Defining Purpose for Policy and Practice

Autor/in	Kardos, Susan M.
Titel	Defining Purpose for Policy and Practice
Quelle	In: Journal of Jewish Education, 78 (2012) 4, S.299-301 (3 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1524-4113
DOI	10.1080/15244113.2012.732762
Schlagwörter	Stellungnahme; Educational Innovation; Jews; Educational Change; Educational Policy; Educational Practices; Religious Education; Decision Making; Judaism; Educational Objectives; Educational Attitudes + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Instructional innovation; Bildungsinnovation; Jew; Jude; Jüdin; Juden; Bildungsreform; Politics of education; Bildungspolitik; Bildungspraxis; Kirchliche Erziehung; Religionserziehung; Religionspädagogik; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; Judaismus; Educational objective; Bildungsziel; Erziehungsziel; Educational attitude; Bildungsverhalten; Erziehungseinstellung
Abstract	Jonathan Woocher's "Reinventing Jewish Education for the 21st Century" presents a vision for a reimagined system of Jewish education. The educational landscape is changing, Woocher says, both because of a myriad of contextual factors (economic, geopolitical, technological, sociological) and because of the very need for Jewish educational decision making to be directed by a revised, updated guiding question. Thus, a redesigned system that supports innovation and integration across settings and age cohorts is needed. In the author's view, the argument behind the vision is intellectually sound and logically presented. In the abstract, the author agrees "mostly" with the notion that a renewed Jewish education "system" is needed for an educational enterprise that supports innovation and is characterized by connection and integration across settings. The real point of departure is not about the belief that Jewish educational institutions would have greater impact if they were better connected and more collaborative. Where Woocher calls for active connection "across" Jewish educational settings, the author believes energy and resources are best spent creating effective networks and partnerships "within" settings. But even putting aside the author's belief that the "system" premise itself is flawed, there is the similar, but greater, problem of the global question that guides the vision. Woocher's new paradigm is built on the assumption that systemic change is needed in order to meet the social challenge encompassed in the question: "How can we help Jews find in their Jewishness resources that will help them live more meaningful, purposeful, and fulfilling human lives?" Implicit in the question is a statement of "the purpose of Jewish education." The author contends that it doesn't make any sense at all to have a global purpose, and if it did, Woocher's proposed guiding question would, she believes, be hotly debated. While it might be the right purpose for certain sub-populations of learners, it is certainly not the right one for all. While Woocher is right that the current context calls for re-imagined Jewish educational endeavors based on newly revised articulations of purpose, he mistakenly re-imagines one new system for one overgeneralized purpose. Each Jewish education sector is likely in need of its own reinvention as it seeks to serve Jewish learners in the 21st century. Like her colleague, the author too believes that Jewish tradition has something beautiful to say to every era and to all humankind. (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10