JEFFREY BAIER: When I
first saw Khan Academy, what was attractive
to me was the ability for students to learn concepts
at their own pace, when they were ready for them. And it brings that learning to
students both in the classroom and at home with a seamless
transition from one location to the next. ALYSSA GALLAGHER:
What caught our eye in using it to
differentiate instruction is the interface that
the students have, and really on the back end,
all of the complex data that's provided to the teachers. It would take them hours to
get that same kind of data. SANDRA McGONAGLE: It
was easy to roll out. Thankfully, I have some teachers
who are just great risk takers and saw the potential of how
it would help their students. Cost wise is great. I know there are other math
programs out there that you can purchase, but it is a
cost and it's not real time. JEFFREY BAIER: The data sets
the Khan Academy provides allows principals at
the school site level to have conversations
with their teachers about progress students are making;
to recognize very quickly which students are grasping
skills and moving ahead, which students are struggling
with a particular concept, and which students
are stuck and need some additional intervention. ALYSSA GALLAGHER: Khan
Academy is directly helping because every
day, every child has the opportunity
to have individualized learning opportunities, where
they are specifically working at their level, being provided
with instantaneous feedback. Which is not something
that they would get in the traditional
teacher lecture model. SANDRA McGONAGLE:
I see every student utterly engaged in
what they're doing. And they are talking about math. They are excited about math. They're appropriately
challenged. And those kids who are
really math superstars are able to push themselves
to where they want to be. JEFFREY BAIER: The
parent involvement aspect is important, as well,
because they can actually see the teaching, the
instruction, as the student hears the instruction in class,
as well, because they, too, can watch the videos. It brings an opportunity
into the home for parents to have conversations
with their children about math, about
learning, and about what they're doing in school. SANDRA McGONAGLE: I am most
excited that our kids are happy and excited about
learning, and especially learning math, because it
seems to be the older you get in grades, you either have
determined for yourself that you love math, or
you're not good at math. And so if kids can have
success at their level, to build that mental
math capability, I think that's amazing. JEFFREY BAIER: When both
teachers and students are excited about the
teaching and learning going on in the classroom, it has
limitless possibilities.