http://www.fastcompany.com/most-creative-people/2011/sal-khan-khan-academy This, to me, is the way of the future, and I do not say that in a buzzword laced "global thinker/smartest person in the room" type of way, a simple curriculum, offered totally online and at zero cost to the pupils that offers practical education in various subjects, a sort of home school for the masses, home school, which is should be mentioned produces consistently better results over public education. The problem has always been how to translate the results of home schooling's individualized approach to the mass of young people who seek an education, that is why I think the Khan Academy (and MIT offering their entire lecture series online) are two workable alternatives that are not blue skies and sunshine, they work...right now.
Of course home school produces better academic results, but few can afford to have a parent stay home to teach instead of working. Public schools were the only way to educate our youth on such a massive level.
Keyword, to my view being, "were" the only way FinD, the internet is clearly the greatest single information spreading device in the history of mankind, times have changed. And allow to me add, I think were public education ran off of the rails is the point where performance of the students no longer mattered, keeping the doors open to offer a watered down edumacation..did. For me, I do not care if a student is literate based on the Bible, or on the Communist Manifesto, the percentage of under educated in the US simply must decline if the nation is to survive in an economic sense.
OT: Can't thank you enough for this post, Pads. I had no idea MIT OpenCourseWare even existed before you mentioned it. Gotta say, I really hope the Khan Academy continues to gain recognition. Read in the comments Bill Gates even sees it as a viable alternative in education; to the point where he himself made a donation. Thanks again.
I agree, but these children would still need a parent to stay home and watch over them while they took online courses. There may be a middle ground here though.
Agreed, I can easily see parents parking their children in front of a computer screen to "go to school" whilst paying them no mind, which is not an ideal situation as interaction with people is still preferable until a child/teen can show they can self direct their efforts without constant supervision of a parent or family member.
Other problems that would need to be cleared up is the concept of states dictating their own curriculum and do we make it mandatory that children do this like we do with going to school?
Well, State typically have a dual track, one for public schools and one for homeschools, the home schooling curriculum usually involves performance testing based on ages and the home schooling parent is required to submit a curriculum to the local school board for the yr prior to the start of the public school's year. Which is actually a fairly sound system, the parents can educate their children in whatever manner they deem fit, however the children have to also perform on competency testing at the usual intervals that a public school child has to perform.
As a whole? Not seeing that, public schools perform to many functions in a given community to just do away with them. And some lectures are better suited to a live audience, ditto most students being required to attend, there has to be some structure there as most people are not self directed and to rest an entire society on the notion that "well they can be!" is unwise to say the least.
Nice, glad you found some practical value in all of this lmeister, soon you could be: [video=youtube;ymsHLkB8u3s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymsHLkB8u3s[/video] Just thrashing guys intellectually at your local sports bar! And you thought I was merely a hyper dolphins fan..
Then no offense, but this is no more revolutionary then that guy that sells DVDs on how to use the computer, the "Won't you buy my product" guy. I was all excited thinking we were talking about a possible solution to public schools. You made me sad.
GTF out here lmeister..stop playing. [video=youtube;qM-gZintWDc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM-gZintWDc[/video] Any moron can learn, the trick is found in..application of knowledge..tools in the toolbox mean nothing..unless they are used.
I saw him on the Colbert report. He has an excellent voice, angle, and simplified prose to naturally allow anyone to learn on youtube. Harvard graduate, right? I think ideally, I would send the kids to school and have a teacher there to answer any questions they had while learning on the Khan Academy system. Once they become available in peripheral countries' languages, well, let's just say it will be very interesting to see how high the educational bar will be set; because technology will be cheap enough to accomodate the masses with ease... Here's a quick little youtube of Mr. Khan's vision of the school of the future: [video=youtube;Tksh1zHEkIM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tksh1zHEkIM&NR=1[/video]
[video=youtube;gM95HHI4gLk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM95HHI4gLk&feature=player_embedded[/video]
