Why Khan Academy Videos Work

Why Khan Academy Videos Work

Introduction

•         If you found yourself at one point over the last ten years watching a TED conference video (talk) and enjoying it, I would bet all the money in the world that you returned to watch more of them. Maybe you just viewed ones that centered on a topic you like. Maybe, you find yourself exploring into subjects or concepts that previously you couldn't stand or understand. Whatever your focus and regardless of your reasoning, TED talks represent one of the most popular everyday venues where thought leaders from numerous fields can gather and share ideas. One of the most popular talks out there in the realm of education, and really just a representation of a growing "brand" in the field, belongs to someone named Salmon Khan. Khan's rapid rise to success and popularity, not to mention a growing partnership with the likes of Bill Gates, came from a pretty simple idea. About 10 years ago Khan began tutoring a younger cousin over the internet using home made videos to help teach her mathematics and science concepts. 
•         The question for lots of educational and business leaders who came across the concept or saw something they might use in their school/business - how does this work and how can I apply it? The answer to that proves fairly simple in theory, a bit complex in practice, but can happen. However, before we get into the science and the theory, let's talk about some history first

History

•         Modern educational systems were not built until the late 19th and early 20th century. Built upon a model of the industrial assembly line and staffed by those aspiring or a product of the "university" system, schools as we know them were designed in part to meet the demands of business and academia, not the learner. And, because of those competing interests (really ideologies) they never fully served either.
• Schools in the "West" and particularly in America were not personalized to the interests and learning styles of the students and many did not include preparation for life after education. Even the more effective "vocational" schools did not do many of their graduates well with the lack of business experience or critical thinking skills needed in a workplace environment.

Why Do They Work?

•         To put it simply, the concept behind Khan's original videos and the growing library of courses fill a need. They begin with a question (which grabs attention) How do I ____? Or Why does ____ and they proceed to instill in the learner (viewer) both the process and theory behind the answer. To understand more I recommend reading up on two theorists and their primary work - Gagne's 9 events of instruction and Bloom's taxonomy. Operating off of those two principles combined, Khan's work and the growing awareness in both education and business (corporate or adult) training and education demonstrates that before "learning occurs" a certain number of prerequisites must be met.
•         From a practical standpoint, Khan's work in education (read k-12; possibly higher ed) represents the idea of "just in time learning" as it is known in the business world. Now of course, students are often directed to something the teacher wants them to learn, as opposed to in a business setting where (and yes companies often direct their employees to learn something) people need information, knowledge, and skills to complete a specific task or function. Without getting too detailed about causality and motivation, here's what's working underneath when the videos (instruction) is effective:
• The approach builds upon motivation - which a person must have if the learning is to stick initially, and especially if it's going to stick long term. Even if it's a simple need, how do I change this part on my car?, and not part of a formal training/education program, the reason prepares the learner. They videos also guide the learner through application of the theory/concept and include demonstrations of it. And, Khan's company includes access to a growing array of work where the theory can get applied over even more examples.
• Going back to the first point above, retention rates increase when instruction follows a systematic and sound approach. Retention increases with experience, with joy and with application, so the more you work on it, the more you will remember. Sorry folks - lot's of geniuses out there really just work harder than us.
• An important priority (some would argue the only one that counts) for businesses - the approach (not just the "video" but what happens there and what is available post "video") means that there's increased performance - efficiency and effectiveness increases dramatically when guided through a process and when everything happens in real time.
• Personalized. From a business perspective no company wants to say "we don't care about our exmployees that much" but in reality, even from a business' perspective, personalizing instruction, while perhaps increasing up front costs, if coupled with real talent management and career growth, means that you can increase your bottom line on the back end - reduced costs (errors, efficiency) or grow sales (new ideas, products).
• Overall, the approach taken by Khan and by a growing number of schools and businesses as to how training occurs represents a return back to the time when learning occurred as needed, in real time, and with real interest from both parties. Think about it. If you were an Ancient Egyptian and you farmed on the banks of the nile - you might want to pass along all your knowledge and skills to your children so that when they reach maturity, they know what needs to be done and when you can no longer go out into the fields or fish in the river, there's still food coming in.