The rationale for using a file conversation web tool like Docspal in the secular or Judaic Studies blended learning classroom

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 the rationale for using a file conversion web tool like Docspal in a secular or Judaic Studies blended learning classroom.

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 Docspal 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. 

Note: Docspal can be used in a face to face and virtual classroom.

What is Docspal?

Docspal is a file conversion web tool.

Where is  Docspal located on the internet?

http://www.docspal.com/

What is the rationale for using a file conversation web tool like Docspal in the secular or Judaic Studies blended learning classroom

File conversion web tools like Docspal are used in the secular and Judaic Studies face to face and virtual classrooms for the following reasons:

• Some file formats are so large in size (e.g. doc files) that they cannot be easily transmitted by email.
• Some file formats (e.g.  doc files) take longer to download.
• Some file formats are incompatible with the software on a computer and thus the file cannot be shared.
• More users have access to conventional file formats like JPEG (an image file format), PDF (a document file format), MP3 (an audio file format) and MP4 files (a movie file format).

Click here to see a demonstration on how Docpal can be used to promote Judaic instruction. 

On the next post we will begin our discussion of another file conversation web tool, PDF To Word.