The CK-12 Foundation is a California-based
non-profit
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
organization which aims to increase access to low-cost K-12 education in the United States and abroad.
CK-12 provides free and customizable
K-12
K-1 is a professional kickboxing promotion established in 1993, well known worldwide mainly for its heavyweight division fights and Grand Prix tournaments. In January 2012, K-1 Global Holdings Limited, a company registered in Hong Kong, acquired ...
open educational resources aligned to
state curriculum standards. As of 2022, the foundation's tools were used by over 200,000,000 students worldwide.
CK-12 was set up to support K-12
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is an umbrella term used to group together the distinct but related technical disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The term is typically used in the context of ...
(STEM) education. It first produced content via a web-based platform called "
FlexBook."
History
CK-12 was established in 2007 by
Neeru Khosla
Neeru Khosla (born 1955/1956) is the co-founder and chair of the non-profit CK12 Foundation.
Early life
Having grown up in India and England, Khosla wanted to be a doctor. She had an aptitude for science, but the prerequisite for medicine of anim ...
and
Murugan Pal
Murugan Palaniappan (1966-October 30, 2012) popularly known as Murugan Pal was a serial entrepreneur based in Silicon Valley, Bay Area, USA.
Murugan was the co-founder & President of CK-12 Foundation, a non-profit organization launched in 2006 t ...
as a not-for-profit educational organization. Teacher-generated content was made available under Creative Commons licenses so as to make it simpler, easier, and more affordable for children to access educational resources.
Originally, the "C" in CK-12 stood for "connect", indicating that the material was the missing connection in K-12 education. Subsequently, it took on a more open meaning, variously standing for "content, classroom, customizable, connections, collaboration".
In 2010,
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
teamed up with CK-12 to produce physics-related resources.
In March 2013,
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...
announced a partnership with CK-12 to provide content to Microsoft's Windows 8 customers.
FlexBook System
The foundation's
FlexBook website permits the assembly and creation of downloadable educational resources which can be customized to meet classroom needs. Some Flexbooks are even available in Spanish and Hindi. Content is offered under a
Creative Commons
Creative Commons (CC) is an American non-profit organization and international network devoted to educational access and expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has release ...
licence, so removing many of the restrictions that limit distribution of traditional textbooks, and are available in various formats.
Approach
The CK-12 Foundation's approach to supporting education in schools is by providing it as small, individual elements, rather than as large textbooks. As of 2012, some 5,000 individual elements were available in various formats such as textual descriptions, video lectures, multi-media simulations, photo galleries, practical experiments or flash cards.
[https://www.ck12.org/about/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/ck12-vision-document.pdf ]
Other products
In addition to its 88 FlexBooks, the CK-12 Foundation also offers the following online resources to K-12 students:
* CK-12 Braingenie -a repository of math and science practice materials.
* CK-12 FlexMath - an interactive, year-long Algebra 1 curriculum.
* CK-12
INeedAPencil
The INeedAPencil is a not-for-profit website created in 2006 by tutor Jason Shah, a graduate of Harvard University. The site supplies a free online collection of more than 60 lessons in math, reading, and writing that invoke pop culture to make ...
- a free SAT preparation website, founded in 2007 by then high school student, Jason Shah.
Recognition
* CK-12 has been listed in the Top 25 Websites for Teaching by
American Association of School Librarians
The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) is a division of the American Library Association (ALA) that has more than 7,000 members and serves primary school and secondary school librarians in the U.S., Canada, and even internationally. P ...
* The National Tech Plan - The Office of Educational Technology,
U.S. Department of Education
The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was split into the Department ...
– has mentioned the CK-12 model as “Transforming American Education – Learning Powered by Technology”
* Tech Awards-2010 listed CK-12 in “15 innovations that could save the world”
* In introducing Washington state bill, HB 2337: “Regarding open educational resources in K-12 education,” Representative Reuven Carlyle testifies to the benefit CK-12 materials can have for school districts around the country.
* Fortune Magazine described CK-12 as a threat to the traditional textbook industry, and wrote about CK-12's push towards concept-based learning.
* National Public Radio writes about CK-12, including its use of "Real World Applications" as teaching devices.
* Neeru and CK-12 have been featured in the New York Times, the Gates Notes, Mercury News, TechCrunch, Education Week, EduKindle, The Patriot News, Getting Smart, and Teachinghistory.org
References
External links
CK-12 Community Site.
Feb 12, 2008 : "Remix and Share Your Own Text Books as FlexBooks"
Flexmath websiteGeneral Student Learning website{{Authority control
Book publishing companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area
Textbook publishing companies
American educational websites
Publishing companies established in 2007
Educational organizations based in the United States
Non-profit organizations based in California