Useful websites
This is a nice list of websites compiled by Diane E. Berg, RJE. I generally don’t love laundry lists like these – I prefer something that’s a bit annotated, so I have an idea of where I’m going, but this has a lot of sites that are worth visiting.
Gotta love technology (and the public domain)
Now available for your online viewing pleasure:
Dictionary of Targumim, Talmud and Midrashic Literature by Marcus Jastrow (1926
thanks to Iris Koller and Facebook for bringing it to my attention.
What is a browser?
Oy – my work is so NOT done
Seriously? Too bad they didn’t ask my 6th graders.
… “then I click what?”
I just read about a new social network for, well, old Jews. By old I mean 50+, which makes me one of them. It’s called GenKvetch.
Ummm…
I’ve certainly always been the first to encourage my colleagues and friends to check out and embrace new technology. And I appreciate that, for some, Facebook might seem a little intimidating. And I’m sure that Facebook has features which don’t appeal to older people, like “what kind of bong are you?” or whatever.
But, still, I have a problem with a segregated social network. Especially one targeted at the older generation.
Why? Well, for the same reason that I love Facebook and encourage people to use it. Facebook is inclusive, and I love that I can see my children’s photos. I love that my former students friend me. I love that synagogues use it to publicize events. And that’s all inclusive – the best of a social network.
I guess I don’t understand why we need yet another social network. Why not just form groups on Facebook?
My prediction – GenKvetch (and I actually really object to the name, as well) is gone in a year.
Perhaps I’m just being a curmudgeon – or a kvetch, as it were…
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G-DCAST
Have you seen G-DCAST? It’s a nifty site that presents a cartoon every week for that week’s Torah portion. Very fun, and would be a terrific way to start your weekly religious school class.
We don’t need no stinkin’ schools
My friend Adrian Durlester has some very interesting ideas about supplemental schools and synagogues and why the two should be separate…read this
Free resources for educators
Nothing new – just a reminder of resources you should be using:
1. Wordle – create wonderful word clouds based on frequency of word. Use it to make a group thought cloud or analyze a body of text.
2. VoiceThread – make slide shows and add voiceovers.
3. Animoto – makes awesome slide shows from uploaded photos and sets them to funky music
4. Wikispaces – create a free wiki (ad free and free if you’re an educator!)
5. Blogs – check out WordPress or Blogger
6. Delicious – save bookmarks, share them, and see who else has saved the same ones
7. Photo sharing – check out Flickr or Picasa
What’s your favorite resource?
Twitter and Sunday school
I’m playing with using Twitter as a Sunday school tool. My students are finishing a book (hopefully they’re finishing it…) for our immigration unit: The Jew Store. How can I use Twitter to have them summarize parts of the book? I know it’s a gimmick, but I do love the concept of having to condense one’s thoughts into 140 characters. More to come…
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Hag sameach!
How about reading this tonight?
Torah at the Center
I’m proud that my article on Tech-kun Olam was included in this issue of Torah at the Center, a URJ publication. Check it out – there are some amazing articles by amazing people!
About
Debbie Harris is the technology coordinator at the Sager Solomon Schechter Middle School in Northbrook, IL and teaches religious school at Lakeside Congregation for Reform Judaism. Involved in Jewish education for over thirty years, she received an education degree from Northwestern University with a concentration in instructional media. She is skilled in using and teaching desktop publishing, video editing, presentation and animation software; and consults and presents regularly on integrating technology into Judaic studies. Her students podcast, blog, edit video and create claymations. She co-chaired the technology track for CAJE 33 in Vermont.
When not learning, teaching or writing about technology, Debbie likes to craft. While not particularly highly skilled at anything, she likes to knit, do calligraphy, sew, paint fabric and just generally play with fun toys like scrapbooking supplies, watercolors, and anything with texture. She is incredibly proud of her two daughters; Lori, who is a high school English teacher; and Allie, who starts rabbinical school this summer.
She is the creator/manager/primary poster of TorahTech, the Ning social network for Jewish educators passionate about integrating technology.
Look for her at:
Her CAJE 32 Wiki
Debbie Does Desktop
Flickr
Ravelry: tktchr
Twitter: tktchr
Email Debbie here
Interested in networking with other educators interested in incorporating technology into Jewish education? Join TorahTech.
