Two weeks ago I discovered Khan Academy and I decided to jump right in and implement it into the classroom. I just let them run with it, and for the last two weeks they have been on their own with Khan Academy.
Today was the first day that our class actually discussed the pros and cons of Khan Academy after the two "teacher free" weeks. When we finished our discussion, I asked the students to write in their math notebooks their likes and dislikes of Khan Academy.
This was an especially good exercise for me as the teacher. I have gained
a lot of information and insight from my students's comments on how to proceed with Khan
Academy in the classroom. As I am learning along with the students and
other teacher's blogs on how to implement Khan Academy into my grade
6/7 classroom, new ideas and lessons will be tried and I am sure some will be
excellent, and as in all classrooms some will fail terribly. I am
excited with the new prospects of teaching math using technology.
Here are my students's comments.
Likes: Dislikes:
-easy point and click on a problem -scratchpad is hard to use on computer
-problems well explained -won't teach everything
-work at own pace -confusing questions
-achievement system -scratch pad is hard when using a mouse
-rewards -I don't like how I don't know if I am learning the
-variety and choices right things I need for highschool
-helps and explains -I don't like having random, short lessons that don't
-computer accessible relate to each other
-learn a lot and time flies by -I miss having lessons with the teacher
-avatar -It's hard to know which lessons to do
-FUN -I want to stay on each lesson longer
-no tests -scratch pad hard to use
-choices -scratch pad
-take a test when ready(sort of) -how's there's not videos that specify what to do
-homework recorded -not much help
-go at your own pace(fantastic) -annoying when you get multiple questions wrong
-it's easier to keep track of my math -when you get something wrong the bar goes down
-you have a personal teacher whenever you want -scratch pad
-if you're stuck on one thing you can do something else -unhelpful scratch pad
-you can obtain mastery -questions can not be answered directly
-Khan math makes math less stressful -scratch pad hard to use
-I like the badges -scratch pad is kind of hard and not that useful
-fun aspect -sometimes you just can't understand
-badges -It can't teach everything
-avatars -scratch pad
-I like the videos because they explain better -losing energy points
-the scratchpad only if on the ipad -scratch pad is hard to use
-videos always available -hard to use without real teacher
-rewards -scratch pad tedious and hard to use
-choose what you want when you want -don't know if really get it because not in order
-review makes sure you don't forget your skills -I prefer writing and doing math on paper
-FUN! -I don't like when you get one question wrong you have
-if struggling makes sure you fully understand to do 30 more questions to get back
-if easy, less questions -scratch pad is too time consuming
-the videos -no writing on paper
-videos -no written instructions, just videos
-hints -I don't like working on computer too long
-achievements -I feel like I'm not learning because you go from one
-space thing to another and I'm not remembering things
-FUN -It's hard to write on the scratch pad
-achievements(awesome) -if you make a mistake you go back to the beginning,
-proficiency but in a note book you can look it over
-getting energy points (awesome) -I don't think they explain it very well sometimes
-makes math more fun -the scratch pad is hard to use
-don't need to write just type -the questions are kind of all over the place
-get badges kinda fun -need teacher sometimes
-they will teach you if you don't understand, and you can just watch video -videos sometimes make
-you can just watch again and again if you still don't understand no sense
-rewarding -scratch pad hard to use with trackpad
-choose subject
-go at your own pace
-videos explain well
-makes if feel like a game
-no tests sort of
-easy to use
-doesn't use paper
-hints
-videos
-personal teacher
-awards
-that you can see your progress
-videos
-it makes math fun
-I like the scratch pad, but only on the ipad
-goals
-medals
-rewards
-points
-badges
-lots of things to do
-FUN!
-scratchpad
-the mysteries of the questions
-math is fun
-it challenges me
-it makes me better at math
-videos
-goals
-badges
-app
-going ahead
-fun
-has a screen
-videos help a lot
-badges are awesome
-on a device(electronic device)
-it works well with ipad
-videos are very easy to understand
-hints are good because if you read the question wrong it re-shows you
-videos are good at explaining things
-badges
-videos
-avatars
-points
-go at my own pace
-fun
-less nagging
-every subject
-better understanding
This was an especially good exercise for me as the teacher. I have a lot of information from my students on how to proceed with Khan Academy in the classroom. As I am learning along with the students and other teacher's blogs on how to implement Khan Academy into my grade 6/7 classroom new ideas will be tried and I am sure some will be excellent and as in all classrooms some will fail terribly. I am excited with the new prospects of teaching math using technology.
