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The Khan Academy: An Investment Learning Opportunity

MJG
edited August 2013 in Fund Discussions
Hi Guys,

For the last few days VintageFreak (VF) and I have exchanged messages discussing candidate educational material for reluctant and novice investors. I made a number of suggestions for the hoi polloi.

For completeness, here is the internal Link to mostly my commentary:

http://www.mutualfundobserver.com/discussions-3/#/discussion/7437/investment-learning-for-novices

VF was particularly distressed because of his unenthusiastic clan members. I asked my wife for help.

Luckily, she had discovered and been a visitor to an online educational resource. It is called the Khan Academy. She is using it to hone here mathematical skills. You too might find this a useful educational opportunity. Here is a Link to its main screen:

http://www.khanacademy.org/

The Khan Academy offers specialized lectures on a huge and expanding catalogue of educational materials. They have series that deal with mathematical, economics, and investment topics. In general, the subject matter is treated in an introductory fashion. It is presented in a folksy style that is easily equated to the patter that might take place in a local barber shop. It skillfully deploys a colored chalkboard technique as a teaching aid.

Please give it a try. You might find the Probability and Statistics classrooms particularly useful in support of your portfolio management and decision making.

I noticed that MFO member Investor has recently referenced a college level investment course. That is likely to be a tough nut for most of us, especially since the class work is centered around learning computer programming language. The Khan Academy classes are definitely a notch or two below that academic level. I felt it warranted its own posting recognition on MFO.

I hope you find the Khan Academy a useful learning resource. I did. Enjoy.

Your comments are always welcomed.

Best Regards.

Comments

  • mrc70
    We use it often for kids educational material.
  • catch22catch22
    Linked here to VF, et al.
  • VintageFreakVintageFreak
    I'm falling in love with this site and I don't think my wife will mind.

    I'm not sure about my kids though, because I just might send them to this site instead of trying to figure out their homework.
  • MJG
    Reply to @catch22:

    Hi Catch22,

    Sorry I missed your earlier reference to the Khan classes. It looks like great stuff. I must have reviewed Investor's computer opportunity post before you added the worthy Khan online resource.

    Thank you for all your excellent postings, especially those that address investor education.

    Best Regards.
  • catch22catch22
    edited August 2013
    Hi MJG,

    I did not intend to be "snooty" about the Khan link; but I surely could have done better with my note about the prior linkage. MFO, thankfully; is a busy site, with a lot of threads and links.

    The more the better for the educational side, eh? At the least, we together, doubled up for the Khan site. I also noted to VF about the many excellent educational videos available on YouTube. There are always some cluckers, and/or ad type productions; but much good knowledge to be gained. If one could find 5 hours/per week from their work schedule; much could be learned within a 6 month period.

    Not unlike most of we "older" folks know; or at least for me, it is not so much what I think I know from the so-called technical or fundamental aspects of investing; but if one feels compelled to either buy or sell a particular investment, is one's emotional self able to perform properly as part of the thinking process.
    This "human" aspect of investing, in my opinion; is still the most critical for long term fulfillment of investing goals. We are most complex in our nature(s); so one must have as much insight into themselves as is possible.

    Our house remains in the novice camp, with aspect that there is always something to learn, if one chooses.

    Thank you for posting the subject related to Khan, for all here, to discover.

    Take care,
    Catch
  • MJG
    Reply to @catch22:

    Hi Catch,

    Thanks for your quick and generous reply.

    I would never use the word "snooty" to describe you. No Sir, never ever.

    I agree with your assessment that our emotions govern many of our investment decisions. It contributes to errors. I'm certainly not immune to that disease. We need to focus on controlling our animal spirits.

    I do disagree with your judgment that you are a novice investor because you constantly pursue knowledge. You do not do yourself justice. If understanding and knowledge seeking were qualifiers for the novice rating, all MFO participants would be novices. That's simply not so.

    Continue the march strong fellow!

    Best Wishes.
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