CV

Home Address: 7 Haparag St., Rehovot, Israel, Tel: 972-8-9410150

Work Address: Department of Science Teaching 

The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100 

Israel: https://stwww1.weizmann.ac.il/

Tel: 972-8-9343811, Fax: 972-8-9344115. Home: 972-8-9410150.

E-mail: avi.hofstein@weizmann.ac.il 

Born:   October 12, 1941, Israel

Marital Status: Married, 3 children (boys), 7 grandchildren.

 

Education

Education
1963-1965

B.Sc. in chemistry & physics, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.

1965-1966 Diploma in Education, Tel Aviv University
1967-1970 M.A. in Education, Tel-Aviv University
M.A. Thesis: "Problems and Suggestions in the Teaching of Chemistry"
Thesis advisers: Prof. S. Ucko and Dr. I. Cahana
1972-1975 Ph.D in Chemistry Teaching, Weizmann Institute of Science
Ph.D. Thesis: "The Measurement of the Educational Effectiveness of Laboratory Work in High School Chemistry in Israel"
Thesis advisors: Prof. David. Samuel (Israel) and Prof. Richard. Kempa (U.K)
From October 2000

Associate Professor at the Department of Science Teaching, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel.

October 2005-2011 Full Professor at the Department of Science Teaching, Weizmann Institute of Science
From July 2011 Professor Emeritus Weizmann Institute of Science
From 2013- to date

Consultant for Research on the  teaching and learning of the sciences in the Arabic Academic College in Haifa, Israel – A teachers' college.

 

Academic and Professional Experience

Academic and Professional Experience
1965 -1967

Chemistry teacher -Agricultural High School, Pardess Hana, Israel

1967-1970

Chemistry teacher and Deputy Head Master, Technical High school of Tel-Aviv University

1967 to date Member and Coordinator of the Chemistry Group - Department of Science Teaching, The Weizmann Institute of Science
1980 - 1999 Coordinating Inspector for High School Chemistry - Ministry of Education and Culture, Jerusalem
1994 - 2000 Head, National Center for Chemistry Teachers - Dept. of Science teaching. The key Goal of this center is to develop leadership among teachers.
2000 to date Head of the Chemistry group & The “Science for All” (MUTAV) groups. In the Department of Science Teaching, The Weizmann Institute of Science
2001-to date Member of the teaching committee of in the Department of Science Teaching
2003-2005 Coordinator of the program for Teaching Certificate (Teudat-Horaa) in the Feinberg Graduate School, The Weizmann Institute of Science.
2006-2008 Head of the Department of Science Teaching, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
2008- 2011 Head of the Chemistry Group, Department of Science Teaching

 

Academic and Professional Fellowships and awards

Academic and Professional Fellowships and awards
1970

UNESCO, Paris - Scholarship - Science Education in the U.K.

1973 UNESCO, Paris - Scholarship - Science Education in the U.K.
1979-1980 Fulbright, U.S.A. Scholarship in the University of Iowa, U.S.A., Science Education
1986 Weizmann Institute of Science - The Charles Clore award for Distinguished Service of Science to Society (jointly with Dr. Ruth Ben-Zvi)
1989 SMEC, Curtin Univ., Australia - Fellowship-Joint Research in Science Education
1993 SMEC, Curtin Univ., Australia - Fellowship-Joint Research in Science Education
1997

Project 2061 AAAS; Washington D.C., and the Center for Science     and Mathematics Education, National Research Council, National Academy of Science. And AAAS project 2061: Sabbatical.

2004

Sabbatical: In the Department of Science Education UMASS at Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.

2014 Award ACS-CEI For 25 years work on the issue of sustainability (Industrial Chemistry in Israel R & D).
2016 The 2016 Award from the American Chemical Society (ACS) for: Achievement in research for the teaching and learning chemistry to the understanding of the field of research on learning and teaching chemistry- (awarded by the ACS in San-Diego)
2017 NARST_DCRA (The Distinguished Contribution s to Science Education Through Research) Awarded in San Antonio Texas.

 

Membership in Professional Societies and Committees

Membership in Professional Societies and Committees
1980-2010

The Israeli Society for Research in Education

1980 to-date

National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) (U.S.A.).

