended to give you a flavour of my thinking. I've worked with, tried to use, and interacted extensively with KA over the past 5 years. To start with I thought it had fantastic potential, and I still do. But I had reservations to start with, and they have not gone away. Repeatedly, on-line and in real life, I find people who think KA is the saviour of math education, and everyone should start to use it rather than trying to improve real-life interactions. When I first met the KA I was originally hopeful, tinged with concern. I know the KA has evolved, but I remain concerned. Occasionally I run across an article that expresses how I feel so much better than I ever could, so I try to share them to balance what I sometimes perceive as undiluted but misplaced enthusiasm. I know you like KA. You may not beleive this, but so do I. But it's not the panacea, nor the unmitigated wonder than some people make it out to be. Yet. I can only hope that continuing to point out problems, past and present, can provoke someone into doing something better. Or complementary. So far people mostly just seem to be giving up and leaving it to the KA. That bothers me.

tokenadult 13y ago
I know you like KA. It might be more accurate to say that I don't decry the existence of Khan Academy or worry about it much. Basically, Khan Academy is usually supplemental mathematics instruction, that is mathematics instruction for people who would otherwise be getting even less mathematics instruction without it. I can live with that. I recommend several other programs much more than I recommend Khan Academy. I have one child (among four) who actively likes Khan Academy, but he uses a lot of other resources besides Khan Academy to learn his mathematics. (His favorite subject is life sciences, and his biggest leisure-time activity is realistic drawing with computer-based drawing software.) So I agree with you that Khan Academy is not a panacea. I rather suspect that the staff of that organization agree with that proposition too. I do think that much of the criticism of Khan Academy from people who have products to sell to the public school system loses force because they haven't fully shown that they can do any better. If they do improve upon what Khan Academy does, more power to them.