Reflections on Teaching and Learning with Technology (by Jessica)

I’ve worked as an educational technology designer for 15+ years, so I’ve spent lots of time thinking about using technology for learning. On the other hand, using iPads for learning is something I’ve just started exploring! This CJP Technology fellowship was a great way to dive in. 

What ideas have you taken away about using technology for learning?

The biggest idea I’ve taken away is the power of putting creativity and control in students’ hands. In my early years in the Ed Tech field, a team of experts (designers, programmers, teachers) created software; kids used it.  Now, kids can be directly involved in the creation — creating blogs, movies, animations, web sites, flashcards, etc.  

This has many advantages!  Above all, it’s extremely motivating for kids. I discovered this a few years ago when I had a student who never wanted to participate in lessons. One day he brought in a Noah’s ark toy and I lent him my digital camera to photograph it. Pretty soon, he and another boy were building a whole “stage set” to dramatize the Noah’s ark story, and taking movies with my camera. He was engaged like never before!  This is the kind of thing kids can do easily now with the iPad apps. They get to be the designers/creators/teachers instead of passive recipients. Another benefit is that teachers don’t always have to spend hours creating materials (like flashcards, just say) because the kids can do it for them! 

Of course, a challenge, as a teacher, is that you need to learn to let go and give the kids room to take off in their own directions (esp. if, like me, you love doing the creative stuff yourself)! I think another challenge is learning how to construct a really good activity/prompt, so that kids use the technology in a focused way that promotes learning and don’t just play around with it.  

How will your new insights change your approach to teaching?

In the past, many of my lessons involved imparting information. I might teach the kids about the different objects used to celebrate Shabbat (kiddush cup, challah cover, candlesticks, etc.).  Then we would do a craft —for example, making our own challah covers.  Kids used their creativity to make a beautiful challah cover, but not to think deeply about the meaning of Shabbat or to internalize the information we’d learned/discussed.

I believe that some of these technologies will make it easier to create a more integrated experience — one where students use their creativity to make the educational content their own. This year, a central question in my class will be  “How do we make Shabbat special?”  The class will create an online book together, exploring this question throughout the year.  When students make challah covers, they can also make videos/photos of their creations, and include text, audio explaining how these ritual objects make Shabbat feel special or different from the rest of the week, and why this is valuable. Throughout the year, we can build on this idea in discussions and projects, and our class book will be a creative and collaborative record of our learning together. 

What are your goals for applying what you learned in the Fellowship to your teaching in the future?

My goal for this year is to use technology to improve lessons that didn’t work so well in the past (or need improvement). Below are some of my plans for integrating technology, and my reasons for doing so.

 Jerusalem. 

I will create a web quest in which students can watch videos of people walking through different landmarks in the old and new city. They will answer questions about the places they visit (a sort of “scavenger hunt”). At the end, each will create a Tellagami or Explain Everything travelogue, in which they describe one or two places they visited and share what they learned, noticed, liked, were curious about (or perhaps they will pretend to be a tour guide and create a Tellagami introducing the site to others).

Benefit:  Students will get a better sense of Jerusalem by watching videos (vs. reading a pamphlet or book). They will feel more like they are actually there.

2)  Alef Bet

I will use Quizlet (and maybe Quia) to make it easy for students to practice the letters they’ve learned at home. I will also have them make their own animations/videos to teach the mnemonics for the letters.

Benefit: More of the learning will take place at home, so we can make the most of school hours! (Plus if I use Quia, this at-home practice will also give me data on each student’s progress.) Making and sharing their own animations should help them learn the mnemonics.

3) Shabbat

Every year, I have kids create a Shabbat Box full of special items for Shabbat. This year, I will also have them create an online book or blog exploring the question “How is Shabbat special/different from other days? What can we do to make it special/different?” (See above for more information.)

Benefit:  The online book will allow students both to share their own personal experiences (including home experiences), and also to build a collaborative, shared document. I believe it will invite deeper discussion and sharing. I also think it will enhance home-school connections, since parents can view the book as it evolves.