Photo Credit: Elvin W. via Compfight

A potentially constructive - but so far bitter - fight just started  by math, physics and other teachers who are incensed by Sal Khan’s lack of precision in his video lectures. Some of them are starting to offer their sarcastic critiques in their own web videos. In response, Khan is avoiding a fight and is accepting their critiques with gratitude. His fans are providing the jeers back toward the critics. Will the so-called “real” teachers provide useful feedback for Khan? Or just look ridiculous? Initially, we thought the critiques sounded like a nice idea. But, after watching one of them, we have our doubts. Here’s our view of the problem:

If

A) Some math teachers see (x) Khan Academy and (y) Sal Khan’s massive popularity as a threat to their livelihood and an afront to their ego and pedagogical methods?

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B) Easy ability to create videos on YouTube, the same platform on which (y) Sal Khan unleashes a prodigious stream of tutorial videos

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C) Vitriol-fueled competitions now forming on YouTube by math teachers who aim to discredit, critique and ridicule (y) arguably the most popular math teacher on the planet … i.e. Sal Khan. The teachers say they are just trying to help Khan Academy improve and to learn from “real” math teachers. We find that concept smart and useful as a way to improve Khan Academy.  But we also find their sour grapes smell overwhelmingly ripe in their videos so far.

Will the campaign work? Perhaps it pushes Khan Academy toward more excellence and better pedagogy. Great. But we also think these teachers should make their own videos and submit them to Ted-ED. That seems even more constructive (demonstrating how THEY would make videos that can help students) rather than tut-tut-tutting about Khan.

Here’s some of the critique videos and a roundup of the project…

In the following video “Mystery Teacher Theater 2000″ below by John Golden and Dave Coffey: “Two teachers sit down to learn about math teaching from a man who is Bill Gates’ favorite teacher.” They spend 11 minutes kibitzing about Sal’s teaching failures in his video lecture about multiplying and dividing positive and negative integers. They split hairs with Khan’s methods such as how he puts a positive sign in from of some positive numbers but not others. They also say he fails to cite his sources. Slate notes that such errors show that Khan is brilliant and talented but also not most skilled in “pedagogy, the science of teaching information effectively.”

These teachers say: “Our primary purpose with this video was to get a conversation started. We realized that the satire would put some people off but many teachers have tried to engage Khan Academy in a reasonable discussion and present their case to the media about issues with this approach with little to show for it. Now that the conversation has started and Sal himself has said he is listening and looks forward to more critiques, the time has come to raise the level of the discussion. That is why several bloggers have suggested 101 Critiques and lessons. We are looking for at least 101 bloggers to offer a video critique of a Khan Academy video and then share an alternative lesson on that concept. The goal is for all the participants to post the critiques and lessons on August 14th (the day before the deadline for the MTT2K prize). Perhaps the sheer volume of resources will convince the media to acknowledge that while Sal Khan’s approach has it’s place, he could still learn something from teachers.”

But many of the comments on this video dis the two math teachers and defend Khan:  For example: 

“This sort of negative sarcasm is why school teachers do such a poor job and why the world needs practical guys like Kahn. These guys could never make the difference that I have seen Kahn Academy make.”

The Huffington Post reports:

Within five days of the video going up on YouTube, Khan removed his original tutorial, and replaced it with two new, better lectures just two days later. According to Slate, he also sent a comment to Justin Reich — who linked to the parody video on his education tech blog — saying he appreciates the feedback.

The MTT2K (short for “Mystery Teacher Theater 2000”) Prize will gift $750 in prize money to the individuals who submit the best video critiques of Khan Academy lectures by August 15, 2012. Individuals from Khan Academy have been invited to participate in the judging as well.

Via The Huffington Post