Introduction
Entrepreneurship has always played a crucial role in the progress and development of society, with innovations taking place in various fields, especially education. One of the important individuals who contributed to the growth of the education field is Sal Khan, who is the creator and chief director of Khan Academy. Apart from being the founder of the academic platform, he has recently been recognized as a co-founder of the Khan Lab School, a school located in California. The reason why this person was chosen is that he found an unconventional way to make the learning process entertaining and interactive, which resulted in a boost in the performance of millions of users (Innovation training, n.d.). Thus, by recognizing the connections between learning materials and the internet, mixed with experimentation, Sal Khan revolutionized the field of education.
Associating
The first skill demonstrated by the creator is associating, implying that Khan is able to identify connections between unrelated ideas. In his case, Khan determined that by using internet platforms, it is possible to disseminate information and reach millions of learners who struggle. As mentioned by the founder of Khan Academy, both online and in-person learning should be combined in the future of education (Ideou, n.d.). Educators are aware that each of their thirty students has unique needs, learning gaps, rates of readiness for acquiring knowledge, and home life situations when it comes to large-scale mass educational institutions (Ideou, n.d.).
Peer-to-peer engagement, data-driven interventions, and the chance for every student in a classroom to embark on their own journey are all made possible by technology (Ideou, n.d.). In addition, technology lessens the intimidating nature of obstacles like schedule problems, limited teacher resources, big class sizes, and poor access to transportation (Ideou, n.d.). In other words, technology helps make the education process self-paced and simplified, making it a less stressful experience.
When taking into account Khan Academy, it becomes obvious how a combination of online platforms and educational content can help students. Initially, YouTube was perceived as a platform for entertaining videos of cats (Aloni, 2016). However, the creator found a way to upload educational materials and then engage “all sorts of game mechanics around” the learning process (Innovation training, n.d., 2:29). Thus, by combining the internet platform and educational content, the idea of accessible and simplified learning was created.
Experimenting
The second skill demonstrated by the founder of the online academy is experimenting, which implies an ability to test ideas and concepts to make discoveries. Speaking with numerous educators and children, it becomes clear that the Khan system is experimenting with various teaching strategies to discover what works, such as varying the time spent on social studies during the day or using various literacy resources (Madda, 2016). Through experimentation, Sal Khan, an MIT graduate, discovered a startlingly effective new method of instruction when he began posting the math lessons he taught to his relatives on YouTube (Aloni, 2016).
Initially, Khan tutored his niece, Nadia, to explain concepts in math (Innovation Training, n.d.). However, with time, his efforts were recognized by more people, leading him to have more than a dozen students to tutor (Innovation Training, n.d.). After uploading his educational videos on YouTube, the creator recognized the power of the World Wide Web and its ability to reach vast audiences, helping them fill the gaps in their educational process.
After experimenting with YouTube, the creator established his own platform. Having a background in software engineering, Khan could easily create entertaining assignments for students (Innovation Training, n.d.). The challenge of retaining children’s interest in a video environment led to the exploration of additional ways to offer information (Ideou, n.d.). Sal thinks that people conclude that learning is not limited by time or place (Ideou, n.d.). Therefore, by acknowledging the importance of experimentation, Khan created an optimal platform that suits the interests and needs of each student.
Conclusion
In summary, Sal Khan transformed the field of education by recognizing the connections between educational resources and the internet and by experimenting. Associating is the first ability the creator displays, suggesting that Khan can make connections between seemingly unrelated concepts. In his instance, Khan found that it is feasible to reach millions of struggling students and spread knowledge through the use of online platforms. Experimenting, which suggests having the capacity to test theories and notions to draw conclusions, is the second quality the online academy’s creator displayed.
References
Aloni, I. (2016). How Khan Academy used technology to humanize the classroom. Medium.
Ideou. (n.d.). Sal Khan on leading for impact and rethinking education.
Innovation Training. (n.d.). Stanford University: Education reimagined by Sal Khan.
Madda, M. J. (2016). What’s so innovative about Salman Khan’s one-room schoolhouse? EdSurge.