Khan Academy is an international educational network. Salman Khan’s lessons are short, lasting from 5 to 15 minutes. They are devoted to various subjects, topics, and disciplines: algebra, arithmetic, geometry, biology, physics, chemistry, astronomy, economics, finance, statistics, and many others. There are already more than two thousand such lessons. The platform and lessons are translated into several languages, so the content is available worldwide.
A guru Salman Khan started the journey that would lead to the creation of Khan Academy by explaining the material of the school curriculum to his cousins. He was so fired up by this idea that over time he decided to make educational videos and post them on a YouTube channel. This began in 2006. The videos were openly available, and anyone could watch them. Over time, those who watched them began to write letters of gratitude to Salman. After some time, thousands of people around the world began to watch Salman Khan’s videos. This prompted him to create a Khan Academy where the educational process is more formal but still preserves the fun and simple learning process. Gradually, other young people, who liked his idea of a global online educational network, joined Khan. Currently, the team consists of around 50 members.
What is Khan Academy?
Khan Academy is an independent virtual school where everyone can study, improve their level of knowledge, listen to feedback, get a grade, and practice. The founder wanted to build the work in such a way that each student learns at their own pace, and the teacher would be a mentor.
The original logo of Khan Academy was a simple yet powerful design that embodied the organization’s mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. It features the word “Khan” printed in bold font with the bracketed slab serifs. All the letters are capitalized, although the first letter is still slightly taller. The word “Academy” is done in the same way. However, it uses a smaller font and is placed under a line that runs underneath the “Khan” line. The black color of the inscription gives it a professional appearance.
The updated logo is rendered in a clean, sans-serif font with slightly rounded strokes for the top line and fine strokes for the bottom. The inscription conveys a sense of modernity and approachability. The name is accompanied by a stylized tree. The tree symbolizes growth, strength, and resilience – qualities that Khan Academy strives to instill in its learners. The trunk of the tree and its branches are drawn as a hand, which might stand for the practical side of the learning. Using a universally recognized symbol like the tree created an instantly recognizable and memorable identity that transcends cultural and linguistic barriers.
The company preserved the fonts but had the name printed in one line and using the same character height. Instead of a whole tree, the logo has a single leaf to the left of the name. The leaf, which is taken from the previous logo, is depicted in a vibrant green. It evokes a sense of freshness, renewal, and vitality, reflecting the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of learning. This minimalistic version looks modern and professional.
A new design was introduced in 2018 and was developed by Moving Brands. It features a new color palette and new decorative elements. The logo consists of a teal hexagon with a basic drawing of a flower and the name to the right of it. The name is printed using a clean, bold font with the first letters being capitalized. The simple, yet elegant design of the logo reflects Khan Academy’s dedication to accessibility and inclusivity.
The platform went for a classic black-and-white color palette for the original logo. A few years later, it added a vibrant green and beige with gray notes. Updated in 2018, the logo introduced a new color palette that consisted of blue, white, and teal. These colors were deliberately chosen to evoke feelings of trust, reliability, and optimism, reflecting the organization’s commitment to empowering individuals through education.
The original logo features a bracketed slab serif font similar to Copperplate Gothic Pro 32 BC font that gives it a classic and formal appearance. The other font featured in the logo is without serifs and has clean, fine strokes. In 2010, the organization introduced two fonts that looked modern, yet friendly and approachable thanks to rounded corners in one of them and clean lines in the other. The bold, rounded font is very similar to the Federasyon Bold font. Meanwhile, the finer font resembles Museo Sans Cyrl 300 font but with rounded terminals. The logo designed in 2018 uses Brandon Text Office Bold font.