Media And Technology Essay

Advancing Jewish

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rming Jewish Lives.

Spotlight on:

Media and Technology in Jewish Education
I. Media and Technology in Education — Past and Present
“Is technology computers? Is it multimedia? Is it calculators? Is it the result of rewiring school buildings to make them Internet accessible? The correct answer to each of these questions is — Yes — and much, much more.” (Dugger, 2000) The Jewish education landscape is changing with the use of technology and media. Many Jewish schools have invested in computers, labs, media studios, wireless infrastructure, and more. Jewish communities have invested in a variety of distance learning programs for Jewish education so that high quality online learning can reach Jews everywhere. New media and technology initiatives are constantly being developed to improve Jewish education. With each initiative comes great anticipation of forward thinking change that will make Jewish education better.

clergy all use technology for a variety of purposes, whether for teaching in the classroom, communicating through email, or developing websites for the community. If Jewish education is to be effective and engaging, it must harness these technologies to their fullest to bridge and foster community, improve communication, and enrich education.

III. What is Happening: Integration of Media and Technology in Jewish Education
JESNA, with other key partners in Jewish education, is advancing the integration of media and technology in a variety of ways. The following initiatives exemplify only a few of the ways that media and technology are being used in impactful and meaningful ways to meet the needs of communities — locally and nationally. A. Professional Development for Jewish Educators Technology is making training in Jewish education more accessible through distance learning. JESNA’s recently published Survey of Distance Learning (2003) highlights key programs that offer accredited courses, M.A....