When mentoring our
pre-service and in-service teachers we need to describe and model both
research-based and clinically tested best practices, and demonstrate how these
best practices can be applied in the real (i.e. physical) and virtual (i.e.
online) classroom for both teaching and teacher training. The combination of
face to face instruction in a physical setting and online learning is called
blended learning. In this section of the blog we will describe how the internet
can serve as a supplemental resource for instruction and the mentoring of
pre-service and in-service Jewish educators. In this post we will discuss how
the web-based collaborative writing tool, Meeting Words, can be used to promote Judaic instruction and
mentor/train pre-service and in-service Jewish educators.
Assumption: The teacher or mentor teacher has an interactive
white board (i.e. SMART Board, Promethean, etc.), a Tablet PC (also called a
Slate or Blade), a computer presenter or computer with internet access attached
to an LCD projector in the classroom. It would be ideal if students or mentees
had access to their own laptop computers or Ipads. Given parental and
school approval, and the development of specific guidelines, smartphones can be
used to enhance instruction as well.
Note: Although Meeting Words can be applied in the Judaic
Studies blended learning classroom, they can be also be used for training pre-service
and in-service Jewish educators for professional or staff development. It is
our hope that Jewish educators around the globe will form an online community of practice, a CoP, a group of people who share an interest, a craft,
and/or a profession, to enhance the delivery of instruction and training of
Jewish educators. For example, here is
a CoP you might want to join.
Note: Meeting Words can be used in a face to face and
virtual classroom.
What is Meeting Words?
Meeting Words is a web-based collaborative writing tool.
Where is Meeting
Words located on the internet?
How the web-based
collaborative writing tool, Meeting Words, can be used to promote Judaic
instruction and to mentor/train Jewish educators
Click here and here to see a
demonstration of how Meeting Words can
be used to promote Judaic instruction and to train/mentor pre-service and
in-service Jewish educators.
On the next post we will discuss another
web-based collaborative writing tool, Sync.in