Authors: Amalia Ran
Chief Editor: Liat Josefsberg Ben-Yehoshua
Academic Advisor: Shlomo Beck
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Abstract:
This literary review focuses on teacher residency programs that originated in schools in the United States a couple of decades ago as a result of teacher shortages in urban areas across the country, which were characterized by multicultural and minority student populations. Based upon the clinical training model in medicine, teacher residency programs stressed strong practical training of students prior to their induction and entry to the field as certified teachers. Similarly, teacher residency programs offered a unique curriculum that provided strong practical training in schools embedded in theoretical and academic frameworks. Parallel to traditional university-based teacher education programs, which focused principally on academic and theoretical perspectives and which offered few opportunities for practical training for preservice teachers, as well as parallel to alternative teacher education programs that have emerged few years later, emphasizing technical and professional facets of teacher education, emerged a third type of teacher education programs: the residency programs. Teacher residency programs nourished from both pillars of teacher education models and they shared several characteristics: partnership between academic institutions and training schools; excellence of professional development schools; significant clinical training of preservice teachers; emphasis on the role of teacher-mentors and of supervision; school-based curriculum; full-year clinical practice; and continued support and evaluation.
Author: Daniel Sperling
Chief Editor: Liat Josefsberg Ben-Yehoshua
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Abstract
This literature review discusses the recent changes in academic publishers resulting from digital publishing, open access, authors’ self-publishing, the decrease in books selling and the more general changes to society relating to learning, interpersonal communication and writing. More specifically, it examines whether any changes in the ways by which academic publishers address the rules of academic writing, referencing and the manuscript overall structure can be identified.
The review begins with a detailed description of the main characteristics of academic writing to distinguish between this genre and other writing formats. Then, it examines, through review of guidelines to authors and publishers’ websites as well as correspondence with their editors if and to what extent to the proposed changes reflect in the publishers’ work. Following this analysis the review refers to research relating to the connection between applying strict rules of academic writing and the use and cites of books in social science and humanities. In the last part of the review, a discussion of the major findings and their summary is offered.
It is argued that one can observe the initial trend towards flexibility in addressing rules of academic writing through new forms of publication and digital tools to increase books’ citation and reference. As such, the review also uncovers a gap between the declarations of key players in academic publishing and their actual behavior.
Author : Daniel Sperling
Chief Editor: Liat Josefsberg Ben-Yehoshua
Academic Advisor: Yacov Kedem
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Abstract
The literature review discusses the possible contribution of previous managerial training and experience in other organizations to management skills of teachers and school heads. The review compares managerial skills and capabilities acquired through experience in military service and work at High Tech industry with those required in the educational sector. It argues that, in principle, previous training and managerial experience in other organizations can have a positive effect on the educational system in a few aspects. These include, for example managerial skills of self-examination, creativity, self-efficacy, dealing with uncertainty, disciplinary problems and students’ lack of motivation, excellence, and the creation of leadership and meaningful learning. These many factors may call for the recognition and value of previous training and managerial experience in other organizations of second career teachers. However, such a call should be carefully made and balanced with the fact that career change also involves importing previous managerial practices, some of which may cause difficulty and challenge in dealing with new organizational culture.
Authors: Amalia Ran
Chief Editor: Liat Josefsberg Ben-Yehoshua
Academic Advisor: Ruthy salomon, Sharon Greenberg
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Abstract:
This literature review focuses on learning analytics and the use of Big Data for predicting students’ success in the education system. In the business sector, data are collected routinely, processed and measured in order to report to companies on customer’s preferences and behaviors.
In the education sector, learning analytics may contribute to improving the learning process of students and educational institutions, and in predicting students’ success during the schooling years. Different platforms, which employ analysis of Big Data to predict success, enable instructors and students to assess their data-based learning in the classroom; thus leading to a scalable and ongoing improvement based upon real-time data.
This literature review presents four models, implemented in different institutions of higher education around the world, which are based on Big Data and learning analytics in order to predict students’ success. In each one of these models, we will analyze the different aspects related to the characteristics, as well as the methodological and technological developments, which have led to different applications, as well as the use of data in real-time and the processes of learning and validation.
Authors: Amalia Ran
Chief Editor: Liat Josefsberg Ben-Yehoshua
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Abstract:
Research and Development (R&D) processes in education systems aim at implementing innovation in the system by developing new scientific, pedagogic, academic or technological knowledge or by developing new and improved applications of existing knowledge. Additionally, R&D processes focus on impacting stakeholders and policies in education by disseminating this knowledge, and by contributing to the current scholarship on the subject. R&D processes occur in different systems and educational organizations in the public, private and the third sectors; these processes affect the leadership in ministries of education around the globe and in the field through educators and virtual learning communities.
