MUST READ - A "krack" in our (wifi) armor

You may be seeing your friends in the IT world looking a bit stressed this week.  Yes, I know that isn't an unusual thing, but when I see my buddies who specialize in WiFi security crying into their morning coffee saying "what are we going to do?" and rocking back and forth... well then I know something is very wrong.

And, what would that "very wrong" be?  Well read on...

On Sunday, there was an announcement made about a very serious vulnerability that effects millions of WiFi access points and routers throughout the world!  It is called "Krack" - Key Re-installation Attack - and it effects any WiFi access point or router that uses the WPA2-PSK encryption.  Most likely, this means you ARE effected by this since most businesses and schools (and coffee shops, airports, public WiFi, etc.!!!) use this WiFi encryption.

Basically, the flaw allows a hacker to see all of the traffic going between your device and the WiFi access point/router - AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BE ON THE NETWORK TO DO IT!!

What makes it even worse is that if you have unsecured data shares on your supposedly secure network those same hackers could easily steal your data!!! (and yes, that could include USB keys attached to a computer!)

Now I am sure that you are wondering about what you can do to protect yourself.  Well, Microsoft has already created a patch for Windows and Apple and Google are not very far behind.  

But now for the catch... you have to be regularly updating your computer and installing the patches!!  (Yes, my Apple friends... I mean you - iOS and OSX are not immune to this!!)

Schools, you need to be running firmware patches and updates on all of your AP's/routers and for heaven's sake put a password on that network file share!!

In all reality, hackers are not going to be driving up and down your street to hack into your home network.  Especially when there are much juicer prospects with big business, schools and the coffee shops that are nearby.  But this does not mean that you should not be protected everywhere you go.  Here are some tips to keep you safe.

• UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE!
  Run all the patches and updates as they come out.  I hear all sorts of excuses why NOT to run updates.  Don't fall prey to this!  RUN UPDATES!!
  
• MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE ON HTTPS SITES!
  Make sure that every website you visit that has you enter any information or passwords is protected by that little lock icon in the address bar!
  
• USE VPN's!
  Most schools do not allow your device to run a VPN as then they can't filter the device as required by the Federal E-Rate requirements.  That is because a VPN will hide all of your traffic so no one can see it!  Bad for at school... Good when you are out "in the world!"  So, get a VPN and use it when you go for coffee.

Help is already on the way.  Most systems will have patches out soon but that will only work if you force your fleet of iPads, Chromebooks, PC's or Smart Phones to run the updates.  Oh yes, don't forget to run firmware updates on your AP's and routers.

Well, that's all for today!!  As always, I solicit your comments on the blogsite.

Regards,

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Tech Specialist - CIJE

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

It's a New Dawn, It's a new Day, It's a new - Metaverse? (with apologies to Nina Simone)

Starting at sunset tonight, Jews all over the world will be celebrating Rosh Hashanah - literally the "head" of the year.  It commemorates, amongst many other things, the birth of "Adam" - the birth of Mankind.

I have always found it interesting that Rosh Hashana doesn't commemorate the creation of the universe or even the creation of the world!  It is all about having the "Adam" becoming conscious and being able to experience existence.  You see, it is all about EXPERIENCING creation!! 

Now, I can't help but think like a physicist (I was a physics teacher for many years after all) and paraphrase quantum theory (regardless of how Einstein felt about it in his "later years") that says, in part, that unless something is observed, it doesn't necessarily exist in our world!

Think about it... Rosh Hashanah is actually commemorating consciousness, existence, observation, reality!

This is an interesting way to look at the festival of the new year.  How we perceive our new year will actually help create that new year for us!!  Kinda cool - yes?

So what better time to introduce you all to a program that can augment reality...

The Metaverse (https://gometa.io)

I am sure that you all have heard about Pokemon Go by now.  (If not, here is my blog post about it.)  Well Metaverse lets you create your own "Pokemon-Go-like" experience.  Imagine creating a scavenger hunt around your school where freshmen must locate digital items and do special tasks.  Hey... how about doing a tour of your home town?  Put the statue of "old Chuck" in the viewfinder and then the whole story about who this guy was comes to life!  All sorts of ideas!

Here is a short video on how one family uses this augmented reality program to bring everyone together for "family time" and exercise.

(click here to watch video)

So what do you think?  Can programs like this alter our experience of reality?  Will it change the way we perceive the world?  I would be interested in hearing what you have to say on the blogsite.

For those of you celebrating Rosh Hashanah - Ketivah v'chatima tovah  (כתיבה וחתימה טובה).

Should you be written and sealed for a fantastic year of health, happiness and "good perceptions!"

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

Take me money and run-a Venezuela (with apologies to Harry Belafonte)

Back in the 70's, my father of blessed memory was friends with the performer Harry Belafonte.

