THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. and
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.,
Oct. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The
Amgen Foundation today announced a three-year, $3 million grant to Khan Academy to develop
comprehensive new biology lessons. The Amgen Foundation is the
exclusive sponsor of Khan Academy's biology content.
With the Amgen Foundation's support, Khan Academy will create
new biology lessons for students and teachers worldwide. New
videos, articles and practice exercises for ninth-grade biology
through Advanced Placement Program® (AP®)
biology will complement existing offerings. Like all lessons from
the nonprofit Khan Academy, biology lessons are available for free
at KhanAcademy.org.
"The Amgen Foundation has demonstrated a deep commitment to
science education for many years, and we're honored by the renewed
support of Khan Academy's biology content," said Khan Academy
founder and CEO Sal Khan. "The Amgen
Foundation's funding allows Khan Academy to create new biology
lessons that will enrich the classroom experience for students and
teachers everywhere."
The new Amgen Foundation funding builds on a 2015 grant
partnership that supported the initial development of Khan
Academy's AP and other introductory college-level biology
content. Khan Academy has grown its biology offering, with the
Amgen Foundation's support, to more than 300 videos, 80 exercise
sets and 195 articles. Usage of Khan Academy biology lessons has
increased to more than one million students monthly. In addition,
Khan Academy is now the official practice partner for the AP
Program and is partnering with the organization to create biology
content that aligns with AP's challenging academic
standards.
"Khan Academy uses the power of technology to achieve meaningful
scale and support learners around the world, particularly those who
are low-income," said Eduardo
Cetlin, president of the Amgen Foundation. "With more than
10 million learners visiting the platform each month, we're excited
that students and teachers both in the U.S. and across the globe
will have access to high-quality biology content through this
partnership."
According to Amgen Foundation research on biology classes,
students ranked virtual learning and the ability to choose the
topics they would like to explore further among their top
preferences. The Khan Academy content supported by the Amgen
Foundation can help students master scientific concepts taught in
the classroom at their own pace, while allowing teachers to
identify gaps in learning and provide tailored instruction.
Students who have used Khan Academy to study biology shared
positive feedback on how it nurtured the STEM skills they need for
college and career readiness.
"Khan Academy made me feel like I understood biology," said
Derek Wan, a student at the
University of California, Berkeley, who
used Khan Academy during his freshman year of high school. "The
momentum from freshman year carried me on through junior year.
That's the feeling that Khan Academy gave me."
"One of the great benefits of Khan Academy is that the videos
are engaging and the information is easy to retain," said
Elizabeth Cass, a graduate student
at Oregon State University. "The videos and exercises are an
important resource for people who just want to learn more."
Learn more about the new biology lessons by visiting
khanacademy.org/science/biology.
About the Amgen Foundation
The Amgen Foundation seeks
to advance excellence in science education to inspire the next
generation of innovators, and invest in strengthening communities
where Amgen staff members live and work. To date, the Foundation
has donated over $250 million to local, regional, and
international nonprofit organizations that impact society in
inspiring and innovative ways. The Amgen Foundation brings the
excitement of discovery to the scientists of tomorrow through
several signature programs, including Amgen Scholars, Amgen Biotech
Experience, and Amgen Teach. For more information, visit
www.AmgenInspires.com and follow us on Twitter
@AmgenFoundation.
About Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organization with the mission of providing a free,
world-class education for anyone, anywhere. We use intelligent
software, data analytics, and intuitive user interfaces to help
students and teachers around the world. Our resources cover math,
biology, chemistry, physics, history, economics, finance, grammar,
preschool learning, and more. Khan Academy offers free personalized
SAT prep in partnership with the College Board, and we are the
official practice partner for AP. We provide teachers with tools
and data so they can help their students develop the skills,
habits, and mindsets necessary for success in school and beyond.
Khan Academy has been translated into dozens of languages, and 10
million people around the globe learn on Khan Academy each month.
For more information, visit khanacademy.org, join us on Facebook,
or follow us on Twitter at @khanacademy. And remember, you can
learn anything.
Advanced Placement Program and AP are registered trademarks of
the College Entrance Examination Board.
CONTACT:
Amgen, Thousand Oaks
Jennifer van der Borgt, 805-447-5597 (Media)
Khan Academy
Barb Kunz, 650-429-8154
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SOURCE Amgen