- HOME
- Table of Contents
- Resume
- Philosophy Statement
- 1. History of Jewish/General Education
- 2. Assessment
- 3. Curriculum
- 4. Language Development/Hebrew
- 5. Personal Development of Teachers
- 6. Collaboration/Community
- 7. Technology
- 8. Learning and Cognition
- 9. Evidence-Based Practice
- 10. Child Development
- 11. Content Knowledge
- 12. Ethics and Values
- 13. Instructional Methods
- Inspiration/Chizuk
- Post-Observation Reflections
Reflections on Technology in Education
Technology has become an indispensable part of every facet of modern life. In education, it opens up new and infinite possibilities, as well as provoking heated discussion of its benefits or detriments. The artifacts and articles included present several approaches.
Ben Gose compares how the same technology can be seen by some as an exciting treasure they jump to integrate into the classroom, while others hesitate and only use technology selectively, for fear that it will soon become obsolete. I think it is responsible and necessary not jump to plunge into using every new method, but to first ask the questions like the ones that he poses: what is the benefit of using it? What does it allow us to do what we could not do, or what can we do better than what we did before? Technology should be a means, not a goal, of learning.
S. Eisenstat’s piece is helpful to trace within the context of Jewish history the integration of new-fangled ideas, which at first seem obscure, unnecessary, or even threatening to tradition, but have become undeniably essential.
David Suissa- I received this article from a friend, and forwarded it to my principal, who forwarded it to all the staff at our school. While I cannot identify with the writer’s avid consumption of Apple products, I agree with his analysis of the way people use technological gadgets, and appreciate that he recognizes their limitations. Apple’s and others’ technological inventions have certainly changed, indeed enhanced, how we do so many things in our daily professional and personal lives. However, while they provide convenience, communication, and accessibility to information, they cannot perform for humans the most essential human ability: to think. Gadgets are only as intelligent as the humans that program them and use them; it is still up to people to develop tools and to use them intelligently and effectively.
I like the writer’s premise that our heroes need not be only those who provide us with things, but empower us with new ways to THINK about things. We should not only appreciate Steve Jobs’ products, but admire and seek to emulate his revolutionary and innovative thinking, persistence, and drive towards excellence. But, he was certainly a uniquely gifted individual. TED, however, demonstrates that any ordinary person can have a great new idea or project and can present it in an exciting and intelligent way. TED facilitates broadening horizons and promotes looking at the world with curious eyes and a passionate spirit.
We must remember that technology is a tool and not an end. We must provide students with opportunities to develop their confidence, to question the status-quo, to explore beyond the norm, to express themselves in creative ways. We must empower students to realize that THEY are the ultimate vehicle for change, growth, wisdom, and beauty in the world, and to utilize their technological and intellectual tools to affect change in, ultimately, the most profound way – human-to-human.
Attached is an extensive list, but by no means complete, of resources available today for use in both general and Jewish education. The basis for it is from the Azrieli website, and many more from Dr. Shawn’s Resources class, and many I included from fellow students’ independent research and presentations in Resources class. The plethora of resources available is exciting and empowering, but also very daunting and overwhelming. We can not allow ourselves to be intimidated by the possibilities, but rather to intelligently filter and explore what is useful for our specific purposes.
Included are a few activities and lessons I created for SmartBoard, to make information and graphics more interactive and engaging. The SmartNotebooks were a convenient way to keep all my materials in one place, the students enjoyed playing the games, and were in-suspense for what would come next.
Technology has become an indispensable part of every facet of modern life. In education, it opens up new and infinite possibilities, as well as provoking heated discussion of its benefits or detriments. The artifacts and articles included present several approaches.
Ben Gose compares how the same technology can be seen by some as an exciting treasure they jump to integrate into the classroom, while others hesitate and only use technology selectively, for fear that it will soon become obsolete. I think it is responsible and necessary not jump to plunge into using every new method, but to first ask the questions like the ones that he poses: what is the benefit of using it? What does it allow us to do what we could not do, or what can we do better than what we did before? Technology should be a means, not a goal, of learning.
S. Eisenstat’s piece is helpful to trace within the context of Jewish history the integration of new-fangled ideas, which at first seem obscure, unnecessary, or even threatening to tradition, but have become undeniably essential.
David Suissa- I received this article from a friend, and forwarded it to my principal, who forwarded it to all the staff at our school. While I cannot identify with the writer’s avid consumption of Apple products, I agree with his analysis of the way people use technological gadgets, and appreciate that he recognizes their limitations. Apple’s and others’ technological inventions have certainly changed, indeed enhanced, how we do so many things in our daily professional and personal lives. However, while they provide convenience, communication, and accessibility to information, they cannot perform for humans the most essential human ability: to think. Gadgets are only as intelligent as the humans that program them and use them; it is still up to people to develop tools and to use them intelligently and effectively.
I like the writer’s premise that our heroes need not be only those who provide us with things, but empower us with new ways to THINK about things. We should not only appreciate Steve Jobs’ products, but admire and seek to emulate his revolutionary and innovative thinking, persistence, and drive towards excellence. But, he was certainly a uniquely gifted individual. TED, however, demonstrates that any ordinary person can have a great new idea or project and can present it in an exciting and intelligent way. TED facilitates broadening horizons and promotes looking at the world with curious eyes and a passionate spirit.
We must remember that technology is a tool and not an end. We must provide students with opportunities to develop their confidence, to question the status-quo, to explore beyond the norm, to express themselves in creative ways. We must empower students to realize that THEY are the ultimate vehicle for change, growth, wisdom, and beauty in the world, and to utilize their technological and intellectual tools to affect change in, ultimately, the most profound way – human-to-human.
Attached is an extensive list, but by no means complete, of resources available today for use in both general and Jewish education. The basis for it is from the Azrieli website, and many more from Dr. Shawn’s Resources class, and many I included from fellow students’ independent research and presentations in Resources class. The plethora of resources available is exciting and empowering, but also very daunting and overwhelming. We can not allow ourselves to be intimidated by the possibilities, but rather to intelligently filter and explore what is useful for our specific purposes.
Included are a few activities and lessons I created for SmartBoard, to make information and graphics more interactive and engaging. The SmartNotebooks were a convenient way to keep all my materials in one place, the students enjoyed playing the games, and were in-suspense for what would come next.