 

One of Harry's signature Calypso songs was lamenting about a woman named "Matilda" who took a man for all that he was worth... all his money - everything!  In the song he says:

"the money was just inside me bed, 

Stuck up in a pillow beneath me head" 

and then zap - it was gone!

Well now-a-days things aren't so blatantly obvious.

If you haven't heard about what happened at Equifax by now, you need to immediately take action...

Equifax Data - you know, the folks that do the credit reporting - had a huge data breach that could affect over 143 MILLION people!  It seems that over the period of a few months, Equifax had personal information including Social Security numbers, Driver Licence numbers as well as disputed claims information stolen.  This affects so many people that Equifax is offering free credit monitoring (a service that they usually charge for) to people who were affected by the data breach.  What you need to do is - RIGHT NOW - go to the listed website and see if you could possibly be affected by this.  I know that I was!!  I am on the watch list so I enrolled in the service.

Here is the site to go to to enroll and find out more information:

https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/

Don't be like the poor soul in Harry Belafonte's Calypso song...

"Five hundred dollars, friends, I lost

Woman even sell me cat and horse

Heya! Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela"

If you are interested in hearing this fun song... here is a YouTube clip...

As always, I solicit your comments on the blog site.

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Tech Specialist - CIJE

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

Total Eclipse of the.... Sun (with apologies to Bonnie Tyler)

What an experience!

In Los Angeles today (Aug 21st, 2017) we didn't have a TOTAL eclipse of the sun (as opposed to a TOTAL eclipse of the HEART by Bonnie Tyler - that happens in Hollywood all the time!!) but we did have partial solar eclipse!

To view this amazing event, Tuvia and I made the camera obscura that you see below.  The image that we got was amazingly clear (the phone camera that I used to take the below picture caught some glare, but it wasn't there when we looked at the image with our eyes).

Even though the solar eclipse has now passed, you don't need it to use this device with your classes.  You can discuss light and cameras (and how they work) and then draw parallels to the structure of the eye.  Then you can discuss eye safety and why it is so important!  What is even cooler is that you can have each member of your class design their own camera obscura and then go outside and view the sun!!

Our camera was made with a box, a pin-hole the in aluminum foil, a white piece of paper for the screen and a viewing port.  I placed it on a tripod so that our neighbors could look as well.

I shared this design with a few of my CIJE schools and I can hardly wait until I get to see their pictures!!

I know that Tuvia won't forget this day and I hope that he gets an opportunity to see a FULL solar eclipse like I did in Winnipeg, Manitoba back in 1979.  Below is one of the pictures I took with my Minolta SLR.  It is an experience that I will never forget.

(Yossie's slide from 1979 eclipse)

As always, I solicit your comments on the Blogsite.

Regards,

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Tech Specialist - CIJE

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

School is Baaaack - so be true to your school! (apologies to the Beach Boys!)

It's that time of year again!  You know... students cramming in that last bit of summer reading, teachers preparing classrooms, administrators waiting at the main school doors for...

THE RETURN TO SCHOOL!!

Yes, indeed, summer is "out" and school is back "in!"  I can hardly wait!  My son Tuvia - you know the "guinea pig" that I do all of my "typical student" testing on - has his uniforms all ready and school supplies all purchased.  All that awaits him now is that first day of school.  He can hardly wait.

Over at CIJE central, we have been busy as well.  We have packaged up all of our new laptops, science supplies and teaching resources to send off to all of our new and returning CIJE network schools.  As a matter of fact, this week I am off to San Diego to help one of our schools do a major upgrade to their WiFi system that will give them leading-edge technology to enhance their already educationally rich curriculum. Just another service of CIJE!

Speaking of getting ready for school, there is this great event for those of you in the Los Angeles area.  On Sunday, August 27th, at the Ivan Gallery,

2701 S Robertson Blvd, Los Angeles from 8 pm to 10 pm there will be a big book launch (and open house) for...

the Jewish Educators Companion - Practical Tools & Inspirational Ideas - published by the world renowned Behrman House Publishers.  This book would make a great resource for you and a fantastic gift to to give to any teacher who may be on your back-to-school shopping list. Now you don't have to believe me (after all, my wife Batsheva wrote it so I am a bit biased) so here are a few quotes from Master Educators who have read the book...

The Jewish Educator's Companion translates sound educational theory into usable strategies for every Jewish educational setting. Educators can use these tools to introduce critical thinking and Jewish values into their games, projects, and activities. An expert in gaming, filmmaking, and other creative learning strategies, Frankel makes leading educational trends accessible and implementable. If you are seeking a menu of ways to make Jewish learning thoughtful and deep while truly engaging learners, this book is a great guide. --Miriam Heller Stern, Ph.D., National Director, School of Education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

Batsheva Frankel's new book adds something desperately needed in the Jewish educational world - a toolkit to inspire new and veteran teachers alike. We are preparing the next generation of leaders of the Jewish community; we must create an environment that is conducive to that noble goal. With ideas culled from the best of general education and applied to Jewish education, Frankel's work can move the needle in a meaningful way. --Rabbi Ari Segal, Head of School, Shalhevet High School, Los Angeles

There will be a special book launch price and Batsheva will be on-hand to sign it and "talk teacher" with you... so stop on by! If you can't make it, then the book is available on Amazon (http://a.co/3nuSck2).