The process of research and development to implement innovative tools an practices is a complex one, based upon several circles of measurement, assessment and feedback, involving the developers of the new educational product and the endclients, who will implement it in the field. In addition to developing new products and improving current ones, finding new markers for distribution; creating new production and distribution systems; finding new production sources for existing products; and presenting new forms of financial organization; are all embedded in the R&D process.
Author: Daniel Sperling
Chief Editor: Liat Josefsberg Ben-Yehoshua
Academic Advisor: Ilana Margolin
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Abstract
The literature review describes empirical research, reviews and quantitative meta-analyses which deal with the contribution and effect of teacher professional development to student achievements and to the promotion of the teaching practice more generally. The review discusses the various components which characterize effective professional development.
These components relate to the didactic model of the professional development program, to the role of the coach/expert and school leader in this process, to the centrality of student achievements in the program, to the determination of its content, to elements of active learning, to professional learning communities, to generation of new knowledge and it combination with pedagogy, to evaluation during this process, to the program duration and to mandatory participation in the program. The literature review provides evidence-based ground for the establishment of training and learning system that will promote effective professional development of teachers.
Author: Daniel Sperling
Chief Editor: Liat Josefsberg Ben-Yehoshua
Academic Advisor: Eliezer Yariv
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Abstract
The literature review offers conceptual, theoretical and empirical framework for the field of social and emotional learning (SEL). After introducing a few definitions of SEL, the review discusses the conceptual relationship between SEL and related areas such as positive psychology, character education, motivation and 21st century skills. The review then provides a few calls to integrate SEL with other areas to create a unified definition of this field.
In addition, the review discusses major theories that inform SEL and six models to implement it which have been offered in the literature. It also analyzes the conceptual and pragmatical relationship between SEL and teachers’ SEL skills, student’s self-efficacy and school climate.
In the last part of the review, the contribution and impact of SEL programs are being discussed, Areas of contribution included in this section refer to students’ welfare, promotion of positive behavior and reduction of behavioral problems, success and achievement in classroom, at school and outside school, inter-relations and function within the society. The discussion is based on review of research and meta-analyses which analyze various areas of contribution and on studies examining specific areas of impact.
The discussion attests to many of SEL’s benefits and its important contribution as an educational field operating aside the cognitive pedagogy. The findings presented in the review express a notion which regards the educational activity an enduring process to shape and moral and civic character of students and prepare them for the 21st century while placing a central role to learning environments in such a process.
Authors: Amalia Ran
Chief Editor: Liat Josefsberg Ben-Yehoshua
Academic Advisor: Dov Weiss
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Abstract:
In recent decades, Israeli education system, similarly to other education systems around the world, recognized the need to adjust the curricula and pedagogical strategies to the demands of the 21th century, particularly by promoting significant learning, pedagogical innovation, interactive collaboration, and technological literary amongst students and teachers. Research on the impact of digital environments on schools and learning processes highlights the rupture in linear epistemological structures by shifting from reading print texts to reading digital hypertexts (while linking different pieces of information and different texts); the blurring of clear boundaries between traditional disciplinary spheres, and the shift from conventional learning strategies to active project-based learning and collaboration. The digital revolution offers innovative experiences and different pedagogical paradigms suitable for learners in the 21th century. New learning resources explore the limits of the open digital space beyond the classroom’s walls and create new learning environments (such as the “flipped classroom” which we will not analyze in this literature review). In this way, new learning resources respond to schools’ difficulties to provide what is required in order to enter into the digital era. These learning resources assist in facilitating education for geographically distant learners, and in expanding learning opportunities for students. Research stresses the fact that the shift to new digital learning materials contributed to developing skills such as autonomy, ownership over the learning process, motivation, self-efficacy, flexibility and interest in research and learning.
Authors: Amalia Ran
Chief Editor: Liat Josefsberg Ben-Yehoshua
Academic Advisor: Shlomo Romi
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Abstract:
This literature review focuses on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs and interventions aimed at developing social and emotional skills and implementing them in education systems in Israel and around the world on three different levels: on the student level, the classroom and school level, and the systematic level (the district and nation-wide).Research literature on SEL classifies three types of SEL programs: universal school-based programs that promote social and emotional learning; indicative school-based intervention programs for students at risk; and after-school extracurricular programs (which will not be studied in this review). In this review we study the factors that impact on the effectiveness of SEL programs and whether it is a mutual effect: do schools that promote SEL learning implement interventions more effectively that schools that do not and wise versa? Moreover, we focus on educational policies at the municipal, regional and national levels for implementing SEL learning, and the effectiveness and efficacy of these policies. In order to analyze these questions, we selected several programs to be examined as case studies: PATHS, RULER, SEAL, Making Choices, Stop & Think, Check, Connect & Expect, as well as several researchbased local Israeli programs.