Technology: In Plain English טכנולוגיה: באנגלית פשוטה: 2016

As many of you already know, the Consortium for Information and Academic Technologies - a grassroots, 21st Century Educational Tech group that I founded with Shalhevet High School and Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy, was acquired into the CIJE (www.thecije.org) Network in August of 2015. I am happy to report that this has turned out to be a stupendous relationship!

CIJE has a network of over 160 schools (and growing rapidly) that avail themselves of a myriad of programs that have been specially created for Jewish Day Schools. These programs include adaptive learning systems for use in early childhood and first/second grades, Elementary School science programs, the forward-thinking E2K Middle School science/math system, the unique (and critically acclaimed) CIJE High School engineering class (which is now is UC Certified!!!), as well as the - now in pilot - Middle School engineering curriculum. A brand new program that is currently under discussion is a robotics based engineering program for lower grades, being designed by our absolutely amazing Director of West Coast STEM, Dr. Adrian Krag.

While I have only listed the science based programs, CIJE also participates with the creation of STEM and Innovation Labs, Computer Labs/Carts, Interactive Touch Boards, Jewish History and Continuity programs, to name a few. With CIJE's acquisition of "the Consortium," we now have added services such as network systems infrastructure consultation, filtering and Internet utilization consultation, 21st Century educational and educational technology research and instruction, and the development of PLN's (Professional Learning Networks)!

As I have been traveling around California over the last few months, many of you have been clamoring for a series of Professional Development sessions on how to design/prepare your school's WiFi for use in the 21st Century, as well as effective filtering of the Google Apps For Education (GAFE) web space.

Well, wait no more! Shortly, I will be putting out a schedule of LIVE Google Hangouts to go over just those questions! And I will be inviting experts in the field to join me so that we can answer your LIVE inquiries on situations that are specific to your school.

So stay tuned to my blog as I arrange the schedule for later this month. Of course, I would love to have your input, so please feel free to use the comments section of the blog to post your questions and ideas!

Oh yes, speaking of a New Hope... If you haven't gone to see the new Star Wars moive, - get to a theatre near you right way!