So, welcome back to school and I hope to see you on Sunday!

As always, I solicit your comments on my blogsite.

Regards,

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

Flash is finally retiring!

Picture this... A big newspaper news room circa 1950's or so. A copy boy runs in and yells to everyone present. The sound of typewriters stop, the hum of the printing press winds down and the whole room comes to a hush...

Copy boy: "News Flash!!!  It's finally retiring!!"

Reporter:  "What's retiring?"

Copy boy: "Flash!"

News Editor:  "What? As in Flash Gordon?" (Yossie's note: I guess I am showing my age! :-)

Copy boy:  "Nope... Adobe Flash!"

That's right, after years of leadership and having been responsible for creating gaming, education and video industries, Adobe has finally announced that Flash will be discontinued by 2020. That means that web based developers have less then three years to convert their Flash based websites over to HTML5, WebGL or Webassembly.

So, why should this concern us Ed-Tech types?

Well, there are a HUGE number of educational websites that are based on Flash technology and the cost of moving them and their data over to the newer technologies would be hugely expensive. My fear is that they will just be shutting down rather than retooling.  What makes this even more shocking is that we could lose a very large number of Jewish Educational websites especially since many of the Hebrew sites are created with Flash.  Even now, since Google Chrome does not run Flash without bypassing default settings, I can't begin to tell you how many calls a week I get about workarounds! Imagine what it will be like by 2020!!

So, be prepared for some of your favorite sites to "retire" off into the sunset, just like my old hero Flash Gordon.

As always, I solicit your comments on the blogsite.

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

Apple Issues Cyber-Threat Warning

I have many friends who say that viruses never infect an Apple computer (or iPad)...

Well Dod (Dod is Hebrew for "Uncle") Yossie is here to tell you that this just not so!!  Apple computers are just as susceptible to viruses and Trojans as are PC's.  That is why I always recommend that you purchase good anti-virus software for all of your electronic devices (iOS and Android included!!)

To prove my point, Apple today issued a Cyber-Threat warning for it's iOS for iPhones (and iPads).  There is a very real security threat that requires that the end user (that's you) download the patch from Apple.

The way to implement this fix is to head to the "Settings" menu and select "General", then you will see an option called "Software Update." Clicking on it should prompt the installation of iOS 10.3.3.

If you are running a Mac, go to the App Store and select the "Updates" tab. A prompt for macOS Sierra 10.12.6 should appear.

Now, just to be fair, the same threat exists for Android phones but they patched their software about a month ago.

Consider yourself warned!

As always, I solicit your comments on the website.

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

A funny thing happened on the way to the blog post... (with apologies to "The Forum" and musical theater everywhere!)

Let me start by apologizing about the delay in getting this blog post out.

I know, I know... it is the end-of-the-year and everyone is busy so why should I be any different, but on a general basis, I do one blog post every week or so.  And let me tell you that there is soooo much to blog about!!

More about the reason for my delayed post towards the end... so keep on reading!

Well, since it IS the end-of-the-school-year and one of the most important things that you can do for your graduating students and departing teachers is help them move their GAFE - ahem, I mean - G-Suite - emails, contacts, files over to new G-Mail accounts.

Now, yes, Google does have Google Takeout which will kind of do this for you.  It will backup your emails, some files, some contacts and so on... but it does not move files shared with you, and it requires a bunch of hoops to jump through... not so fun!

(Click here to go to Google Takeout)

Last year, I reported on Grad Gopher (previous blog post here) - which is now called Cloud Gopher (www.cloudgopher.com)  It is still - by far - the best deal in moving G-Suite stuff from one domain to another!  As they say on their website...

This service is really a "gem of an app!!"

Yes, yes, I know you are thinking: "Great Yossie, why didn't you tell me about these services last week so that I could have got a jump on this! - gee thanks!"

To answer that question, let me tell you what happened to me as I put together this blog post over a week ago.

About an hour after the conclusion of Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath), - June 3rd to be exact -  I was preparing my livestreaming gear to help one of our CIJE Member High Schools broadcast their Sunday afternoon graduation (an extra-help service that we give to our member schools) and then I was going to move on to assemble this very blog post.  I felt just a wee bit too tired so I thought to myself that I would finish it during the day on Sunday.  Well, one thing led to another and at around 2 am on Sunday morning, I was just not feeling right and decided to go to the hospital to find out why.  

