Problems With Education

Education may be the area where csr corporate social responsibility is needed the most. Public school systems are part of a bureaucracy and are notoriously hard to change. Education reformers present all sorts of ideas as solutions to low student achievement. Their solutions include new standards, charter schools, online education, and merit pay for teachers when their students pass standardized tests. More than ever before, society needs innovation in this area. Sal Khan’s Khan Academy is one csr corporate social responsibility company leading the way.

Khan Academy is a not for profit company working to make education more accessible for everyone. Founder Sal Khan and his team of content experts create and share educational videos online. The videos can cover virtually any topic, from chemistry to advanced financial computations. Learners are able to access the videos and learn at their own pace. Anyone with an internet connection and a laptop or tablet can access the courses. Khan Academy’s motto is “a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.”

One Student, One Teacher

Khan started his company small and simple. One of his young cousins needed tutoring in math. Khan holds several advanced degrees and had the knowledge, but he and his cousin were on opposite sides of the country. So in 2004, he began tutoring her by phone. Khan soon got the idea to teach his cousin online, with a Yahoo chat program. In the program, Khan was able to share equations and drawings while he talked his cousin through the problems. He began recording videos, so his cousin could pause and rewind to make sure she understood everything.

It was not long before Khan’s cousin requested that they end the talking sessions and that Khan just make and send her videos. She explained it was easier to learn that way. Khan realized that it is hard for many students to learn with a teacher standing over them. That was when he hit on the idea of Khan Academy.

Following a Consistent Model

Today, Khan Academy hosts over 20,000 videos that anyone can access. Many are made by Khan himself. He works tirelessly, recording up to eight videos a day. Khan’s videos stick to a simple format. He talks through the subject in a voice over, never appearing on screen. Khan’s hand drawn equations and formulas also appear on screen. Using this same format, Khan is able to keep producing videos on any subject.

It seems that everyone has a different opinion on how to repair our educational system. Perhaps everyone would agree that all students need access to quality educational materials. Khan Academy is a csr corporate social responsibility company helping to ensure this happens.