Schools to get smart classrooms

During 2010 and until early 2012, more than 415 interactive classrooms to be installed at 87 schools in northern Israel at cost of about NIS 31 million

Elad Benari |Published: 06.01.10 , 08:25

In a conference held recently in the northern city of Akko, new smart classrooms were presented to local authorities and school administrators of schools in which the classrooms will be built.

During 2010 and until early 2012, more than 415 interactive classrooms will be installed at 87 schools in northern Israel at a cost of about NIS 31 million ($8 million).

The project was launched by the Development of the Negev and Galilee Ministry, the Ministry of Education and the Kadima Mada organization. The conference was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Negev and Galilee Development Minister Silvan Shalom, Education Minister Gideon Saar, and Kadima Mada Executive Director Roni Kallinski.

The three signed the agreement between the local authorities, the ministries, and Kadima Mada. As part of the agreement, the partners in the project take it upon themselves to make available to the schools the most advanced equipment, to accompany the implementation process of the technology in schools, and to perform evaluations on the process.

Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom said: “The smart classroom project is the first step in my decision as minister of Negev and Galilee development to make a technological change and scientific revolution in the periphery - a revolution that will lead to a reduction of gaps in education. The decision of the Negev and Galilee Development Ministry to invest in smart classrooms is a decision whose contribution to Galilee villages and their residents is not in doubt.”

Latest in technological innovations

The project is unique in its scope in Israel and has the latest in technological innovations in the education system. Each “smart classroom” will be equipped with an interactive panel, a computerized teacher workstation, and a projector, all of which will be connected through the internet to laptops in the classroom. In addition students will have a “hand-raising kit” and the teacher will have a wireless blackboard which will allow him to “write on the board” from anywhere in the classroom.

The project is supported by generous donors from around the world. UJA Federation of Toronto President Ted Sokolsky participated in the conference and announced a recently made donation of $2 million for the purpose of developing additional smart classrooms. The donation was made by Jewish Canadian philanthropist Seymour Schulich who also supports similar projects in Canadian schools.

The Negev and Galilee Development Ministry is also participating in the funding of the project (NIS 15 million), Kadima Mada is contributing NIS 16 million and the Ministry of Education is funding the bulk of the teacher training and implementation process in the schools. Kadima Mada will accompany the establishment of the interactive classrooms and will equip them with the appropriate technology.

“We believe that through the establishment of interactive classroom we will bring technology closer to teachers and students and allow them to acquire the tools for living in a world where the Internet is an integral part of daily life, and in which technology offers a variety of options to enrich the teaching and learning process," said Roni Kallinski, executive director of Kadima Mada.

Among the communities selected to receive smart classrooms in Galilee are Kiryat Shmona, Tuba, Hatzor HaGlilit, Rosh Pina, Marom Galil, Maghar, Peki'in, Ma'ale Yosef, Shlomi, Nahariya, Akko, Abu Sinan, Lower Galilee, Kfar Yassif, Carmiel, Sakhnin, Tiberias, Megiddo, Yokneam and many others.