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I sent this out to my school famlies last week when behrman house sent their email out. I love this game. It's an innovative way to combine fun and Jewish values. When I play Jenga with my kids, I like to put Jewish values on each block and when they pick a block or remove a block from the tower, they have to say how the Jewish midah applies to their life or situation. I think it's also interesting to see how Behrman House is amping up their technology. Like I said in a previous post, they also have a new Online Learning Center as well. The new fad of technology is becoming the new norm.

A special needs Jewish day school is in the works for NYC, would be the first pluralistic special education Jewish day school in the country. Not an inclusion model, but meets the needs of parents who prefer a program tailored for special education

This article talks about a new model of Jewish education, a program for two hours after school Monday - Thursday.

Jewish Day Schools are moving steadily into the 21st Century. This new site is for Jewish Day Schools and Yeshivot. It's an opportunity for these schools to bring technology into their programs in a clear and enduring way. The site also allows teachers and administrators a forum for discussion and collaboration.

Fits into my summer research topic for Gratz 2013

Technology is a tool. It's not a learning outcome. Too often do we get distracted by all the activities and action we can perform with an iPad or some other device. We can post to Edmodo! Make a Prezi! Post to Facebook! All exciting things, to be sure.

Great presentation about mobile learning. Hebrew school like camp, Skype classes.

He uses an image of a young/old woman on one of his slides. I use this same image (along with some others) in the first few days of class to talk about perception and acceptance of others' viewpoints. For me, it is a matter of figuring out how to change within the framework of my school. I only have so much flexibility in what I am allowed to do. I can use tools and technology, but have to seek approval for any new technology tool (online forums, social networking sites, etc.). My school is talking about having students sign up for Judaic Studies courses online to broaden their choices of topics. I am not sure what impact this will have on the teachers on campus, as these students would then not need to be in a physical class for their Judaica requirement. I think it is important that we look at alternatives for Jewish Education, we don't lose our human resources on site.

This is an innovative synagogue in SF that is successfully addressing the Gen Next Web 2.0 World, its a totally new model and it works well!

At first I was a little weary of this group and it's good to get the personal recommendation. I thought, who are these people? Are they Messianic? Ultra-religious? But then when I saw they supported IKAR in LA and just that Hayley gave us the link, I knew it was something to check out. I hope more and more of these types of networks and organizations form around the country. Once again the Bay Area paves the way. Thanks for sharing.

This is a great article about integrating the smartboard into your lessons. We don't have smartboards at the Synagogue (not yet) but they have one at the day school and at the federation. I've taught some classes before for adult ed at the federation and for kids at the day school and using the smartboard is quiet an experience. It is so much fun and really is the future. Typical story though: We have this family who donated a smartboard to the school but then wanted the smartboard to be used in the same class as their daughter who will be in first. But the director want's to have the smartboard in fifth grade so it can maximize student learning. Plus, the first grade teacher doesn't know how to use it and doesn't really want to incoorporate it into her classroom experience. If you were the director, would you put the nicely donated smartboard where the donor wanted it to go in the first grade classroom with their child or use it in another classroom entirely because that's what would benefit the school? Or would you humbly say no thank you to the gift because it has strings attached?

I would let the donor know that it is best suited in the fifth grade class. However, anytime any teacher wants to use it, arrangements would be made so that they could use the smart board. That's what we did in our religious school. The classes that would most likely use the smart board received it in their room. But if a teacher was doing a special project or needed use of the smart board, the classrooms were switched so that someone else could use it if need be.

Makes good sense to me. Giving gifts with strings attached really complicates the matter and everybody loses in my experience.

Another article about tablets being used in the classroom setting

Tablets will be the new spiral notebooks, every student will have them. Even in our Synagogue supplemental school, we are moving away from computers with keyboards and more in the direction of having tablets for the students to work on. Hebrew apps continue to get better and I hope one day our Jewish games will be as tech savvy as the best of the X-Box or whatever counsel games. We're on the right path but we are not there quiet yet.

Another benefit of using the tablet is that it isn't as likely to get left at school, like textbooks are now, they weigh less, so much less impact from those backpacks kids lug around with them all day and finally, when kids want to read or work on an assignment they easily can. Not just at a time or place where they are suppose to. I think having a flash card program on a tablet or hand held mobile device can be a great tool for Hebrew teachers to use also for vocabulary. Morah Rickey uses Quizlet for our class. So I agree with EK that we are on the right path in this respect.

In Australia, teachers at a yeshiva are used remote control devices for classroom instruction.

This is an article from Tablet Magazine about a new curriculum called ShalomLearning.

This application is an example of differentiated learn - students can access news articles at different levels of difficulty depending upon their skills.

Over the last few years, technology has reshaped the classroom in many ways - and is continuing to do so. From digital textbooks and platforms that make teaching often-complex STEM subjects simpler to deep data analytics that measure and predict student achievement, ed tech is addressing a number of issues in the nation's schools.

Rosh Pina is new Jewish organization, providing assistance & certification for schools and other Jewish institutions striving for inclusivity. (Full disclosure: the brilliant founder of said organization is my sister-in-law.)

Ritualwell: Ritual for Jewish holidays and life cycles, including Shabbat, the New Year, baby namings, weddings, healing and mourning. This is a great resource for those who want to customize Jewish traditions to meet their unique needs.

'Miss' Emily Aronoff Teck is a Jewish Music Educator who believes wholeheartedly in the power of informal education and utilizes music as her tool of choice. Emily studied at Brandeis University and in Israel before graduating from Florida Atlantic University with a B.A. in Jewish Studies. Emily was awarded the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education in 2010. In 2012, Emily received a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Music from Florida Atlantic University. She is currently pursuing an Ed.D. in Jewish Education from Gratz College. Emily's primary focus in her career is early engagement of young Jewish children and their families through developmentally appropriate, enjoyable and meaningful musical experiences. She has written and recorded 4 albums of music and was featured on a PJ Library song compilation. Emily is grateful every day for the fact that it is possible to make a living doing what you love, and is looking forward to developing new ways for young families to meaningfully engage with their Judaism. - See more at: http://www.jewishlearningmatters.com/A-Director-JewishLearningMatters-com-Emily-Aronoff-Teck-M-Ed-508.aspx#content

Written by Guest Blogger, 24 of June, 2014 By Rabbi Arnold Samlan A hallmark of my work as a rabbi and Jewish educational leader has included the use of social media, be it as a blogger, and as a user of Facebook and Twitter.