So I got in my car and drove myself to Cedars Sinai Medical Center (well... center is a bit of an understatement... it is actually more like a small city of its own in Beverly Hills!) and checked into the Emergency Room. I was immediately seen by the triage nurse and... that's the last thing I remember until I woke up at 10 am in the ICU!  It seems that I was the recipient of a full on cardiac arrest!!  Yep, no joke... CPR for 10 minutes.

Do you know what saved me?
(For those that know me personally, you know I always start with Hashem!!)

An amazing team of well prepared, well trained AND PRACTICED individuals in the ER and Cardiac Catheterization  Lab.  (As my regular readers may remember, I was a Paramedic for 14 years - part of that as an Instructor Trainer - so I KNOW the difficulties of collaborating in an active ER!)  

You know what else saved me?

Leading edge tech such as the special coolers to reduce my body temperature to keep my brain from being damaged. A state-of-the-art Cardiac Catheter Lab where the blockage in my coronary circumflex artery was diagnosed and a new medicated stent was installed.  

You know what else saved me?

A great staff (with really cool tech) in the ICU to keep me stable during the critical next two days to be followed by... 

A caring group of caregivers in the Cardiac Observation Unit where I spent the last few days of my stay until I was discharged home - having spent a total of seven days and seven hours at Cedars Sinai Hospital.

Do you know what else is amazing about all of this?

Except for a bit of pain from catheterization (it's normal!) bruised arms from the IV's (whisper the word needle to my skin and every vein goes into hiding!!) I was back at work by Monday (yesterday)!!  Yes, I have a reduced work load as I can't lift anything too heavy yet, but can you imagine it??!!  From basically "dead" to writing about "ED-tech" in one week!!

Each one of the devices that was used save my life and hasten my recovery was invented by a person, or team of people, who benefited from a Science or STEM based education. Each member of the Cedars-Sinai team that I interacted with was a dedicated person who was well versed in 21st Century Ed Principals such as Collaboration, Creativity and, Critical thinking!

CIJE (the Center for Innovations in Jewish Education) works hard at giving our partner schools the tools they need to give our kids a quality 21st Century Education - so that they can grow up to become life-savers.. just like all of the people I met at the Hospital!.  And that, my dear readers is why I work for CIJE!!

Regards to you all!  Coming up next week, stay tuned for some more blogs on Mixed Reality and the world's thinnest holograms!

As always, I solicit your remarks on the blog site.

Yossie

Oh yes, I would be remiss if I didn't give HaKoret HaTov (give thanks...) to ALL of the Administration, Staff and Volunteers at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.  Thank You!!

Yossie (John Jay Yaakov Yossef Frankel to be precise) Frankel

Tech Specialist

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

PD is only part of the equation!

I am a HUGE believer in the power of PD (Professional Development.)  You know, constant learning... keeping up with the latest in what is going on educationally.  I can say with full confidence that GREAT TEACHERS are Lifelong Learners!

I would suggest that PD by itself is not enough.  We can sit through seminars, workshops and classes but until we get a chance to SEE educational techniques working - either in our own classrooms through trying them or seeing other teachers model the techniques - that they all just live in the realm of possibilities.  While I liked trying new things in my classroom, I sometimes felt more comfortable seeing someone else do it first. 

I found that in a classroom visit, I could see another educational professional in action performing the technique or teaching modality that I was interested in.  It was very powerful and I ALWAYS loved visiting other classrooms.  Some of my best teaching ideas were ones that I "stole" from watching other teachers!!

Well, Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy, here in Los Angeles, (Hillel, it just so happens, is the school that my son attends :-) is holding a visiting day where they are opening up their classrooms to other teachers!  On Monday, May 22nd, if you are a K-8 teacher and can get the time to come, I would highly recommend that you attend.  After all, seeing is believing!!

Click this link to register.  

There are limited spaces available and you need to book in order to attend.  Here is the agenda for the morning:

• 8:30 a.m. Meet and greet; refreshments
• 9:00 a.m. Classroom visits
• 10:20 a.m. Meet teachers and students
• 10:45 a.m. Visionary leadership panel
• 11:30 a.m. Closing

As always, I solicit your comments on the blogsite.

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Tech Specialist, CIJE

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

Won't Ya Be My Neighbor!? (apologies to Mr. Rogers!)

Last week, on Technology: In Plain English I left you off with a very bleak outlook for the future job prospects for our kids - I even "used" cliff-hanger music!!  (Here is the link to last week's "Who are the people in your neighborhood")

To quickly recap... Based on the top 10% of students in India and China alone, those numbers almost equal the TOTAL number of students in the American educational system!  So how are our children going to compete on a global market? 

Now many folks think that if we increase our teaching of science and math curriculum to include coding and other STEM/STEAM based proficiencies that this will help us compete. Yes, it will help, but you have to remember that in both India and China there is a very strong emphasis on science/math.  That includes coding and other logic based disciplines.  Also, the governments have acknowledged that in order to compete globally, they have to improve their command of English and so have added advanced English speaking classes, complete with diction coaches! This means that adding math/science/STEM/STEAM subjects alone is not enough.

