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Monday, August 21, 2017

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

Sunday, August 20, 2017

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,
Image result for ivan Gallery robertson
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

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

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

Monday, July 24, 2017

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

Monday, June 12, 2017

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!


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

Sunday, May 14, 2017

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!!


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

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

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