Group items tagged

"So I'd like to get more specific about what I think is wrong about the Khan Academy approach by writing about things I see as wrong with the way we teach math in the US. No matter if we agree or not about Khan Academy, I'm fairly certain we can agree math learning is not going as well as we'd like (to say the least.) Too many people are convinced by the system that they "hate math", and even students who do well (meaning, can get decent test scores) are often just regurgitating stuff for the test, knowing they can safely forget it shortly afterward."

"It is a common view that "if only someone could break this down and explain it clearly enough, more students would understand." Khan Academy is a great example of this approach with its clear, concise videos on science. However it is debatable whether they really work. Research has shown that these types of videos may be positively received by students. They feel like they are learning and become more confident in their answers, but tests reveal they haven't learned anything."

"I have become interested in the idea of 'flipping' the classroom since I first read about it on Karl Fisch's Fischalgebra blog (see resources at the end of this post). He describes how he makes eight to ten minute 'mini-lessons/lectures' for his students which they have to watch at home as 'homework'. When they come to class, he then sets them work as he would normally set homework, but now the application of the lecture (which they viewed at home before coming to class), happens in class with the teacher roaming around and offering support to those students who struggle with the work. He thus 'flips' the classroom:"