So, what's the answer?

As I was researching this blog, I came across a comment that a data researcher added in a footnote.  It would appear that, when asked, the Chinese interviewees complained that their educational system was not as flexible as the American system. It was their impression that, unlike in America, their kids were not taught how to be creative!  And this, I believe, "hit the nail on the head!"

21st Century Competencies promote Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS), collaboration and creativity!  The concepts of Project Based Learning (PBL - not to be confused with Learning by Project - different thing entirely!), Blended Learning, properly executed STEM/STEAM classes, and so on, are all about creative learning! And that is the edge that we have - well, as long as we include this kind of education it in our schools.  Unfortunately, there are still many Jewish Day Schools that don't include any 21st Century Educational Modalities in their curriculum.  The whole reason why I joined CIJE was to help fix this problem!

CIJE's mission is to bring cutting edge initiatives (that is why we are called the Center for INITIATIVES in Jewish Education) to Jewish Day Schools across the US. One of our programs, the HS Engineering course, teaches physics, coding, electronics, entrepreneurship and collaboration that culminates in the students creating a "cap-stone" project that they display at a regional conference.

No, the above picture is not of a science fair where students regurgitate something that they have learned.  This is is photo of hundreds of East Coast Jewish Day School students who are pitching real world ideas that they created during the HS Engineering course!  This is all about creativity, collaboration, HOTS, etc!

Next week in Los Angeles, we will be holding our West Coast regional conference.  Interested in finding out more?  Here is a link to the event flyer.

As always, I solicit your comments on the blog site.

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Tech Specialist - CIJE

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

Who are the people in your neighborhood - with apologies to Big Bird!

Speaking of neighbors...

Thank-you to everyone who came out on Sunday for our first ever CIJE STEM/STEAM & 21 Century Ed day! From the feedback from the 60+ participants, the day was a grand success.  Your dedication to our kids is amazing and is exemplified by you giving up a Sunday for professional development.  I am in awe of you!

Also, a special thanks to COJDS, EMEK School and the presenters! Without your participation this event could never have happened! 

One of the attendees on Sunday was the president of CIJE, Mr. Jason Cury.  He was talking to a group of participants about why our Jewish Day Schools - all U.S. schools for that matter - really need to invest in STEM/STEAM education.  When I heard what he had to say about general education in the U.S., I became more than a little concerned.

Firstly, let me be clear.  My blog readers know that I have been constantly writing on the need for improvements to our educational system.  That is what this whole blog is about - cool ways to "up-your-educational-game" - but, as King Solomon said, there is nothing new under the sun.  All you have to do is read my blog post Story as Old as Time to see that science and math education has been a concern here in the U.S. since the 1950's!

As Jason explained to this group of participants, in the "old days" our competition for earning a livelihood was usually our neighbor.  

No, not literally the "guy-next-door" but the person who is in the same socioeconomic bracket as us.  You know, same education, earning potential, similar dreams and so on...  In today's global economy, that neighbor could be someone living in India or China.  OK, you may think... "so it's just a bigger pool of competition... no problem."

Yes, problem!

Let's crunch some simple numbers...

Students in school in

• India: 315 million
• China:  400 million
• United States:  75 million

This means that China ALONE has more people in school than the US has population! (US Population is 324 million)

Take the top 10% of students from India and China.  That would be 31 million from India and 40 million from China.  That almost equals the number of TOTAL students in America!!

And those 71 million top 10% kids are getting the same level of education (more-or-less) as our top 10%.  Also, they will eventually become the middle class of their home countries with the same level of education as 7.5 million of our kids from here in the US!!  That is a lot of competition from the "guy-next-door!"

Now, for the very scary part...

In India a middle class family earns $23K US.   In China, they earn $32K US.  In America, they earn $97K US.  So, for an employer who can employ on a global basis it would make more sense to hire someone from India or China than to hire me!!

"But Yossie," you say, "that doesn't change people having to hire in America!"

OK, yes, but... my son wants to be a video game developer.  It requires special skills and an aptitude for programming but it can be done from anywhere in the world.  More and more, the jobs of the future are going to be global in nature and I worry if  he be able to get a job when he graduates from school!

 Check out Josan's art: www.pinterest.com/ferranprat/josan-gonzalez/

Before you start thinking about a dystopian future.. I believe that there is there a solution... but more on that in Part Two next week!  (play cliff-hanger music here :-)

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Tech Specialist - CIJE

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

RED ALERT! - Very serious issue

Well, its another major spam alert!!

Yes, this is very real and kind of scary - so be very aware.

Today, May 3rd, there have been multiple reports of folks getting emails with invitations to open a google doc.  After clicking, the user is taken to a google site and asked to log in again (as google sometimes does) but in this case, the spammer/pirate gains access to you g-suite/gmail account.

