What Khan Academy’s Founder Wants You to Know About Online Learning

With millions of K-12 students stuck at home during the pandemic, the nation is engaged in a massive, crisis-driven experiment in remote learning. What do education journalists need to know to better understand and report on what’s happening? To help address that question, EWA is turning to one of the pioneers in online learning — Khan Academy founder and CEO Sal Khan.

In a conversation with EWA board president Greg Toppo, who authored a book on educational gaming, Khan tackles a variety of issues. What are key questions journalists should keep in mind when reporting on students’ experiences with virtual instruction, whether from their teachers remotely or from the dizzying array of online educational offerings available?

What lessons has Sal Khan learned about online education, including its strengths and limitations? How has his team at Khan Academy, which offers an array of free lessons in math, science, and other subjects, handled the huge uptick in users because of the stay-at-home orders? Khan also will explore the equity implications involved with online learning, and the extent to which education next fall might look different, especially if schools combine in-person and remote learning.

This webinar was presented on April 29, 2020.