Statistics is rough. As I'm now in the middle of a second semester of it, it continues to get more and more challenging. And this coming from someone who squeaked by high school level Algebra with C's.
Last week we posted a video of Salman Khan at a TED Talk introducing himself and his website (with the help of Bill Gates, none the less). The video inspired me to start watching his videos on Statistics (67 videos in all). I really got into it and created a little system for going through the videos. I decided to share it so that others could try it and see how successful they can be. After starting this I've already seen a twenty point increase in my exam grades!!
As you see above, I've taken a snap shot of a lesson. I take these every time Salman fills up the screen, just before he scrolls down or moves on. There's typically 3 or 4 screen shots per lesson. I have a folder for each lesson to keep the screenshots organized, and keep track of the lessons I've completed:
Once I've completed a lesson or two I turn to my wife and ask if it's ok to explain my screenshots to her. She's normally very gracious and attentive, even if I stumble a little, when listening. She even lets me go back and rewatch a section or two if needed.
In his TED Talk, Salman discusses the 'Flipped classroom.' With this, students watch videos as their lesson at home and then come to school to do their 'homework.' Students are able to interact with the teacher and their peers on the work that tends to be the most tedious.
The screen shot and folder system can work well in many classrooms. Students could take a screen shot and explain it to the teacher, a peer, parent or other mentor. A cross-curricular way of doing this could include a written explanation of a screen shot in Language Arts, a personal interpretation in Art, putting music to a screen shot in Music, and using formulas in Science.
The possibilities could be endless, but this is just one way the Khan Academy is already working for me!!!