Idaho Embracing “Flipped” Classrooms with Khan Academy

This fall, 47 schools in Idaho will be able to access resources and free courseware via Khan Academy, thanks in large part to grant money from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation.

75 schools competed for the grant money and the winning 47 will use the funding to establish the infrastructure needed to support a model of teaching that blends traditional teaching methods with technology, according to a recent article by Education News. Before describing how schools are using Khan Academy’s massive library of educational videos to their benefit, it is important to understand what Khan Academy is and what educational services it has to offer.

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2008 by Salman Khan. All of its resources are accessible to anyone and free to use. Their most popular resource is the video library, which is organized by subjects and course names. Subjects run the gamut from algebra to art history, and videos are available for every level from Kindergarten to adult education. For example, a civics teacher can accompany a lecture with a short video on the Electoral College while an elementary school teacher can use videos to help explain fractions.

The videos are easily digestible, as each one tends to run under 10 minutes with an accompanying short quiz. The videos feature guest lecturers and have appealing graphics and cartoons. For students, Khan Academy offers tools that assist in tracking progress and reviewing information. Teachers and parents can monitor student progress so that they can target what needs to be reviewed and remediated.

Khan believes that videos and technology can really enhance and close gaps in learning, as he found out firsthand, prior to starting Khan Academy, by posting YouTube videos to tutor his family members.

Khan’s Approach to Teaching

Khan explained the methodology to his approaches in an interview for 60 Minutes last September. Following his YouTube experiment, people began writing him with praise for his short videos. Students with dyslexia and other challenges really connected with his mode of presentation, and Khan decided that he wanted to give the world access to short video lessons on any subject imaginable. Soon, Bill Gates was on board and Khan Academy quickly found its way into classrooms. Idaho’s 47 schools are a small number compared to the number of classrooms across the nation that are already utilizing Khan Academy’s free resources.

“Flipped” Classrooms in Idaho

Oregon Live reports that the pilot program in Idaho is a unique one. Starting this fall, Khan Academy resources will be used to support a “flipped” model in history, physics and math classes. Students will get accounts so that they can access their classes from home and watch short videos as homework assignments. Classroom time will be devoted to individualized instruction based on the video content. This approach will allow teachers to more easily fill in learning gaps and tailor instruction to meet individual needs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to education. Northwest Nazarene University has also joined the efforts by offering to help design instruction that would best complement the videos and classroom use of technology. Khan Academy will use assessment exams to track student progress in mathematics. If the pilot program is successful, it may quickly catch on in the other 49 states.

How Free Courseware is Changing Education

With the rapid growth that has been occurring in open courseware, teachers are flocking towards the free resources. Educational materials and curriculum are typically expensive and during tight budgetary times, free high-quality materials are appealing. Open courseware also enables teachers to individualize education more as students can pursue their interests, access more advanced materials and engage in independent study without the need for costly materials and extra staff.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was one of the first organizations to offer free open courseware and now has tailored resources for the high school level. Highlights for High School features content that is appropriate for the secondary level where students can view MIT professors conduct science experiments or they can prepare for AP exams. Soon, there will be no boundaries as to what students will be able to learn.

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