Richard D. Solomon's Blog on Mentoring Jewish Students and Teachers: Introduction to PDF Escape, a web tool that enables the user to edit PDF (Portable Document Format) files

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Introduction to PDF Escape, a web tool that enables the user to edit PDF (Portable Document Format) files

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 begin our discussion of how PDF Escape, a web tools that enables the user to edit PDF (Portable Document Format) files, can be used to promote Judaic instruction and to mentor/train pre-service and in-service Jewish educators.

For additional information on PDF files click here.

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 PDF Escape 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: PDF Escape can be used in a face to face and virtual classroom.

What is PDF Escape?

PDF Escape is a web tool that enables the user to edit PDF files.

Why would a user want to edit a PDF file?