Series of Studies and Data Analyses

In order to prepare for a transformation in the instruction of middle school mathematics in Israel, the foundation took upon itself a catalyzing role. Since 2018, we seeded the creation of new learning materials, concentrating on developing high levels of applied mathematical thinking. We have been encouraging the opening of excellence classes across the country, where the new material is piloted, and assisted in the professional development of teachers. The PISA cycle of 2022 marked the completion of this preparatory stage and its results will hopefully serve as a testing ground that will make the case for the need of national policy.

We are now on the threshold of a new stage as the time is ripe for a new government initiative that will lead the implementation at scale. In preparation for this phase, we are starting to devise a detailed philanthropic plan. We intend to use the international education conference, planned for November 2022, in order to consult with the guest experts as well as with our Israeli partners. Together we will seek to identify a theory of change for supporting an upgrade of curriculum and assessment, the development of teaching techniques and practices, and their implementation in schools.

Towards this consultation process and the preparation of a philanthropic plan for the next stage, we are proposing to commission a series of studies and data analyses to shed light on key issues that need to be thoroughly understood. The studies will be written in Hebrew and then translated into English, in order to be distributed in advance to the professional community and the guest experts. The studies will include the following:

1. What constitutes high-order mathematics and how can it be effectively integrated into the middle school curriculum? Roza Leikin of the University of Haifa will convene a task force of experts to prepare a proposal based on the most updated research. In April, Leikin will convene a seminar for developers and teacher leaders in order to receive their input and advice, and integrate their perspectives in the final paper.
2. What can be learned from the curriculum and assessments of high performing education systems? Orit Zaslavsky of the Technion will analyze the mathematics curricula and assessments used in the Netherlands, Poland and Singapore, to try and identify both unique and common characteristics. She will then formulate recommendations on how these characteristics can be adopted in Israel’s education system.
3. Which elements of mathematics should be taught in middle school? The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities will convene a conference for mathematics education scholars to present and discuss their perspectives and recommendations on mathematics studies in middle school. An emphasis will be placed on reaching a balance between technique, abstract thinking and applied reasoning skills.
4. Why do Israeli students perform poorly on the PISA test? Zbigniew Marciniak and Agnieszka Sulowska from Poland will analyze Israel’s mathematics performance on the PISA test over several cycles, including performance according to proficiency level, an analysis of skills and knowledge, and unique challenges indicated by students’ performance based on these analyses.
5. How do Israeli teachers integrate applied mathematics tasks in their classrooms? Ruti Segal, of Oranim Academic College, will observe mathematics lessons taught by 10 Israeli teachers who implement the new learning tasks. She will interview them, seeking to understand the scope and depth of teaching and learning, as well as the pedagogy actually implemented and the difficulties the teachers encounter.
6. What are core instructional practices for teaching applied mathematics? Zehavit Cohen of the Technion will conduct a literature review of the teaching practices used by teachers teaching high-order applied mathematics in other countries. Particular emphasis will be placed on countries that excel on the PISA assessments.