Learning To Scroll Torah
computers to enrich congregational
-schools, say that computers can
actually ease time constraints by
enabling students to access reference
materials more quickly and encour-
aging them to continue their learn-
ing at home.
"People are thinking about how to
use computers to extend the amount
of time they have with students and to
-- D engage families," said Caren Levine,
JESNA's director of media and tech-
nology, although she added that she
did not know yet of specific projects
attempting to do this.
At Shaarey Zedek, Krugel and his
charges are too engrossed in cyber
reality to worry much about theory.
The room is initially almost quiet
as the children gaze intently at the
/- monitors, their headphones securely
•
fastened and their fingers poised on
the computer mice.
But soon several kids on the
Hebrew letter game are calling out to
Krugel, complaining that their pro-
gram is too easy, while others shout
out that their computer isn't working
\ or claim that they have already corn-
/- pleted all the games. Krugel, running
around the room contending with dis-
cipline problems and technological
failures, has little time left for super-
vising or ensuring that the kids are
actually going through all the assigned
exercises.
Krugel, a multi-media and Web site
designer who assumed his post in
September, readily acknowledges that
— while the computer facilitates some
interesting projects, particularly at the
high school level — a lot of bugs still
need to be worked out.
"We need to create a technology
plan with defined goals for the pro-
gram, but right now, there are limited
resources," he said.
He noted that Shaarey Zedek's
teachers need to be trained on the
computers, that his job. affords him
little preparation time and that few
compelling Judaic software packages
are currently on the market.
Shaarey Zedek installed the 20-
computer lab and wired all the class-
rooms to the Internet in 1997 when it
renovated the West Bloomfield ele-
mentary school now housing the syna-
gogue's school and youth programs.
"It's just a foregone conclusion that
computers will be used in all educa-
tional institutions, so as long as we
were creating something brand-new,
we wanted to be a party to it," said
Leonard Baruch, Shaarey Zedek's exec-
utive director." LI
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248-626-9880
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3/19
1999
Detroit Jewish News
25