[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Like many higher education colleges around the world, Herzog College is gearing up for the new academic year with online learning for the 3,500 teacher trainees in its B.Ed. and M.Ed. programs. The school’s lecturers are embracing the positive opportunities that the COVID-19 pandemic has created for tomorrow’s teachers.
With much education now taking place in online classrooms, hundreds of applicants have chosen to study at Herzog College because it is one of the leading tech-friendly teacher training colleges in Israel. Already in July, Herzog’s English Language department was involved in organizing an advanced seminar about Online Education, to help Israeli school administrators and teachers prepare themselves for the next academic year in the shadow of COVID-19. The topics discussed included using new tech tools to make online classes more interactive, and ideas for enabling older children to create videos and podcasts for their projects alongside written work. The college also organized a similar conference for Hebrew speakers, attended by thousands of participants.
Rabbi Dr. Yehuda Brandes, President of Herzog College, explains: “With many classroom doors closed, other opportunities are opening up to use new educational technologies. We are training tomorrow’s teachers to embrace and utilize these tools. During this summer’s student recruitment season we saw an increase in interest among university graduates who want to convert their academic degrees into teaching qualifications. These students will bring an injection of new energy into Israeli classrooms.”
Herzog College offers B.Ed. and M.Ed. degree programs in 20 subjects, including Computer Science, Math, Geography, Natural Sciences, Civics, Special Education, English, Communications, and a choice of Jewish Studies subjects: Tanakh, Oral Law, Jewish Philosophy, Linguistics, Land of Israel Studies, Hebrew Literature, and Jewish History. For their Bachelor’s degree, each student chooses two subject majors and also takes courses in modern pedagogic techniques, practices their skills in real classroom settings, and is invited to participate in Herzog’s academic enrichment programs. Men and women are taught on four campuses in Gush Etzion and Jerusalem. This year’s intake will have 65% female students and the most popular course among applicants is Special Education.
To find out more about the changing face of education in Israel and to follow the progress of this year’s new students, follow Friends of Herzog College on Facebook.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]