Team 6 – For our team modality, Khan Artists chose the Khan Academy and learning style of course modality. My question asks, does the Khan Academy meet requirements for Alberta’s governing bodies in accreditation through the educational regulatory standards and policies from the Government of Alberta. Could the Khan Academy program be implemented as an accredited or approved program to meet all three educational options, School Authority programs, Home Education or Blended programs regulations? Taylor, I. (2010) Home Education. Alberta. Handbook.
I started the research process by signing up for an introductory HTML and CSS computer skills course through the Khan Academy. Initially looked at how the course was presented through the following three mediums: iPhone, iPad with and without a key pad, and MacBook Pro lap top. I further tested the Khan Academy app for both iPad and iPhone looking at how the program functioned and compared it to the web access portal on all three access points. My first impressions with the Khan Academy process were both positive and negative. On the positive side, with personal motivation to learn about HTML and CSS protocols, the introduction to both topics, were interactive video instructions allowing for interaction with the subject learned and the ability to participate through challenges and demonstrated input. On the negative side, there were some issues in the technology depending on the method of accessing the course material and the device used. The Khan Academy app didn’t link to the same course structure and I found that the Web Access point performed much better and provided the full list of available courses that the app didn’t.
Thompson, (2011) discusses the benefits and advantages found from the student’s point of view through their testimonials and teachers finding accessed from their achievements and accomplishments. The Khan Academy training methodology isn’t always received with the same enthusiasm and has been compared to being a high tech version of the simple lecture and drills. Thompson, (2011) further stated that according to the constructionist viewpoint, which follows the train of thought that students lose interest in the topic when the content or material isn’t connected to everyday life. As Hogle (2018) stated in her description of the ARCS model, An E-learning design that bases design properties through the acronym ARCS, which stands for Attention, Relevance, Confidence and Satisfaction. This model is designed with the understanding of how identifying relationship between motivational gaps and learning. In Hogle’s report she references Keller’s website, ARCSModel.com with a quote:
“Motivational design refers to the process of arranging resources and procedures to bring about changes in motivation,” according to Keller’s website, ARCSModel.com.
Justice, Rice, Roy, Hudspith, & Jenkins. (2009) described the Pedagogy of inquiry based learning and the difficulties of implementing new pedagogies, reflecting on the term inquiry and Dewey’s belief that through inquiry critical thinking skills are developed and not based on memorization skills. The assumption is that higher learning and critical skills are developed through instructor support, to encourage the act of seeking and exploring new knowledge. Thompson, (2011) which in many ways relate to Khan’s philosophy in his view of the flipped classroom and having students engage in instructor lead learning utilizing their study time learning through the Khan Academy courses and expanding that knowledge through more of an Inquiry based learning events. This brings me back to the question of “Is this method compatible with our current system and what or where do the differences lay? Does this make the Khan Academy process a logical area to grow into or does this relegate this process to being a supplemental learning environment?
References
Hogle, P. (Learning S. M. (2018) ‘ARCS Model Aids in Designing for Motivation : Learning Solutions Magazine’, 57774, pp. 1–9. Available at: https://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/2523/?utm_campaign=lsmag&utm_medium=email&utm_source=lsm-news&utm_content=link.
Justice, C., Rice, J., Roy, D., Hudspith, B., & Jenkins, H. (2009).
Inquiry-based learning in higher education: administrators’
perspectives on integrating inquiry pedagogy into the curriculum.
Higher education, 58(6), 841. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dale_Roy/publication/226493136_Inquiry-based_learning_in_higher_education_Administrators%27_perspectives_on_integrating_inquiry_pedagogy_into_the_curriculum/links/5551dd0908ae93634eca729d.pdf
Khan Academy. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/
Taylor, I. (2010) Home Education. Alberta. Alberta Education. Home Education Handbook. ISBN
978-0-7785-6151-4 1. Home schooling Alberta Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title. LC40.A33
2010 371.042 http://education.alberta.ca/parents/choice/homeeducation.aspx
Taylor, I. (2018). Home Education (1st Americ, p. 322). N. Y. D. A. & C. (2018) ‘Home Education’, p. 322. Available at: http://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Regs/2006_145.pdf.
Thompson, C. (2011). How Khan Academy is changing the rules of education. Wired Magazine, 126, 1-5. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/download/40764790/Khan_Academy_technology.pdf