Global Learning Initiative

Videoconferencing allows students, teachers and administrators to connect with each other and with experts in a variety of fields. Information can be obtained and contacts can be made with people from private and public learning institutions such as universities, libraries, museums and public agencies. Videoconferencing provides students and teachers with the opportunity to expand teaching and learning possibilities. Students and teachers no longer have to rely exclusively on the resources available within their buildings. With emerging technologies, schools have the opportunity to tap valuable resources around the world.

Students and staff using videoconferencing will have experiences:

Learning in an emerging technological environment that helps to enhance real world communication skills
Utilizing world-wide resources including experts, professionals, remote institutional resources
Broadening the scope of educational resources
Functioning in a global climate
Teacher in-service training, staff organizational meetings, collaboration with other schools, connections to university classes and professors will enhance the efficiency of the school.

In February, 2006, Yeshiva University created the Global Learning Initiative as a means of bringing superior professional development programs to educators in various Jewish day schools in the United States. Virtual classrooms were created that extended the walls of the schools. With two large monitors and video camera installed at each site, participants are able to see the instructor and course materials, as well as participants from different sites.

In September, 2007, CIJE began its partnership with Yeshiva University in this initiative. CIJE will increase the number of schools in this network and is expanding the program to include middle and high school students and teachers. Noted scholars have presented lectures to educators and students. In addition, students are given the opportunity to work on projects and events together with students in other day schools both in the United States and Israel.

The opportunities for new and exciting long-distance programs are limitless. The education offered at Jewish day schools will be significantly enhanced and enriched, and every student and educator will have the chance to broaden the scope of learning and to tap resources around the world.

At the current time, CIJE in partnership with the Azrieli Graduate School, is planning the creation of an interactive website that will professionalize the field of Jewish education through the use of innovative and cutting-edge technology. The portal to professional development will be accessible around the clock to all day school teachers, as well as professional and lay leaders.

This interactive website will provide professional development opportunitites and school support in the following ways:

Interactive web-based professional exercises or webquests that can be accessed at all times
Integration of video programming with Smartboard technology
Archived audio and video selections of classes and seminars from leading experts in the field of Jewish and secular education
Live, on-line access to Global Learning Initiative video programs for those not in the GLI network
Web seminars with simultaneous discussion rooms for communities of practice and other interest groups
Library of curricular and instructional materials, as will as publications from experts in the field of education\Library of contributed materials from schools for "sharing", such as school manuals and program ideas
Weekly "subscription" mailings in areas such as pedagogic tips and research gleanings
Periodic online surveys and polls related to key educational issues and questions

We anticipate that this expansion into interactive media will reach at least two hundred schools during the first year and thus have an impact on more than one thousand educators and tens of thousands of students.