Living Jewish

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Is there anything that immediately strikes you as positively different about this program from other programs you have seen? (e.g. English accent [more appropriate for English pupils than the American accent which is prevalent in kodesh software], photos instead of clipart…)

Note simultaneous use of audio and visual in the Introductions to each section but do they go together well, or do they confuse? Is this informative or just ‘bells and whistles’ for the sake of it?

Richard Mayer is very instructive the general issue of combining different ‘modes’ or ‘channels’:

"The rationale for multimedia presentation -that is, presenting material in words and pictures - is that it takes advantage of the full capacity of humans for processing information. When we present material only in the verbal mode, we are ignoring the potential contribution of our capacity to also process material in the visual mode.

Why might two channels be better than one? Two explanations are the quantitative rationale and qualitative rationale. The quantitative rationale is that more material can be presented on two channels than on one channel

- just like more traffic can travel over two lanes than one lane. In contrast, the qualitative rationale is that words and pictures, although qualitatively different, can complement one another and that human understanding occurs when learners are able to mentally integrate visual and verbal representations.

The most intriguing aspect of the qualitative rationale is that understanding occurs when learners are able to build meaningful connections between visual and verbal representations - such as being able to see how the words "the piston moves forward in the master cylinder" relate to the forward motion of a piston in master cylinder in an animation of a car's braking system. In the process of trying to build connections between words and pictures, learners are able to create a deeper understanding than from words or pictures alone. This idea is at the heart of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning."

- Richard Mayer, Jewish Educational Leadership 1:1. Bar Ilan University: The Lookstein Center for Jewish Education (pp. 17,18)

How could you make creative use of the photographs displayed in the introductions? e.g., find elements in the photos and explain them.

How could you use the introduction audios? e.g., listen for answers to questions. You could make the questions multiple choice to make it easier to respond quickly.

What creative use could you make of the textual screens? e.g., describe how the emotional dynamics in the Chazan’s rendition of Unetaneh Tokef match the English translations.

Look at the text given under "Reading of the Megillah." Comment on the choice of text.

How would you use this program with the pupils having their own computer, and how just from the front , projecting onto a whiteboard/interactive board?

The Footprints – "How to…" and "Facts"

Note any strengths.

Note any weaknesses.

How would you guide pupils in using this program to do initial research on a new topic?

How would you use this program to augment and support class work, or projects, already underway?

What elements do you think are very valuable?

What would you have designed differently?

This is a really interesting piece of software, full of information and very well organised. It certainly has a good deal of potential for pupils' research projects. Work your way through it first to see how you could most appropriately direct pupils in its use.

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Home Key Skills Question of the Lesson Software Scene Links Chagim
General Knowledge Berachot Tefilla Corner Story Time Site Map