September 6, 2012, New York, NY -- The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) announced
today the launch of Mitkadem Digital-- an interactive,
fully supported, online component of Mitkadem, a 5-year Hebrew curriculum for religious school
students, which explores grammar, vocabulary and Jewish values through the lens
of prayer.
Mitkadem's self-paced and
child-centered approach allows each student to achieve according to his/her own
ability and helps teachers feel capable of administering this program to all
different kinds of learners, identifying those students who need additional
help or are more advanced. The Mitkadem program is constructed of 23 ramot,
or levels. Students may work independently, with another student at a similar
level, or with another student in a "tutorial" relationship. On
average, students can complete between four and six ramot per year
depending on hours of Hebrew school and students' pace.
Mitkadem
Digital enhances students’ learning by allowing them
to move seamlessly from the print version to the digital without sacrificing
any content. Full prayer texts, vocabulary, and recordings
are integrated and available from any page at any time and different kinds of
interactivities are available for different types of learners.
“We
are thrilled to introduce Mitkadem Digital to the world of Jewish
education,” said Michael Goldberg, publisher and editor in chief of URJ Books
and Music. “The Mitkadem curriculum has been extremely successful in teaching
Hebrew to thousands of children. The online version will allow even more
students to learn at their own pace, in school, at home—anywhere they have a
computer.”
The
fun, user-friendly interface of Mitkadem Digital will appeal to
students, parents, and teachers alike. Students get instant feedback and see
instant results, while teachers can monitor each student's progress at a
glance. In addition, teachers obtain powerful management tools and the ability
to customize the program to suit individual needs.
“Mitkadem
Digital is a great tool for students with special needs or those who want
to advance quickly,” said Debbie Massarano at Temple Shalom in Dallas. “The
entire Mitkadem system allows for the flexibility we need to address all
kinds of students, no matter their learning ability or style.”
“I
will be using Mitkadem Digital with a student who will be travelling the
world this coming year,” said Michelle Schwartz of Temple Sinai in Denver.
“Without Mitkadem Digital, this student would be left behind. Now,
he can keep up with his Hebrew studies while abroad.”
Ramot 5-13 are now
available for purchase. More ramot will be added throughout the year. Ramot
are purchased on a per-student basis, and are available in digital format only,
or as a Print version + Digital Combo. See all purchasing options.
The learning management system, which allows teachers
and educators to track student progress, upload their own lessons, and manage
their classrooms online, is offered for free.
“We expect most schools to use both the digital and traditional
versions as they complement one another other and are meant to be used as
companion pieces,” said Goldberg.
Multimedia: 