Interactive Design and Educational Innovation

In this interview, Marcos, a designer at Khan Academy, discusses his role in developing interactive exercises and his educational background. He shares his journey from studying Math with CS at MIT to design school, and his passion for creating innovative educational tools. Marcos explains how he joined Khan Academy after being intrigued by their lattice multiplication video. He emphasizes the importance of design in education and the potential of interactive exercises to enhance learning experiences. Marcos envisions a future where these exercises can replace traditional textbooks, offering more engaging and adaptable learning opportunities.

What is the main focus of Marcos's work at Khan Academy?

• Developing a new website design

• Writing educational articles

• Creating interactive exercises

• Teaching mathematics

What was Marcos's major at MIT?

• Design

• Mathematics with Computer Science

• Physics

• Computer Science

What inspired Marcos to apply to design school?

• Interest in web development

• A need to improve his coding skills

• A passion for graphic design

• A desire to create innovative textbooks

How did Marcos initially react to Khan Academy's videos?

• He ignored them

• He found them boring

• He was skeptical at first

• He was immediately impressed

What was Marcos's role at Carnegie Mellon University?

• Software Developer

• Staff Designer

• Research Assistant

• Professor

What did Marcos expect to work on when he joined Khan Academy?

• Business cards and logos

• Interactive exercises

• Video production

• Software development

What was a significant outcome of Marcos's work with an intern at Khan Academy?

• A new website layout

• An improved model for measuring proficiency

• A series of educational videos

• A new textbook design

What does Marcos believe interactive exercises can achieve that traditional textbooks cannot?

• Provide static information

• Engage users with adaptable content

• Include illustrations

• Offer printed material

What does Marcos see as a benefit of interactive exercises?

• They require less technology

• They are cheaper to produce

• They allow for experimental test beds

• They are easier to distribute

How does Marcos view the future of textbooks in light of technological advances?

• They will become obsolete

• They will remain unchanged

• They will be replaced by videos

• They will evolve to be more interactive