As part of Ma’ayanot’s ongoing professional development program, the school’s faculty held a “Lunch and Learn” last Thursday focusing on game-based learning. Mrs. Shifra Schapiro, Tanach teacher and co-director of professional development, presented the theory behind what constitutes a game, and why game-based learning is a valid instructional tool that promotes many goals in the Ma’ayanot classroom. Among those goals are fostering wider student engagement and challenging the students to use strategy and critical thinking, as well as motivating the educator to clarify his or her educational objectives. Mrs. Gabrielle Berger shared a text-based game she created and implemented in her 11th grade Tanach class, and Mrs. Merav Tal-Timen presented games she has used in her Ivrit classes.

In November, Mrs. Schapiro, Mrs. Berger and Mrs. Orly Nadler, director of educational technology, participated in a day-long training session at the Institute of Play in Manhattan, during which they were taught game-construction skills and were given hands-on opportunities to modify games to meet specific learning goals.