FlowchartIES.pdf Khan visionslide IES.pdf

Scaffolding Effective Use of Khan Academy Content for Project Based Learning in Nigerian Classrooms

Location: Lagos, Nigeria

Our client: Yemi Odunaike and Dr. Nsikak of Living Values

Project Goals and Objectives

The goal of this design is to create an opportunity to use Khan Academy videos to support project based learning in the classroom. This design will allow educators to use Khan Academy in a new way. Khan Academy is ideal to support project based learning because students can move at their own pace and utilize peer learning in combination with the Khan Academy lectures under the guidance of their teacher.

We create a model for utilizing digital content in an urban classroom in a developing country by focusing on Lera, an 11 year old junior secondary school student in a public school in Lagos, Nigeria. We design a project based learning experience for Lera, using available technological resources such as Khan Academy videos and remote servers.

Context: Assumptions about Conditions in Schools in Lagos:

This project is designed under the assumption of the following conditions:

• Lera’s class size is 40.
• Lera’s classroom has at least 1 computer that has access to Khan Academy video via a remote hotspot. There is no internet connection, hence advanced features such as exercises and Dashboard are not available.
• Lera spends 6 hours in school everyday. She does not have a computer at home.
• Lera and her classmates are not familiar with project based learning concepts. Their benches and chairs are arranged in rows and lessons are in the form of lectures.
• Lera’s teacher has received training in project based learning and the use of Khan Academy and the Edu-Hotspot server. She has been provided with a toolkit for the implementation of the project which details the Khan Academy videos that students might use at each step of the project to assist the teacher in guiding the students to the best videos for their needs.

Rationale for a Project Based Learning Approach:

This design utilizes project based learning because:

• Authentic learning occurs when students derive personal knowledge through observation and active reflection on their own experience. 
• Being told procedure and concepts before students have struggled with problem solving can undermine the acquisition of deep conceptual understanding. (Schwartz et al, 2011) 

In traditional classrooms, teachers first explain concepts and procedures to solving a type of problems, students then practice on a set of well-designed problems to reinforce the ideas just learnt. In project based learning, students are encouraged to work on authentic problems, and derive their own conclusions through careful observation, trial and error and reflection on the process of trying to solve these problems.

Project Strategy and Timeline

How would PBL operate in Lera’s classroom?

Lera and her classmates are divided into groups of 4 to work on a major project that lasts throughout the semester. The teacher uses her knowledge of the students to create heterogeneous groups by ability. The project is broken down into smaller parts, where each portion lasts 1 to 2 weeks covering a few inter-related concepts. At the start of each portion, students are presented with a part of the project and are encouraged to explore, hypothesize and test out various ways in which they might be able to tackle the problem. After some exploration, students share their initial discoveries and emergent thoughts on the problem. Students then watch Khan Academy videos covering the relevant topics. The videos give students further insight to how the problem might be solved. Students work on second iteration of the solutions, they might refer to other Khan Academy videos if they realize that they need additional information. The students go through several iterations until they have successfully come to a solution.

The students repeat this process for other parts of the project and they synthesize their learning in the form of a final presentation on their entire project at the end of the semester. Formative assessments are given in the form of multiple process reports/mini-presentation where students need to demonstrate understanding of the concepts by clearly and logically explaining the work they have done. The emphasis here is on the process of learning, rather than on the final solution itself.

Outline of sample activities:

As a semester long project, each group of students is given the pattern of a dress printed on a piece of paper and asked to make a real dress for each member of the team.

Mathematical concepts involved:

• 1. Measurement. Students are given a variety of measuring tools to help them size up their teammates. They are asked to find ways to compare and record the different sizes in meaningful ways. Students are asked to reflect on questions such as why do people take measurements, and what is a good or bad measurement. Following that, they watch KA videos explaining the concepts of measurement. Students refine their ideas about measurement and find ways to measure and record each other’s sizes. Students may watch additional KA videos if they feel that they need to revise an earlier concept, obtain prerequisite knowledge, or seek further information. Students present their solutions and explain the mathematical concepts behind the task to the rest of the class. 
• 2. Proportionality/scaling. With the help of KA video, students find out how to draw an individualized dress patterns for each team member based on their specific measurements.
• 3. Area. With the help of KA videos, students find out how much fabric they need for each dress. 
• 4. The culmination of the project is the final presentation of the finished dresses with a poster detailing their thought processes and the mathematical ideas discovered through working on the project. 

Expected Results

Upon completion of the semester-long project, students will demonstrate understanding of mathematical principles. They will demonstrate this knowledge through the completion of their final product and through a presentation to the class where they describe the process they went through, the challenges they encountered, and how they addressed those challenges.

Team

Shannon Xue: finance, education

June Ou: financial technology startup, business

Manuel Matos: technology consulting, information systems design, business

Kerri Thomsen: international education

References:

John Dewey, 1938. Experience and Education.

Daniel L. Schwartz, Catherine C. Chase, Marily A. Oppezzo, and Doris B. Chin, 2011. Practicing Versus Inventing With Contrasting Cases: The Effects of Telling First on Learning and Transfer. Journal of Educational Psychology

Feedback [Instructor:  Ami Mehta]

I want to thank the team for thinking more deeply about the actual use of the Khan videos in the classroom.  I think project-based learning and Khan videos do work well together and deliver a more powerful learning experience paired up as opposed to stand alone.  I also liked the concept of tailoring a dress using mathematical calculations because this could lead to a real-world vocational skill.  To flush out the concept even more, I think it's useful to explain how learning more about math through Khan Videos and Project Based learning could be connected to a way for these girls to participate in the economy.  Will this knowledge help them get into secondary school?  A local job or other sources of income to ensure a sustainable life.

The vision slide and process slide were excellent supports to your overall idea... Great Job!

Thanks and look forward to this group's work on the next challenge. :-) 

Ami