Recently there have been a number of discussions regarding using technology in the classroom. My personal opinion is that it is a tool, it doesn’t replace good teaching, and the focus must always be learning. Today I tried to incorporate the two in a lesson about Sukkot. I showed the class a video about the Arabah Minim. Then I asked them to each write down questions based on facts that they saw in the video. I showed the video twice. After that I shuffled the papers and gave each student someone else’s questions to answer. Before they answered the questions I showed the video again.
Most of the students came up with at least 10 questions and all the students were engaged in watching the video so that they could come up with their own questions and answer the questions they were given. The four and half minute video incorporated many of the same facts that I would presented in a lecture but I know with 100% certainty that the format in which the same facts were presented was more engaging and therefore I believe in the end the students learned more.
Technology and videos cannot nor should they replace teachers or good teaching but teachers should use these tools to help their students learn.
Wishing you all a Chag Sameach
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