{"id":588,"date":"2016-04-04T14:14:41","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T04:14:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/learning-maths-with-khan-academy"},"modified":"2019-08-05T01:17:35","modified_gmt":"2019-08-05T01:17:35","slug":"learning-maths-with-khan-academy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/2016\/04\/04\/learning-maths-with-khan-academy\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning maths with Khan Academy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Khan Academy[I]<\/sup><\/a> is awesome. Learning maths with Khan Academy is fun and rewarding.<\/p>\n

Here’s how I started, why I started, my thoughts and experiences.<\/p>\n

How I started<\/h2>\n

\"khan-academy1\"Its been a decade since I last did any mathematics, and whilst I can still remember many general principles and a few rules, the maths part of my brain has certainly grown more than a little rusty. It’s not just forgetting how to do things, it’s also a frame of mind which encapsulates an approach to problem solving, an intuition for numeric logic, and an eagerness for persevering through frustrations that devolve from mathematical miscomprehension. Then there’s also the sheer knowledge base – an awareness and familiarity with formulas and definitions.<\/p>\n

Khan Academy uses subject streams. So if I want to learn “statistics” or “trigonometry”, then I just select that stream. KA then tests me to see what I already know, and starts me on a course. It’s as simple as that. I recommend starting with “pre-calculus” which provides a broad foundation for many of the other fields.<\/p>\n

Why I started<\/h2>\n

I did have a goal, more specific than just “learn some maths”. I want to have a grounding in statistics because I see statistics as a powerful tool and paradigm that can combine\u00a0to exponential effect with computer programming (which I am also studying).<\/p>\n

\"mg21528840.800-1_300\"I also have a general curiosity which I want to feed. I’m interested in knowing how learning mathematics impacts my conceptualization and perception of other elements of phenomenal reality. The Pythagoreans believed that the most basic unit of substance was numbers, and that everything including elements and music, were manifestations of numerical relationships. The success of science, and especially physics, in producing a description of reality on the basis of mathematical premises and corollaries, is similarly confronting. – Let me deviate for a moment: the spiritualists (including the yogis and Buddhists, but similarly in many other cultures) teach that reality can be approached by a manipulation of attendance to the experiential passage. – Now I return to the point: could mathematics being the exteroceptive equivalent of the introspective journey to self-awareness and the search for a fundamental reality? Not just because mathematics mirrors the substantial nature of tangible reality, but also because the absorption of mathematical experience modulates\u00a0the pre-consciousness\u00a0in its own image?<\/p>\n

My thoughts and experiences<\/h2>\n

Khan Academy employs a number of empowering and encouraging educational and psychological designs. Some of these are kindred to mobile and casual games, wherein progress is\u00a0made addictive by pleasant sounds – note the tinkling bell that rewards correct solutions, and virtual swag – note that accumulation of badges that reward overcoming hurdles and milestones. These may sound crass or manipulative, but they are certainly compelling and engaging; a successful form of gamification.<\/p>\n

KA also employs a strategy of step-wise mastery. Achievements are not based on an absolute number of questions solved, but the ability to solve a few questions consistently correctly. This raises the task to a “practised” level. KA then re-introduces the task over a few days, each time raising or reducing the level, until it considers that it has been mastered. It also reviews past masteries over a longer period of time, which further reinforces mastery.<\/p>\n

In my experience, these work very well to encourage me to continue learning, and to ensure that the lessons take firm root.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

[I]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0“Khan Academy<\/strong>\u00a0is a non-profit organization created in 2008 by\u00a0Salman Khan\u00a0with the goal of creating a set of online tools that help educate students. The organization produces short lessons in the form of\u00a0YouTubevideos. Its website also includes supplementary practice exercises and materials for educators. All resources are available to users of the website”. For further details see\u00a0https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Khan_Academy<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Khan Academy[I] is awesome. Learning maths with Khan Academy is fun and rewarding. Here’s how I started, why I started, my thoughts and experiences. How I started Its been a decade since I last did any mathematics, and whilst I can still remember many general principles and a few rules, the maths part of my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[159,134,90,106],"tags":[136,137],"metadata":[171],"class_list":["post-588","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-all-posts","category-autodidactic","category-blog-posts","category-the-traveller-is-the-journey","tag-khan-academy","tag-maths","metadata-editors-footnotes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1123,"url":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/2016\/08\/08\/personal-statement-rmit-2016\/","url_meta":{"origin":588,"position":0},"title":"Personal Statement RMIT 2016","author":"Pala","date":"August 8, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"To whom it may concern, A personal statement is not mandatory for my application to a Masters in Analytics but is an opportunity for me to advertise my interest and relevant experience. 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