Khan Academy launches classroom pilot program in Idaho

More than 10,000 students across Idaho will be using Khan Academy, the successful Internet education organization, in their classroom this coming school year. Khan Academy’s videos – which span a variety of subjects, from Renaissance art to game theory – have allowed many teachers to “flip” classrooms by letting students to listen to lectures at home and work on homework...

More than 10,000 students across Idaho will be using Khan Academy, the successful Internet education organization, in their classroom this coming school year.

Khan Academy’s videos – which span a variety of subjects, from Renaissance art to game theory – have allowed many teachers to “flip” classrooms by letting students to listen to lectures at home and work on homework at school.

This new approach, combined with the individual tracking of students, has helped teachers to better utilize their time at school and make sure that no student moves on from a lesson until they have mastered the material.

Some schools in Illinois, such as the Chicago Virtual Charter School and Youth Connection Charter School, are already embracing online learning.

But the state, and Chicago, in particular, could benefit from a Khan Academy-style program – one that reimagines the classroom, allows students to learn at their own pace and empowers teachers to do what they do best – educate.