How Pixlr, a photo editing web tool, can be used to promote Judaic instruction and to train and mentor Jewish teachers

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 Pixlr , a photo editing web tool, can be used to promote Judaic instruction and to mentor and train 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 Pixlr can be applied in the Judaic Studies blended learning classroom, it 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. 

What is Pixlr?

 Pixlr is a photo editing web tool.

Where is  Pixlr located on the internet?

http://pixlr.com/

How Pixlr, a photo editing web tool, can be used to promote Judaic instruction and to train and mentor pre-service and in-service Jewish educators

Below you will find the original image of Shabbat Candles taken from Photo Pin , http://photopin.com/ a website that contains copyright free or friendly images.

Taken from this Flickr website which permits users to copy images without copyright permission
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rbarenblat/526128178/sizes/o/in/photostream/

Now examine the edited photo of the original picture of Shabbat candles transformed by using Pixlr. In particular, note the white frame, the flame in the background and the text at the bottom of the picture.

NOTE: When converting an image always make certain that you either own the image or have permission to copy it.

On the next post we will introduce another photo editing web tool, Pixlr.com/o-matic.