Very bad stuff!

First reported on Reddit...  here is the (real) link

Yossie Frankel

Tech Specialist - CIJE

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

An Ode to Educators...

Educators are a strange group of people...

(Famous professors from Hogwarts)

They stay up late at night marking students' papers and creating lesson plans. They are constantly reading, web-surfing and attending conferences to keep up-to-date on the latest in ED trends. They sometimes get abused by students/parents of students/administrators. They never get enough time to sleep, are notoriously poorly paid and yet, they remain in their profession!!

Yep, very strange group of people indeed!

I should know... for the last 30 years I have been a part of that group and I wouldn't give it up for anything!!

Well, yes, there was one year where the new 9th grade almost drove me to insanity and made me think of leaving... but I didn't!  Oh, there was that parent whom I almost got a restraining order against, but they live in another country now!  Ah, the stories I could tell if you buy me a nice glass of wine (or a scotch!) at an Ed Conference, but the bottom line is that I keep on returning to being an educator.

Now that I am a "teacher educator" and not working in the classroom trenches everyday, here is a HUGE shout out my colleagues who still are!  You are amazing, dedicated and, yes, a little crazy!! :-)

I wanted to do something nice for you all so I went to my management at CIJE (Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education) and asked if I could set up a special Professional Development day where educators in my area could come together for networking, great workshops and - every teachers' favorite - a bagel lunch!!  So that everyone could attend, it had to be for free. To make it even more difficult, in order not to miss a school day, it had to be on a weekend and being that CIJE works with Jewish schools, it could not be held on Shabbat (Saturday).  That left only one day - SUNDAY! 

Much to my joy, they said YES! (Thanks Mr. Jason Cury - CIJE President and Dr. Jane Willoughby - VP West Coast)  My bosses did have one caveat though... the presenters at this PD day had to be experts in their field with a national or international reputation.

So I approached my good friends at the EMEK school here in LA and they agreed to provide the venue - thanks Rabbi Shifman and Michelle Andron!  I then approached my colleagues at COJDS (Consortium of Jewish Day Schools) and they agreed to help - thanks Dr. Shapiro and Rabbi Glass! A quick email to the internationally known Dr. Camille McCue and she agreed to do the introduction keynote address - thanks Camille.  Another quick email to my friends at Apple ED in LA and they agreed to do workshops and before I knew it, I had a jammed packed event all arranged!! (Thanks to all of the presenters!!)

The event will be running THIS Sunday, APRIL 30th!  I still have a few seats open, so if you want to attend you will need to register right away at:  bitl.ly/cijestem2017  and, yes, there is NO CHARGE!!

• If you wanted to hear about all the new Apple stuff for EDU, you need attend!
• If you want to learn about Ji Tap and Ji Calendar for your school (amazing products),you need attend!  
• If you want a full briefing on the CIJE Engineering and Science programs that are available for your school, you don't want to miss this! 
• If you have always want a great introduction to Blended Learning, accessing Higher Order Thinking Skills, Designed Thinking, Holistic STEM in Limudai Kodesh, Digital Citizenship (a must for everyone) and access to one of the original "shakers and movers" in Tinker Space and 3D Printing, then you need to come to this event.

Here is a link to the list of sessions and workshops.  Here is the link to register.

I hope to see you all on this Sunday, April 30th, 2017.  The fun starts with coffee and cookies at 8:30am!!

Oh yes, before I forget - go hug an Educator!  Without them, we would be nothing!!

Regards,

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Tech Specialist, CIJE

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

A Robot for you, and for you, and you! (apologies to Oprah!)

My son Tuvia loves coding.

He comes home, does his homework, practices his piano (well, on most days...) and then... AH! His favorite... he starts scripting in C# (said "see-sharp").  

His ultimate goal is to create games (I will let you know when his first one is available) and in order to achive that goal, he has created his own curriculum - a veritable PBL case study! As a matter of fact, he is now so confident in his coding expertise that he has started a summer programming camp!  For three weeks, he will be running a two-hour-a-day camp for students age nine through thirteen to learn beginner's C# - and the camp has filled up in less than 3 days!!

Oh, by the way, did I mention that he is 11 years old?

In many schools, the introduction to coding comes through a robotics class.  This is a great idea as it involves the coding with a real-world result - the robot carries out a task. Tuvia started this way with a Lego robotics club.  The problem always was that there were not enough robotics sets so students had to team up in groups of 3 or 4.  Great for collaborative learning, not so good for building programming and problem solving skills.  The other issue was that while Tuvia could come home and still work on his robot (I took my robotics instructor training from Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Academy about 9 years ago and have all sorts of Robo parts around the house) the other students could not.  This was a real problem for some of Tuvia's peers. But not any more...

Enter CoderZ (pronounced Code - erz) with an amazing, fully curricularized program!  I will let their video explain it all...

