The Khan Academy Platform in the Mathematics Learning Process in Military Training

Source abstract

Aim. To analyse the effectiveness of Khan Academy in strengthening mathematical learning among first-year cadets in an Ecuadorian military training context. Methods. A quantitative quasi-experimental one-group pre-test/post-test design was conducted with 65 cadets from the Escuela de Formacion de Soldados "Vencedores del Cenepa". Instrument reliability was examined through Cronbach's alpha (0.834-0.869). The main analysis relied on descriptive statistics and a paired-samples t-test, complemented by confidence intervals and effect size estimation. Results. Mathematics performance increased significantly from the pre-test (M = 5.85, SD = 3.03) to the post-test (M = 16.30, SD = 1.57), t(64) = 27.39, p < .001, with a very large effect size (dz = 3.40). The mean gain was 10.45 points. Satisfaction with Khan Academy was high when treated as a continuous 10-item scale (M = 47.69 out of 50, SD = 3.00), although satisfaction was not significantly associated with score gain. Conclusions. Khan Academy was associated with substantial improvement in mathematics performance in this military higher education setting. Nevertheless, the findings should be interpreted cautiously because the design lacked a control group and the pre-test and post-test were not strictly parallel forms. Practical application. The study offers empirical support for the structured integration of digital platforms into mathematics teaching in specialised higher education and provides an institutional model that may inform curricular innovation in comparable contexts.