Education Social — 30 April 2011
<!--:en-->Reinvent Education<!--:-->

I’m a bit worried about the way education is going. A good teacher is hard to find they say, and in some places good teachers are most likely found in private schools only. Common opinions I stumble upon are that the education budgets are too low, or that it’s just not the same generation (referring to the children). I say, that the conjunction of reasons creates the problem and that we need a paradigm shift in order to solve it.

From time to time I look for online tutorials to help me learn new stuff, or complete tasks on the go. For example, I really like TheNewBoston A free & friendly website by Bucky Roberts, who started off by uploading computer programming related tutorials and recently hired two more teachers and an office to expand his tutorials to other subjects such as math, biology and more.

These tutorials are great, but it’s really not the complete, robust solution needed in order to create a paradigm shift. The education system needs a complete solution that takes advantage of video tutorials, but also allows moderation, interaction, practice and an overall great approach. While looking at one of Bucky’s video tutorials I noticed a comment from one guy saying “Bucky, you should join hands with Khan Academy”, Khan Academy? Curios enough, I Googled it and I was amazed to see the solution I was hoping for. Khan Academy truly is a complete solution, but Salman Khan, Khan Academy’s creator truly explains best, how his project, really could make a change. The following video is well worth everyone’s time.

 

I really think we should find a way to put pressure on authorities to “beta” test this system. With over 50 million lessons delivered and counting, Khan Academy looks like the most promising way to reinvent education using video tutorials.

But until a true change comes, like Mark Twain once said, “I never let school interfere with my education”.

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About Author

Daniel Benami is a Graduate in Business Administration and currentley a tutor at the College of Management Academic Studies (Israel).

(6) Readers Comments

  1. In my opinion, it’s all good in theory but the problem does not dwell on actual institutional education along. There is a trend, of somewhat leniency or degradation of education that starts at home. I heard a story once, and as much I did not want to believe it, it was nevertheless true. In a nutshell, an exchange student from Sweden stays with a family in the United States of America. A rather civilised family, one would only expect a certain degree of intellect. One of the family members asked the exchange student “so, how did you come to the US? Did you use the bridge?”, the surprised exchange student asked “What bridge?”, and as a reply she was “informed” – “the bridge between the US and Sweden of course”. Yes, that is only one isolated example, and true, it may or may not reflect the vast population in the world. However, one cannot simply argue that the problem dwells only within the education institutions, but must take into consideration many other traits, such as the cultural environment, personal aspirations, etc. In my personal opinion, the problem starts from home – and that is where a change is truly needed. For if there will be no change, we will end up with a world society of morons.

    • I partially agree. With the increasing level of competitiveness and willingness to succeed at work which result in spending more time at work and less time at home, parents nowadays are playing a dangerous game of leaving basic education to the environment of the child, so the real educator of the child becomes the nanny, kindergarten friends and of course the TV set. That being said, education is indeed a chain of “gems” where each is important, Khan University takes care, and actually improves the quality of one “gem”. For the education at home part, it’s a difficult question indeed.

  2. This is such a great resource that you are providing and you give it away for free. I enjoy seeing websites that understand the value of providing a prime resource for free. I truly loved reading your post. Thanks!

    • Thank you for your kind words,
      I’m glad you liked it :)

  3. I just added your blog site to my blogroll, I pray you would give some thought to doing the same.

    • Kudos! What a neat way of thninikg about it.

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