(click here to view video)

What do you think?  It looks pretty cool, right?  I know that it solves the "one-kid-per-device" problem and expands that ability for all students to fully participate in all aspects of a coding/robotics program.

Now, I know that when I see new products like this, I want to have a hands-on tour... and that is exactly what I am trying to arrange!

The folks from Coderz are trying to make it to the April 30th STEM/STEAM & 21st Century ED day.  If they can, I will have them give a full demo during the lunch break.  

Of course, this means that you need to book your ticket to the event!  There is no charge, so all you are spending is your time to come down and attend some fantastic workshops/sessions and great networking opportunities!

Here is the link to book your attendance.  The list of events is available through the link.

See you all on Sunday, April 30th!!

Yossie

Yossie Franke

Tech Specialist - CIJE

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

Every Breath You Take, Every Click you Make - I'll Be Watching You! (with apologies to Sting)

I was at a family gathering recently and I caught up with an aunt that I hadn't seen for a few years.  During our visit, she told me that she was working for a major cable network/streaming service in the Taxonomy Department.  My face must have given away my puzzlement as she humorously pointed out that she didn't say taxidermy - the preserving, stuffing and mounting of dead animals -  but rather taxonomy - a way to classify words or ideas. (She must get that an awful lot!)

Now, I AM a science teacher so I do know what taxonomy means, but what I couldn't get my head around is why would a major cable network need a department to manage a scheme of classification?  Over the next 10 minutes my aunt explained her job and as well as being fascinated, I also became more than a little worried.

You see, every time you click on a website, watch a movie, select a an item from an on-line store, your action becomes part of the meta-data of the world wide web.  Yes, that's right, you are being digitally stalked whether you want to be or not!!  What my aunt does is make that huge amount of data "sortable" by creating a system that allows for cross correlation and data mining.  While her job is very impressive, what it reminds me of is a saying from Pirkei Avot (A book on ancient Jewish Ethics - translated as the Ethics of our Fathers):  "there is a seeing eye, a listening ear, and all your deeds being inscribed in a book."  Kinda of creepy don't you think?!!

After our visit, I starting thinking about how does one live in a world where everything that we do on-line is so carefully scrutinized for marketing?  Then I though of an answer... Become Informed!! We are not just citizens of the country that we hail from, but we are also digital citizens of the World Wide Web!  When I want to be informed about being a "digital citizen," I turn to the director of the Digital Citizenship project Dr. Eli Shapiro! (You may remember me mentioning Dr. Shapiro in my blog on screen time and device management for parents.)

As a Tech Specialist, I firmly believe that every teacher, parent, administrator and student needs to know how to be safe (as one can be) on-line and what pitfalls to look out for.  And that, my dear readers, is exactly what Dr. Shapiro does with the Digital Citizenship Project.  Whenever I have the pleasure to speak at a Consortium of Jewish Day Schools (COJDS) event and Dr. Shapiro is there, I make sure to attend his presentation.  I always learn something new and relevant every time I listen in!

Now, if you are going to be in the LA area on Sunday, April 30th, I urge you to attend the session that Dr. Shapiro will be giving at CIJE's STEM/STEAM & 21st Century Ed day. The title of his session is Digital Citizenship: What Every Educator Needs to Know and the information that he is presenting applies to everyone!!  If you are a Head of School, Administrator, Teacher and this is the only session you can attend (and the free lunch afterward :-)  then I implore you come to this event.  It will be a well spent one hour!

Here is the link to register for the Sunday, April 30th event.

Here is a list of all of the sessions and workshops that we will be holding.

If you are teacher, please let your colleagues know about this PD day.  If you are a principal or head of school, please try to attend yourself, but at the very least, send some of your faculty!  There is no cost and the sessions/workshops are AMAZING!

As always, I solicit your comments on my blogsite.

Regards,

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Tech Specialist - CIJE

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

Which came first... the App or the Pedagogy? (Sorry Chicken!!)

I get it all the time... "Hey Yossie, can you find an app to use in... (put name of subject here) - I need to have some tech in my class!"

Now, don't get me wrong.  I love getting questions on tech!  It shows that the teacher, or administrator, is really working on adding 21st Century educational techniques to their classroom!! In this case, though, they may be putting "the cart before the horse."  I would suggest that a better approach would be to first assess the class goals and then create a pedagogically sound teaching plan.  With that in place, we can determine what needs to done in order to fulfill that teaching plan - sometimes with tech and sometimes with out it.  Let me give you an example...

Let's say that I am going prepare for a Judaic Studies class (hey, this is a blog by the Center for Initiatives in JEWISH Education after all!!) on the holiday of Passover. My goal for this lesson is that I want my students to be able name and understand what happens during the different parts of the Passover Seder - the festive Passover meal - to facilitate a deeper understanding of the holiday.

