As a student in the competitive world of collegiate level education, often the lessons from a classroom setting do not provide enough information needed to pass a class. Sometimes information is not provided at all and supplementary material soon turns into the primary source of education. Today, the internet has allowed for the spread of knowledge to transcend the barriers of time and space and reach those that cannot even afford the privilege of higher education. Internet platforms such as Youtube have given rise to virtual means of receiving tutoring and allowing for knowledge to be projected visually. Popular channels on the website on “homework help” and science channels include Khan Academy and Veritasium. Each of these channels have millions of subscribers and viewers that reap the benefits of the viral platforms that produce intriguing and informational videos.
The creator of Khan Academy, Salman Khan, did a TED Talk in 2011 describing his rise to fame in a very humble and humorous speech. The Youtube homework help monger described his humble beginnings and intentions behind the channel to a live audience. The larger audience of the TED Talk and the recipients of his viral academic teachings are the worldwide web. His target audience is anyone who is willing to learn and is having difficulty with topics that are regularly taught in schools such as math, chemistry, physics, etc. His videos attract a variety of age groups, mostly students who look for other means of enriching their education or seek simplified explanations for complex topics. Mr. Khan provides the backdrop of most of the videos by drawing out problems and providing a voice over explanation of his every move. His source of information is his own mind and his own academic pursuits that have given him the multifaceted knowledge he possesses. Mr. Khan is a graduate of MIT and Harvard and has allowed for millions of people to enroll in his version of an academy that actually teaches step by step concepts broken down into terms for laymen.
Similar to Mr. Khan’s endeavors, another Youtube channel has risen to fame by portraying complex phenomenas in the science field and explaining some of the world’s most perplexing scientific mysteries. The Veritasium Youtube channel boasts almost two million subscribers and continues to gain viewers on the daily. The host of the videos is Derek Muller, a physics engineer from Canada that enjoys creating intriguing science videos to peak the interests of his viewers from all across the globe. Parallels between Khan Academy and Veritasium lie in their purpose and intentions behind creating a platform available to the general public for educational purposes. Muller uses his own knowledge of physics to apply it to interesting subjects and perplexing phenomena that make for very entertaining youtube videos. Khan Academy videos are less entertaining and more informative, but strive to achieve the same goal of sharing their knowledge with those less fortunate in the educational sense. This being said, both mediums try to establish a visual platform that can be fast forwarded, rewinded, paused, and shared to not only convey information but also simplify complex topics that can often throw students off. The word “veritasium” comes from Latin roots that essentially mean “an element of truth.” Often truths of the world come in complicated forms that must be taken apart in order to fully understand. Both Veritasium and Khan Academy take this catabolic approach when producing videos for their audiences.
The two Youtube channels have gained critical acclaim and the attention of news channels worldwide that have showcased their success and effective ability to spread knowledge through Youtube. Each channel has gained millions of viewers on each of their videos and continues to produce videos to continue their original purpose. Their success lies in their creation of youtube channels that are easily accessible and humble in their intentions and delivery of information. Mr. Khan said that the beginnings of his channel sprouted from his cousins’ request to tutor them. He uploaded videos on calculus and decided there was no harm in leaving them to be public. He soon gained a fan following for his ability to teach information and convey intricate mathematical concepts won him a worldwide audience. Similarly Derek Muller began his youtube channel with a prime focus in mind. His focus is “addressing counter-intuitive concepts in science, usually beginning by discussing ideas with members of the public.”
With such perfection in the delivery and content of the two channels, it is hard to pinpoint an area for improvement. Perhaps Khan Academy could create videos that are not so black and white and apply their concepts to real world concepts and create visually stimulating videos like Veritasium; but for now, the simple videos projected on a black screen with vivid colors are satisfying enough for me. I absolutely love both channels and I have become somewhat of a loyal viewer myself. I would definitely take part in watching either channel’s youtube videos again as well as Mr. Khan’s Ted Talk. In conclusion, I appreciate both the viral platforms and respect their views on education without a price tag.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHnyfMqiRRG1u-2MsSQLbXA
