Salman Khan: Lets use video to reinvent education

Salman Khans's idea of 'flipping' the classroom around is a very exciting idea. Essentially he argues thats videos in the classroom allows greater scope and opportunities for learning and teaching. He says that introducing this technology has had a 'humanizing affect' where learning and teaching are customised to the student and allowing the teacher the time to work with those that are struggling.

Advantatges for students

• Kids prefer to work with digital devices
• can work at there own pace- in control of their learning
• can pause/replay video if unsure
• working with video removes embarrasment from asking for assistance.
• capacity for peer to peer tutoring, classroom walls no barrier to tutoring globally.
• each child has the same opportuinies to be 'smart' at that subject

Advantages for teachers

• Classroom no longer 'chalk and talk'.
• Takes the guess work out of a lesson, teachers are sure that kids are where they need to be for their learning- eah step is mastered.
• teacher observation of pauses/replays informs where the 'sticky' points are.
• A classroom dashboard allows teacher to know where each student is at. Pinpoints which students would benefit from some coaching
• teachers can confidently choose a student which has masterd a topic to tutor a student who is struggling to pick it up. 

 These advantages of using video in the classroom create a student centred approach to learning, or a humanised environment. By flipping the structure of the classroom around this creates the space for teachers to ensure that all students excel. Khan points out that it the student to teacher ratio is now redundant. Rather it is the student to valuable teacher time that takes precedence. 

How would I use this for learning? Considering the prevalence of the rise of the sketchily defined 'new literacies' it would make complete sense to use video in the classroom. Because it is a versatile medium, it can be used in all KLAs. Age is not a barrier, because it is using images and sound to communicate. It seems that video would slip easily into a constructivst framework for teaching, so it would be the role of the teacher to ensure that whats on the video is relevant and appropriate to class. Combining video with tutorial programs on the pc, there seems no limitation to creating little geniuses. 

So all that is great. The problem is that there is no where near enough computers in the classrooms for all students. We need to convince education power brokers that this is the way. Once that is accomplished, we are only limited by our imaginations. 

Salman Khan: lets use video to reinvent education

Choose the way you wish to learn: use the link or just watch the embedded video.