Great! So now I am ready to build my teaching plan!  I may want to have a discussion with my students to see what they already know, I may want them to watch a flipped learning lesson so that they are primed to hold a "mock Seder" - any one of a dozen different ways for me to meet the goals of my lesson plan.  Some of the modalities use an app and others don't.  At least now I have an idea of what the best approach will be for me and my students!  In this case, I want to integrate some flipped learning to prepare the students for a class discussion on holding a "mock Seder."

Sounds great but how do I create a meaningful yet creative flipped lesson?  Ah, yes... app hunting time - email Yossie!!

Well, now you don't have to email me as I am going to suggest an app that I find more and more amazing every time time I see people use it.  I have written on it before (see this post) but they have made so many improvements since then that it warrants another look (and blog post!)  So what is this app?...

Ji Tap - from the folks at Jewish Interactive.

Here, just watch the quick video below rather have me ramble on...

(click to watch video)

Now, you have seen the promo, but how can you get to see the app in action?  Well, I DO have an answer for you!

On Sunday, April 30th, at the EMEK School in Los Angeles, CIJE will hosting an Professional Development Day where one of the workshops will be a two hour intensive overview and training on Ji Tap.  What is even better is that the PD is FREE!!!

Here is link to register

Why are we at CIJE (with some help from our friends at COJDS) holding this event?  Well,because it is so difficult to have teachers go to PD days during the week and most weekend events only happen on Saturday - Shabbat, we have created a special SUNDAY learning opportunity!  Our STEM/STEAM & 21st Century Ed day is jammed packed with sessions and workshops from nationally and internationally acclaimed presenters on topics ranging from Apple's latest coding products and device management systems through to advanced techniques in pedagogy!  Here is a link to the list of sessions.  What is really "cool" is that the event is for ALL teachers, IT and academic tech folks and administrators.  Now if you are involved with congregational (after schools) education, then you NEED to come to this event and take in the Ji Tap session! It could change the way you reach out and engage your students.  Don't believe me, then watch this short video from Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (to the folks at Jewish Interactive)...

(click to watch video)

As always, I solicit you comments on the blogsite (and here is PD registration link if you missed it above)

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Tech Specialist - CIJE

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel

B-b-b-baby, you just ain't seen n-n-nothin' yet! (with apologies to Bachman-Turner Overdrive)

I get asked all the time - and I do mean all the time - for a good way for parents to monitor and control their children's smart devices.  You know, questions like: "How do I get my kid off their smart phone when it is time for bed?!!"

Well, for starters, I remind parents that the device belongs to the adult and not the child so bed-time means bed-time and off the device they go!  Of course, being a parent myself, I understand the issue of picking which battle I will have with my eleven-year-old son.  With that in mind, I recommend a fantastic little app that I was introduced to by Dr. Eli Shapiro, the director of the Digital Citizenship Project. (I will be doing a blog post on Dr. Shapiro's program in a future blog but you should check out his site.)

And that app is... OurPact!  www.ourpact.com

Click here to watch video

What I like about Our Pact is that in order to set it up, the parent needs to have a discussion with their child to create guidelines and rules for the use of the smart device!  Wow... parents and children communicating with each other - imagine that!! (sarcasm intended!! :-)

Now, as any parent can tell you, as their kids get older, they tend to challenge and test their limits more and more.  Screen time, allowed apps, bedtime, etc.  Especially teenagers!  Can you begin imagine the conversations that happen when we have to contend with our kids driving?  Talk about major parental angst!!!

Well, that was the gist of the panicked email that I got from a reader with a teen aged daughter who had just got her driver's licence.  The parent said that they have a great relationship with their child, but they were concerned about being able to keep track of their young adult.  They wanted an "OurPact" for their car.

In my books, NOTHING replaces dialogue and building trust with our kids but my challenge was to find something that this parent could use to keep track of their budding young Indy 500 driver and if you think that OurPact is cool then, as the title of this blog indicated...

B-b-b-baby, you just ain't seen n-n-nothin' yet!"
(here is a link to the original BTO 1974 song)

Introducing (Dum, Dum, Dum...) 

The HUM app... (www.hum.com) 

Rather than write about it,  I will let the hilarious video below explain it all.

Click here to see video

To be fair, that is not ALL that this app does... it lets you know about car maintenance, roadside assistance and emergency aid but... regarding the monitoring piece... what do you think?  Are we being too invasive with our children?  Is this going too far?

It is questions such as this that I hope to discuss at the upcoming

CIJE STEM/STEAM and 21st Century Ed Conference on Sunday, April 8th. 

Mark it on your calendar. There is no charge but registration is required.  

Here is a link to a preliminary flyer with some details. I hope to see you there!

As always, I solicit your comments on the blogsite.

Yossie

Yossie Frankel

Tech Specialist - CIJE

Checkout my blog: www.technorebbe.com

Twitter @yossiefrankel

YouTube Channel: YossieFrankelChannel
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yossiefrankel