KHAN Academy: The future of education?

[liskddksil]

11. I think any technology in Education should be used extremely sparingly and only

Last edited Mon Mar 12, 2012, 11:09 AM - Edit history (1)

as a supplement, not a replacement of a traditional classroom. I do see the benefits of pre-learning, particularly for Math and Science classes. Yet that strategy can be effective by reading through a book, as opposed to watching a video. Ultimately students learn best in small classrooms, from a real teacher and through collabaration and discussion from classmates. An education system that relies on students staring at computer screens is scary to me, when research suggests that the amount of time students (and adults) are already spending looking at and relying on their smartphones, ipads, etc. is actually making them dumber, and unable to think critically and problem-solve.

Khan is supported by Bill Gates, who supports the worst of the ed-reformers, such as Michelle Rhee, who are intent on privatizing public schools, and turning our students into standardized test-taking drones. As such, I do not trust their proponents to limit their use. We've already seen in Idaho, a virtual course requirement for students, simply as a means for cost-cutting.