In the state of Idaho in the USA, a new initiative seeks to revolutionize learning by partnering with the Khan Academy to improve Mathematics skills in schools. The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation is funding the project to the tune of $1.5 million, the Northwest Nazarene University’s College of Education in Nampa, Idaho, will manage and facilitate the project. It is expected that more than "10,000 students in nearly four dozen schools across Idaho will log into newly created Khan Academy accounts during the 2013-14 school year as part of an initiative that aims to infuse technology into instruction and supplement teachers' curricula" (see EdWeek). The project is also aimed at teachers to equip them with videos, exercises, incentives and a data dashboard to monitor student progress - there is funding too for technology from the Foundation.
What a simple and great idea! If you have not already checked out the Khan Academy, I recommend that all students and educators should do so. I don't use the videos in class, but I have recommended individual videos in my Statistics classes, and I have use them in preparation for class. Salman Khan is an excellent teacher and is very skilled at doing so on-line. I see myself using it, and many other on-line educational resources such as YouTube EDU and iTunesU, a lot more. If there are excellent educational resources out there - let's embrace and use them. I don't think we have anything to fear from them.
Watch and listen to some Idaho teachers enthuse about the Khan Academy and what it means for them:
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