“If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.”

-John Dewey

TAMRITZ (“incentive”) seeks to create a national collaborative learning network for both students and teachers in Jewish Day Schools, integrating student learning, professional development and digital badging within one connected learning community.  By leveraging new media literacies and tools, Tamritz’s digital badging framework will transform teaching practices and student learning experiences.

Badge learning is…

an innovative approach to instructional design and learning that uses digital media; project-based and student-centered learning; teacher as coach; multiple learning pathways; and formative student feedback. “Open Badges,” more than just graphic icons and coined by the Mozilla Foundation, communicate what a student knows and can do through metadata tied to each badge.  Open Badges can be shared out through a variety of web-based interfaces, serving as transparent credentials for a student’s understandings, skills and accomplishments. And different from youth scouting badges that many of us are familiar with, Open Badges are truly learner driven.

Developed Around Current Research

Kids “hang out,” “mess around” and “geek out” when they interact with digital media.  Badge learning supports all three ways of interacting with digital media, supporting a connected learning culture and the development of 21st Century literacies.

Request for Proposals

Applications are now closed for the 2013-2014 academic year.  Schools will be notified of acceptance into the Tamritz Badge Learning Network by mid-May.