Sal Khan’s objective is straightforward: to provide a world-class education for free to anyone, anywhere. Many people have deemed his aspiration to be insane, especially the "free" component. Notwithstanding this, prominent figures from the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister’s office to Washington, D.C., have expressed immense interest in his project. Like many absurd notions, the beginning of Khan’s vision was incidental. As a financial analyst in 2004 with an MIT education and Harvard MBA, he began tutoring his struggling cousin, Nadia, who resided in Louisiana remotely. "Then the rest of the family heard there was free tutoring," Khan recalls, and more family members started taking part. Khan was overwhelmed with the demands for his expertise until a friend advised him to film the tutorials and post them on YouTube, allowing family members to view them whenever they wanted.

Since 2009, Khan has devoted himself entirely to the Khan Academy, a website for tutoring, mentoring, and educational testing (khanacademy.org) that offers free content to anyone with internet access. It includes videos and exercises, the majority of which are narrated by Khan himself. The Academy’s significance in education cannot be overstated, with Rohan Silva, a top adviser on technology at Downing Street, stating, "It’s no exaggeration to say that there’s a revolution coming in education, sparked by Sal Khan." Although it also has lessons in computing, the arts, and science, the Khan Academy is centered around high school math. This subject offers video-based teaching, coupled with online exercises ranging from the fundamentals of addition and multiplication to the complexities of calculus and algebra. The course is self-paced, with advanced software that tracks progress and displays areas where improvement is necessary. This makes it a suitable tool for parents to help their kids with their math homework without in-depth knowledge of the subject.

The Khan Academy has a simple system for users to begin using the platform. They can sign up on the website and begin viewing tutorials and taking interactive tests. Khan’s approach is simple. Students watch an educational video, which is then followed by tests related to the subject they have learned. The software tracks the time it takes to answer the questions, recognizes mistakes, and offers support if necessary. When students have mastered one topic, the system automatically invites them to move to the next related subject matter. In a school environment, the Khan Academy approach enables pupils to learn at their own pace. They can re-watch the video lectures many times if they do not understand the concepts. This enables teachers to check on their pupils’ progress on their laptops and provide additional explanations when required.

At the London School of Economics, Khan told a packed theater, "I started this out as a hobby." The 36-year-old, born to parents of Indian and Bangladeshi descent, grew up in the American South. "Louisiana was as close to South Asia as the United States could get: it had spicy food, humidity, giant cockroaches, and a corrupt government," writes Khan in his book, The One World Schoolhouse. Although Khan’s friends in Silicon Valley were quick to ask about the business model, he states, "I don’t have a business model."

Despite lacking a business model, the Khan Academy boasts around 6 million regular users per month, not to mention tens of millions of views of its 4,000 online tutorials. Initially, Khan shied away from being on camera and used simplistic drawing software on a black background to mimic the typical blackboard. Khan’s charming tone, along with his melodic voice, helps make the lessons accessible and brief.

The US educational system has become increasingly aware of the Khan Academy’s educational tools. The Los Altos School District in California began a pilot programme with these resources and found success. The academy has received support from benefactors who help to fund and educate teachers in Idaho and Kansas. Although discussions of cooperation with British schools have not yet been underway, Khan is open to the possibility. In 2009, Khan left his hedge fund job and started working from a closet in his California home. Eventually, the academy gained attention when philanthropist Ann Doerr made a significant donation, which allowed Khan to continue working for the programme. The turning point for the academy came in 2010 when Bill Gates spoke about using Khan’s videos to teach his own child. Eventually, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation became one of Khan Academy’s biggest supporters. Google and Carlos Slim’s foundation has since followed suit, and their work has been translated into various languages and used around the world. Despite criticism from some, Khan is unphased and believes traditional education needs to change. "The real problem is that the process is broken," he says. The Khan Academy aims to address the gaps in children’s knowledge that traditional education ignores.

michaellang

Michael Lang is a 33-year-old professor and blogger who is passionate about writing. He has been blogging for over 7 years and has written for various online publications. Michael is also a seasoned professor who has taught at the college level for over a decade. He is currently a professor of English at a community college in the Midwest.