Source: The Australian Jewish News
A groundbreaking study highlighting weaknesses in the way Hebrew and Jewish studies are being taught at Jewish schools across Australia has been welcomed by Australian Jewish educators, who agree with the findings that Australian Jewry has entered a “new era” and curriculums must be revised accordingly.
According to the report – authored by Bar-Ilan University’s Professor Zehavit Gross and the University of Sydney’s Professor Suzanne Rutland – the priorities of the adult community are no longer the priorities of the youth, and this “incongruity” has resulted in student dissatisfaction with the style and quality of education on offer in key areas.
The academics emphasize the importance of informal, holistic and meaningful education that incorporates digital technology, as opposed to frontal methods of teaching which are common in Hebrew classes.
In response to the paper – which is based on seven years of research in six schools across Melbourne and Sydney, as well as schools in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and China – the principals claim they are “alert” to the students’ need for interactive learning and are in the process of equipping their schools with the tools to deliver a more modern approach.
Read more at The Australian Jewish News.