Khan Academy 

Khan Academy is a great app to use for science and here are my reasons why.

1. Is this app easy to understand and use?

This app is very easy to use as it is straight forward, and is divided into multiple sections by subjects so that you can find what you’re looking for. Once you open up the app, it shows all the different topics without the hassle of trying to scroll through. Each subject is divided into smaller sections, like in Science which is divided by category, like biology and Chemistry. You may also search about the content if you do not see it in view. The app doesn’t buffer and has no pop-ups so it’s not so frustrating to use when in school. You may also download videos into your view list for easier access.

 

2. Does this app help with different types of learners? 

This app can help with any type of learner such as a visual learner, those who learn by reading and those who learn by listening. It helps with visual learners because the app contains videos that explains things thoroughly. Some videos may include drawings which can help other users understand the information better. Under most of the videos, they have all the words written down so for those who like reading, they can read while listening to the video instead of watching. That also helps for those who learn by listening, by just listening to the person speak in the video. Since the transcript is written down under some videos, you won’t have to pause the video every time you’re trying to write something down. They also list down below the times when they talk about a certain fact, so the user can skip to that point in the video when they need to.

3. What techniques does this app use to help students?

The videos that are included in the app are very well explained. The videos go straight to the point and list the most important facts of each topic. It’s easier to understand then reading from a textbook and you won’t have to rewrite or highlight the main points because the videos are short and only includes the key points. You may also refer back to the videos and go through the transcript that’s located underneath the video. Since you can save videos in your view list, you don’t need to use WiFi to watch those videos you downloaded, so it saves trouble of trying to load the video during class. The app also includes prep tests which is videos that explains the topic in a format that makes you prepared for future tests. Some of the videos has practice questions and you can download prep tests as well.

4. Is there a variety of things you can search up?

There are many things you can search up. Science has many subtopics, and each one includes multiple videos, some include six videos, eleven or even fifty! Each of those videos is about seven to ten minutes long so they include a lot of information. All of the videos explain the information in a short and concise way. For science, it focuses on many topics such as biology and physics. Not only does it include school subjects such as math and science, but it also includes computing, college admissions and a section of discoveries and projects. You will mostly find what you’re looking for because the app develops each topic into a larger group of subtopics and breaks those down into multiple videos.

5. Can this app track your progress?

Khan academy can track your progress by creating a profile using your email, google account or Facebook account. This allows you to learn your subjects at your own pace and writes down your progress using a percentage. It determines your percentage by the number of videos you’re watching, and when you start a subject, like in science, they ask you to answer some questions to see where you’re at. You also earn badges every time you participate in a video. You can leave a question in the comments under the video or reply to a question, which gives you points as well. The badges show how well you’re progressing and is sort of a motivation for students. This allows you to communicate with others and to discuss about the topic. That way, if you don’t understand something at school, it’s another way for you to reach out and talk about the subject with others who do understand.

     

6. Is this app suitable for all ages?

This app can help kids, students, adults and even teachers. Khan Academy has a variety of different topics for all ages whether its science or math, everyone can learn from this app. When you create a profile, you can add coaches so that they can help you and have access to your progress. Your coach can support you and you can request to make certain videos about certain topics. This shows that since everyone, including all ages, can request a video, teachers can learn something from a video that a teacher requested and adults can learn from a video that another adult requested. Khan academy accepts any type of requests for videos that are based on the topic so they’re pretty flexible. If someone posted something that is unnecessarily, or irrelevant to the subject, you can flag that person, so it’s a friendly social app.

Review:

Khan Academy is a great app to use for school because you can communicate with others about the same subject, includes short and detailed videos, and has a variety of choices. This app allows you to explore different topics of science and other subjects as well and explains in a simple easy way. If you’re having a hard time understanding from a textbook, try watching the videos from the app and they’ll explain it in an understandable way. The science section of this app focuses on biology, physics, chemistry, organic chemistry, cosmology, astronomy, health and medicine. You can learn almost anything for free with this app and can quickly find what you’re looking for by searching through the search bar. Teachers, students and parents use this app all over the world and can help you at school, prepare you for future a job or for just human knowledge.

I think the app is very helpful for school and I would highly recommend this to others. There is many topics about science that you can explore and I learned a lot from this app. The way they explained the information is very unique and instead of trying to search up on google, I can just watch these videos and I’ll understand better. I am a visual learner, so these videos really help, especially when they include drawings when they speak. The prep tests and videos help me prepare for school. This app can definitely help in my Science 9 class because it explains things a lot easier and breaks it down so I’m not cramming everything into my head. I would give this app a 5 out of 5 stars because it includes a lot of videos and it’s easier for me understand with all the different pictures and the way they explain is a lot more simple. It’s great that there is so many choices that you can choose from that’s in the science section, so this can help many students because it doesn’t just focus on one part of a lesson in science.

Give Khan Academy a try and let me know what you think!

Good luck!