Tech-i-ya 2.2

By Adrian Durlester

One of the best blog posts I’ve read recently is Steve Jobs, Apple, and Jewish Education: Can we Imagine the I-Thou Phone? by Rabbi Daniel Lehman on E Jewish Philanthropy. In the opening to his post, he cites a quote from a blog post on the same site written in mid-August by Johnathan Woocher entitled Reinventing Jewish Education which has become one of my favorite quotes of all time: “Jewish education today is using a walkman, while the world is listening to iPods.” Both blog posts are well worth the time to read them. I happen to agree with both authors – whether you agree or disagree with their points, they are certainly worthy of discussion. Rabbi Lehman makes a powerful case for finding the balance between embracing the technology and remembering that finding those Buberian relationship moments is paramount.

Tech-i-ya 2.1

Adrian Durlester

So what does it mean to be a 21st century educator? This wiki on the 21st Century Teacher, highlighted by the good folks over at Edutopia  helps you to discover the answer. It appears on Edutopia, in their feature “Twenty Tidbits for New Teachers,” which is a worthwhile read for experienced teachers as well. Another tip on the site which I highly endorse is their recommendation thsat teachers star bloggin. It is an incredibly useful tool for professional and personal reflection as an educator.

Tech-i-ya 1.5

Adrian Durlester

The hot topic in educational technology these days is Google+ (otherwise known as Google Plus.) At first glance, it looks as if Google has created a social-media environment that, unlike Facebook, can be safe to use even in educational settings. It offers more sharing controls and options than Facebook, and some are saying it will provide the ideal environment to use in education. Check out the Circles and Hangouts features for their potential (and ability to create privtae, secured sharing spaces for classes, et al.) It’s too soon to really know if Google+ will be the service that finally cracks open the door for regular social-media use in schools, but if you have a Google account, sign up for Google+ and start exploring.

Tech-i-ya 1.4

Adrian Durlester

Summer is here. For most involved in education, it means you have some time available. This is the perfect time to hone your technology skills, and delve into some new uses of technology.

Are you just getting your feet wet in the sea of the digital revolution? Been using technology for a while but still don’t feel fully conversant with what you need to know?

Tech-i-ya 1.3

Cleaning Out the Digital Hametz

by Adrian A. Durlester

At this time of year, as we’re preparing our homes for Passover, when we’re engaged in spring cleaning, when we’re cleaning out the physical hametz from our homes and the spiritual hametz from ourselves, it’s a good time to consider cleaning out our digital closets. Our internal and external hard drives are clogged with files. Our email archives are full of old messages. Our browser bookmark collections are cluttered and unwieldy. Web pages we have created may have outdated text, or links to other pages that are no longer working. Our Facebook, Linked-In, Twitter and other social media profiles and pages may be similarly in need of attention. Your browsers are full of installed extensions and add-ons that you almost never use or don’t need anymore. I don’t know many people who make it a point to routinely clean out their digital hametz, but I can tell you that it’s a good idea and worth the effort.