The Founder of Khan Academy

Founder of the world's largest online academy, Sal Khan explains his creation and his personal mantra that that drives him forward. What began as a simple YouTube hobby suggested by a friend, eventually evolved into a massive education system that millions of people around the world use daily. Featured on the Art of Power podcast episode "Sal Khan, Founder Of Khan Academy" the proclaimed "most popular teacher on Earth" elaborates about his personal view on the education system and how he set out to change it based on his personal experiences at MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology:

"Well, I think it... I didn't realize it at the time, but it was constructing a philosophy of learning versus a philosophy of education. Look, if you could learn at your own time and pace, which was clearly working better for me, and if you just had a context where you could prove what you know, that seemed like an ideal thing." — Sal Khan, 2021

This statement by Sal Khan is what he built Khan Academy's core values on. To do away with the old established Prussian System where students simply advanced along with their age group despite their educational progress, and instead create a new system - the Sal Khan System - where you're able to learn at your own pace and fully develop your understanding of a subject.

Reflecting on his interview with the Art of Power podcast, I personally agree with Sal Khan's way of thinking when it comes to education. I believe that courses where students aren't engaged and intrigued by the information that they are meant to learn is precious time that is better suited to an environment where students actually learn and are able to retain knowledge. I think that education only holds value if students are able to remember what they learn and are able to use that knowledge throughout their lives.