I thought I would comment a little bit on this exchange, because I found that there are truths in both responses, and some miscommunication of ideas. Please follow the links to the full quote for reference.
Originally Posted by
SomeGuy
You obviously have a strong internal drive to actually learn and understand linear algebra, which sets you far apart from the average student in my classroom. [snip]
@SomeGuy: This was an excellent response to a post that doesn't exist. Acleron was not making any argument to the validity or reliability of the Khan Academy, but you responded to him as if that were so. He (she?) merely produced an anecdote of how the videos have helped him learn about linear algebra, indeed, perhaps the videos have already piqued his interest enough to make him want to delve further, or perhaps to audit an actual university class. Yes, current research favours constructivism and student-centred learning, but in no way did Acleron's post require prompting of what almost surely could be considered a rant.
Originally Posted by
Acleron
I would suggest that on-line learning selects driven students.
[snip]
Have you subjected the prevailing fashion in education to real tests? Have you randomly selected students and taught them with different methods to see the results? I, for one, would be interested in such experiments.
[snip]
@Acleron: asking whether @SomeGuy has specifically done the research to show how "the prevailing fashions" are ineffective is ludicrous. Research has been done and is ongoing (as mentioned by @SomeGuy, serious research has been going on since the middle of the lat century ... read up on Robert Marzano as one modern example of research-based teaching/learning). As education is a social science, studies include data that report on effect sizes, etc., much quantitative data is available if you have the time.