Source: JETS Blog
Temple Emanuel in Pascack Valley, NJ is working with Jerusalem Edtech Solutions (JETS Israel) on a unique project of online education. Among the goals of the program, JETS and Temple Emanuel educational staff want to encourage a higher degree of parental involvement in their children's Hebrew school experience and an increased understanding of what their children are learning. The project, entitled The Holocaust: Remembering and Rebuilding, provides an overview of the Holocaust and the Rebirth of the State of Israel for the Temple's Bar and Bat Mitzva class. Students meet online over the course of three months to gain a deeper understanding of the Shoah and the establishment of the State of Israel, and how they impacted -- and continue to impact - the Jewish World.
All of the lessons are conducted online to enable students to sign in from their home and participate virtually. The dynamic lessons move from audio and video clips to selected readings to textual study - with multiple interactive assignments and activities interspersed among the various presentations. Students create shared documents, online bulletin boards, social posters and collaborative presentations that summarize each week's lesson.
The elearning aspect of the lesson also addresses parental involvement. Parents are invited to participate with their children or, if they prefer, watch a video cast of the session after the lesson to access the material and monitor their own child's participation and progress.
A recent mid-semester questionnaire was presented to both parents and students. The reflections indicated that, not only were the students engaged in the class, but the parents were also knowledgeable about their children's Hebrew school activities and involved in the curriculum. While the parents suggested that a more community atmosphere is created when the class takes place at the Temple itself, they were enthusiastic about the program and indicated that they would like to see it continue -- perhaps partially at home and partially at the Hebrew School. These comments can now be taken into account when planning future elearning projects.
Read more on the JETS Blog.