JTV ~ Jewish Computing ~ Pitriworld

Temple Beth Torah’s JTV Hebrew High School program takes their first steps in Pitriworld tonight! 5 teens, 4 at TBT and one at home, learned how to download Imprudence the platform where the Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE) Pitriworld resides, customize their avatars, and explored unchartered territories. Teens were so excited and worked together to become acclimated to their new world.
Morah Lisa, one of our teachers, youth advisors, Shabbat rock organizer, and Rosh Chodesh leaders could not help but stop into the computer lab when passing by to see what all the commotion was about. Teens were so excited, they were engaging in conversation and begging each other to show them the creative things they were able to do with their avatar such as attaching objects to themselves, changing their appearance, and teleporting each other from one cool place to another. Teens were teleported into outer space where they floated in the air and dove towards planet earth, they climbed a giant mountain with a huge Strawberry and cupcake on top, and walked on the floor of an ancient synagogue, saw Noah’s arc, and visited someone’s home.
When class was over, it was hard to get the teens to leave, after a ½ of waiting parents had to call teens on their cell phones and remind them that they were waiting for them outside! Everyone is looking forward to our next class!
As a formal and informal Jewish educator for 17 years, I am always looking at new ways to reach my students. Pitriworld is a unique environment that combines gaming with education. In Pitriworld, teens are transformed into pioneers, explorers, inventors, problem solvers, designers, and more! In the upcoming weeks, students will gain skills in building in MUVE and increase their Media Arts capabilities, while preparing props and developing curriculum designed around Jewish Values and concepts. This approach to teaching is motivating to teens and follows a constructivist pattern which gives the students hands on experience by allowing students to grapple with concepts, dig deeper into their meanings, internalizing values, and figuring out how to explain / teach the concepts and values to others.

For more informationon Pitriworld visit: http://www.pitriworld.com/ or
http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_121575884565271&ap=1