The First Impression
Signing up for the Khan Academy (KA) was exciting since it was the first time I was going to try it. The preconceived ideas of what I would find in their sessions were in my mind like templates waiting to be filled up. The reason for this was the simplicity I have read was one of the main characteristics of KA’s material.
Once the registration steps were done I was ready to start, and I was not disappointed because what I was presented with was indeed simple. Additionally, I was surprised by the way the video motivated me to do my part. It did not appear as a template but rather it actually flowed like an interactive session, furthermore the prompts shown when the learner made a mistake encouraged the student to understand the concept, try again, and get it right.
Potential for Localization
Openness in educational resources has made their access easier for many people and institutions which happen to find the contents in a popular language or culture that, in some cases, may not be the best fit for their learning goals. Localization provides the contents with domestic elements or features needed, without altering the core, in order to be effective (Amiel, Squires, & Orey, 2009, p. 28).
Is it possible to increase the effectiveness of a resource with easy-to-learn content? The simplicity achieved in each KA session, which is the result of breaking down a topic in smaller pieces of instruction, make it also suitable for localization as will be explained in the next blog.
References
Amiel, T., Squires, J., & Orey, M. (2009). Four strategies for designing instruction for diverse cultures: Context and localization of learning objects. Educational Technology, 49(6). 28-34. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/44429738
Hi Alfonso,
I can’t wait to see your presentation (though I believe the Khan Artists are last?). I have not experienced Khan Academy myself, but students have told me that they’ve had great successes with lessons and enjoy the teaching model that is employed. You mention that the video motivated you with a sort of interactive feel to it. Could you elaborate a bit more? It sounds like while the video is asynchronous, there is an expectation that the student should be not just viewing, but performing tasks as well? I’m interested in the cognitive load aspect (as you may have learned from our presentation) and am curious how much interactivity you can incorporate without overwhelming a student. Khan Academy should be a good example given the many anecdotal references I have heard.
To address your question of localization, in my opinion I definitely think that it is a possibility since the modularization of the videos like you say make it possible for organizations and institutions to adopt to their needs. I think the next step is defining what is the definition of “open” and what can and cannot be adapted based on copyright and licence rights (unless of course the providers do the localization themselves).
Hello George, thank you for taking the time to read my post and comment on it. Khan Academy’s videos come in different styles depending on the content they cover. For instance, those related to learning how to create a web page provide a split screen with one side showing the tutorial, and the other available for the learners to immediately put the teachings to work on their own which is checked as the session goes on. On the other hand, when the session focuses on conceptual information the whole screen is used to explain with drawings made at the moment of the viewing. Later, there would be screens containing a challenge or a quiz to validate the learning and, if the answer is not correct, the video prompts the learner to recall and try again. The option to repeat the session from the beginning is always available. The content taught will not advance until the learner has satisfied the questions. Correct answers get “energy points” to the student’s avatar account, which is also achievement and motivation for the learner. Regarding cognitive load, Khan Academy takes the teaching content to such a simplified level that I find it hard to cause cognitive overload to any learner, and that is because repeating the session is always a possibility without penalization. Again, thanks for your interest. Cheers!
This is an interesting observation: “The content taught will not advance until the learner has satisfied the questions.” Does anyone have thoughts on this approach?
Thanks for the detailed description Alfonso. It seems Khan Academy has taken the time to really personalize each course based on the best pedagogy for the subject matter. I’ll have to explore more of Lynda.com, but it seems so far that most courses follow a standard video library format.
Commenting on Irwin’s question, I’m not sure how much learning is reinforced by not allowing progression if questions are answered wrongly. In courses that I’ve taken, these ‘roadblocks’ are typically multiple choice questions that allow for repeated attempts (usually with no penalty). Eventually I would get it right, even without paying attention to the question. I’ve found that courses that force you to review material (whether it be a video or other media or text) before you attempt the questions or quiz to be more effective because it at least tries to get the student to focus on what the question is asking.
Hi again, George. I agree with your comment regarding Irwin’s observation, and I would like to add that I think the approach Khan Academy takes about the “roadblocks” is positive because they present the learner with suggestions to redirect his/her attention to the matter being solved or answered. Furthermore, the use of avatars to interact with the learner makes the dialog to remain on the constructive side so the student does not feel reprimanded nor penalized for making mistakes. The cheerful tone of the feedback entices the learner to keep moving forward thus learning further. Thank you for your comment. Cheers!
Hi Irwin, thanks for reading my blog. Regarding your observation, the programming involved in KA’s online videos can detect when the learner’s response is not correct. In such case, the session asks the student to try again providing slight hints to guide the answer/learning (this score, although finally correct, is not “clean” so the student will have to take another quiz or challenge). In order for the session to be considered successful, the student has to respond all answers correctly without being “helped”… when this is accomplished, the next level of learning is available for the learner to advance to the next video. This is how KA’s online learning tries to achieve the student’s mastery of each mini-topic.
On a final note, it is interesting to point out that the gamification KA’s videos include keep the learner motivated to advance. There are “energy points” to win, and avatar levels to move up to as the sessions progress.
Cheers!