Khan Academy vs TeacherTube

Khan Academy and TeacherTube have similar purposes -- to help students learn and to help teachers and parents ensure that their student is learning.

Like many educational websites, they share some things in common. For instance, they both contain lessons outlining some particular concept or problem, and attempt to teach that lesson in an interesting or creative way. One way they both do that is through videos, either with a real teacher outlining the curriculum or by showing examples and visuals.

They are also similar in that teachers can assign students a particular lesson from either website. Students can go to the video or lesson and learn more about a concept the teacher wishes them to know.

The two sites are dissimilar in some ways, though. TeacherTube appears to be much more peer-driven. Videos can be uploaded by anyone, much like YouTube. Khan Academy appears to be a mch more professional site, with lessons and videos carefully created and curated before publication.

Khan Academy appears to be much more organized -- it is very easy to find a particular lesson on any topic. This organization has a downside, though -- there is usually only one lesson per topic, so a teacher looking for variety or a unique point of view on a concept would be better served by going to TeacherTube.

Khan Academy -- Production Possibilities Frontier

This video is from Khan Academy and shows how to create a Production Possibilities model in economics. I think this is an excellent example of a good economics lesson because it is very visual, with a very deliberative pace. The teacher makes the subject easy to understand, even though economics can be a difficult subject for many students.

TeacherTube -- positive reinforcement

This clip (from TV's Big Bang Theory) shows a good example of operant conditioning, a psychological theory that is commonly taught in high school psychology classrooms. I like it because it's entertaining and fun for students, so they might remember it better.