Khan Academy Best Practices for High School

TL;DR

Khan Academy ambassador, Matt, shares his expertise on using Khan Academy with high school students, emphasizing the importance of course mastery and personalized learning.

Transcript

• Hey, everyone, this is Jeremy with Khan Academy. Thanks so much for joining us on this Friday afternoon, or Friday morning, depending on where you're calling in from. Wherever you're calling in from, you're in for a special treat today, because we have Matt, one of our Khan Academy ambassadors from Georgia, calling in to share his expertise on us... Read More

Key Insights

• 😫 Set up classes on Khan Academy using Google Classroom or by manually creating student accounts.
• 😫 Assign course mastery challenges at the beginning of the year to set goals and track progress.
• 😒 Use videos and hints on Khan Academy to support student learning.
• 🧑‍🎓 Regular communication with students is essential for motivation and guidance.
• 🧑‍🎓 Differentiate instruction for special education students by limiting the number of questions and incorporating interactive tools.
• 🧑‍🎓 Assess student progress using course mastery, regular assignments, and other assessments.
• 👥 Use the resources tab, help section, and Facebook group for additional support with Khan Academy.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does Matt use Khan Academy with high school students?

Matt assigns course mastery challenges to his students, sets goals for achieving mastery, and encourages students to use the videos and hints available for support. He also communicates regularly with students to provide guidance and motivation.

Q: How does the course mastery system work?

The course mastery system on Khan Academy allows students to progress through different units and lessons, earning points for completing assignments and answering questions correctly. Students earn points and level up as they complete units and achieve mastery in different topics.

Q: How does Matt differentiate instruction for special education students?

Matt limits the number of questions in assignments and often does them as whole-class activities. He also encourages the use of iPads, which allow students to interact with the content through drawing and other tools. Matt emphasizes the importance of communication between the teacher and student.

Q: How does Matt assess student progress in Khan Academy?

Matt grades students based on course mastery and uses a scale of 1 to 4 to assess their understanding. Assignments on Khan Academy, along with other assessments, contribute to the overall grade. He also uses the activity overview feature to track students' time spent on Khan Academy, skills practiced, and levels achieved.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Matt has seven years of experience as an educator and uses Khan Academy extensively in his high school math classes.

• He assigns course mastery challenges to his students at the beginning of the year, setting bi-weekly goals to achieve mastery by the end of the year.

• Matt emphasizes the importance of building strong foundations in math through course mastery, using hints and videos for support, and providing regular communication with students.