Abstract
Other than brainpower, Israel lacks natural resources. As a result, the economy is strongly dependent on its hi-tech, military, and cyber industries. To ensure that the country has a continuous supply of highly trained scientists and engineers, science and mathematics education should be natural priorities. While this appears to be a national policy, in practice it does not always seem to be the case. Students’ learning of science, mathematics, and technology is assessed by national tests in elementary, middle, and high school. Students, teachers, and schools are under great pressure to succeed on these tests, leading to a situation where a significant percentage of instructional time is dedicated to preparing for these tests. In parallel, Israel participates in the Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). Since there is great pressure to improve Israel’s standing in these tests, teachers are expected to prepare their students for these tests, so many complain that rather than evaluating the performance of the system, tests have become the driver of the educational system. An outcome of this situation appears to be decreasing motivation to learn science, with fewer students choosing to study science as an elective. The minister of education has promised to decrease the testing load and increase the time available for meaningful learning.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Science Education Research and Practice in Asia |
Subtitle of host publication | Challenges and Opportunities |
Publisher | Springer Singapore |
Pages | 347-356 |
Number of pages | 10 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9789811008474 |
ISBN (Print) | 9789811008450 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Jan 2016 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- General Social Sciences