The last lesson focused on using the tools in Sefaria’s sheet builder to create a compelling digital experience for your students. Now, we will talk about how to use the many tools built in to Sefaria’s library, so that you can decide when your teaching goals might best be achieved using our digital texts.
Note that because Sefaria’s sheets are an increasingly integral part of the library, many of the tools explained below are also a part of the sheets experience, when you are in the “view” mode (as opposed to the edit mode).
As you watch the video below and read the tutorials, play around with these different features. Some are still developing, so your feedback is especially welcome!
1) Open any two texts side-by-side using the “other text” feature: Perhaps you want to compare two similar texts. Or, maybe your class just arrived at a sentence that reminds the students of something that you studied earlier in the year. Whatever the reason, Sefaria’s “other text” feature allows you to open even a text that isn’t connected on our site.
- Click on the original verse in the text to open the resource panel.
- Click on "Other Text". A new library homepage will open.
- Open the text that you would like to view.
- Continue in this fashion to open multiple texts.
2) Add a text to a sheet: We’ve already discussed the ways in which having sheets linked to texts provides you with valuable resources as you learn a text. Your sheets, as well as those created by others, are accessible to you in the side panel. You can also add a text that you are studying directly to a sheet. You can add the text to a sheet that you’ve already created, or start a new sheet and add texts as you learn them.
- Click on the text that you would like to add. You can select one verse or multiple verses. The resource panel will open.
- Click on "Sheets".
- Select the sheet that you would like to add the text to. Your most recent sheet will be the default choice. Click on the arrow to access the dropdown menu to choose from any of your sheets.
- Click "Add to Sheet".
- Once the text has been added, you can select "Go to Source Sheet" or "Go to My Sheets".
This option also works on Sefaria’s sheets. This means that when you are reading a sheet in the library view, and you love what you read, you can click on the source and use the “sheets” option to add that text directly to one of your sheets. This is a great way for both you and your students to discover more resources on a topic that you are researching.
3) Take Notes on Sefaria: We have already talked about the ways that sheets remain linked with the texts that they quote, so that you can always find materials that you’ve created and you can easily open your teaching resources next to the original text and read them next to one another. You - or your students - may also choose to take notes directly on Sefaria. As a learner, this means you can never lose your notes, and they remain linked to the text that you were studying. Students and teachers alike can easily recall their thought process, build on prior work, and never lose their place or train of thought.
- Click on the verse you would like to write a note about. The resource panel will open.
- Click on "Notes".
- Write your note and click "Add Note".
- If you would like to see all of your notes, click "Go to My Notes".
You will see your note in the resource panel.
4) Find out more about what you are reading: Educators frequently mention that a potential pitfall of encountering texts digitally is that students do not always know what kind of work they are reading. The “About” button provides an overview of the text, so that learners understand some of the context for the piece they are studying.
- Click on the text to open the resource panel.
- Click on "About".
5) Discover other versions of a text: Sefaria’s technology allows us to offer multiple versions of a single text. This is another tool that allows you and your students to better understand the provenance of the text that they are using, and also gives learners the ability to switch to a different version of a text if desired.
- Click on the text to open the resource panel.
- Click on "Version".
- Select the version that you would like to appear in the library. Depending on the text, you may have several choices for both English and Hebrew texts. We even have additional languages for Tanakh.
6) Use the tools menu to share a text, add a translation, or insert a connection: Clicking on the tools menu in the sidebar gives you three options. The first is “share.” This feature allows you to share a piece of text on Facebook, Twitter, or email. Perhaps you found something exciting, or maybe you’re grappling with the meaning of a text. Or, perhaps you want your students to read something for homework. The share button is an easy way to give others access to a text.
- Click on the text that you would like to share. It can be one verse or a group of verses.
- Click on "Tools" in the resource panel.
- Click "Share".
- Select how you would like to share the text; on Facebook, Twitter or email.
The second option is “add translation.” If you have your own translation of a text, or if your students are assigned to translate something as part of a course, consider adding it to Sefaria. We welcome translations from our community. Remember, you can always use the “versions” button to find out more about a particular text. Users will be able to discover that your Bible translation comes from your students, while the JPS translation was produced by a group of Bible scholars, so there’s no risk of confusion.
- Click on the text that you would like to translate.
- Click on "Tools" in the resource panel.
- Click on "Add Translation".
- Type your translation and click "Save".
The final option under “tools” is “add connection.” People often ask why certain thematic connections aren’t included in Sefaria’s library of connected texts. The short answer is that texts that are connected by allusion or conceptual similarities present a more subtle type of connection, and generally need to be added manually. You and your students are welcome to add these connections (and more on the pedagogic value in a later lesson!).
- Click on the primary text.
- Click "Tools" and select "Add Connection".
- Choose your connecting text using the library homepage.
- Click the text you would like to connect.
- Select type of connection.
- Click "Add Connection".
7) Offer feedback: Inspired by our interface? Struggling to make something work? We want to invite both educators and students into our community by encouraging you all to offer feedback.
- Select "Feedback" from the resource panel.
- Select type of feedback, type your comments, and click submit.
8) Here's your assignment:
When you are ready to get started, click on "Assignment #6" below and follow the instructions! Remember to click "save" right away so that your work is saved. Once you click the blue save button, it will disappear and be replaced by a "share" button - a good indication that you have saved your work!