 Served in 3  different committees:

  1. DCRA committee
  2. International committee
  3. Best NARST symposium paper committee
1995-1997

Chair of the K-12 committee for Science and Technology Education, Ministry of Education and Culture, Jerusalem

1980-2000

Coordinator of the pedagogical committee for high school chemistry, Ministry of Education and Culture, Jerusalem 2000-2002

Chair of the syllabus committee for high school chemistry

1995-2016

Member of the program committee for 'Science and Technology for All', Ministry of Education and Culture, Jerusalem

2016 Chair of the research center of the Arabic Academic College in Haifa, Israel

 

Advisor of Ph.D. Students (in brackets year of Graduation)

N. Nae - Introduction of Industrial Chemistry to the high school curriculum, jointly with Prof. D. Samuel (1981). Currently, researcher in Industrial chemistry

J. Dori - Development, implementation and evaluation of a chemistry curriculum for nursing schools in Israel, jointly with Prof. D. Samuel (1987), currently. Dean of Faculty of Science and Technology Education, Technion, Haifa.

I. Hopfeld - Molecules and cells of the immune system: An interdisciplinary teaching unit in chemistry and biology, jointly with Prof. D. Samuel and Prof. M. Feldman (1986), currently head of National Center for Science Teachers in Junior High School.

N. Orion - Educational field trips in high school Geology department: implementation and evaluation, jointly with Prof. E. Mazor (1990). Currently full professor, head of Earth and environmental Sciences group in the WI.

M. Kesner - Development, implementation and evaluation of different strategies of teaching industrial chemistry case-studies in Israeli high school, jointly Dr. R. Ben-Zvi (1996), Currently head of Industrial liaison Educational Center in the Weizmann Institute.

Y. Ronkin (advisor) "Development, Implementation and evaluation of the Unit: Interaction of Light and Matter" (supervised by jointly Dr. R. Ben-Zvi and Prof. Ron Na'aman) (1998)

D. Cohen: The Development, implementation and evaluation of the "Science for All" module; Brain, Medicines & Drugs", Jointly with Dr. Ruth Ben-Zvi & Prof. Rami Rahamimov. (2001). Chair of committee of education of abuse of drugs (retired)

M. Carmi: Evaluation of the effect of a long-term in-service training of leading chemistry teachers , jointly with Dr. R. Ben-Zvi. (2002). Head of Science in a grammar School in Tel-Aviv

Y. Schwartz: The definition and development of chemistry literacy in the context of high school chemistry teaching and learning (2004). Head of a national science teachers’ center

M. Kipnis: Learning chemistry by the inquiry method in high schools in Israel: The development of Metacognition (2006). High School Chemistry Teacher.

T. Levy Nahum: Models and modeling in high school chemistry: Researching the teaching and learning of the concept "bonding and structure of molecules" (2007). Coordinator of a professional development project (Works in a center for educational research in Tel-Aviv: MUFET)

M. Freilich: Teaching high school chemistry using an internet site (making chemistry more relevant to the students) (2007). Coordinator of Sciences in a teachers’ college

D. Taitelbaum: Continuous professional development (CPD) of high school chemistry teachers (2008). Coordinating Inspector for High School Chemistry in the Ministry of Education, Israeli Government.

I. Dekidek: The educational effectiveness of inquiry-type laboratories in the context of teaching chemistry in the Arabic educational region (2011) Lecturer in an Arabic College the Palestinian Region

D. Mandler: Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of the topic "Chemistry and the Environment" (2010). Pedagogical tutor in a Teacher in a College.

D. Katchevitch: Researching the inquiry-based chemistry laboratory for the enhancement of argumentative skills. (2012). Head of the national Chemistry teachers Center.

 

Supervision of M.Sc. Students

R. Gluzman - A study of the effect of classroom learning environment on achievement and attitude, jointly with Prof. D. Samuel (1978)

R. Orbach - Development and evaluation of a unit on algorithms for junior high school, jointly with Prof. M. Bruckheimer (1981)

B. Yellin - An evaluation of the educational effectiveness of the unit Industrial chemistry in Israel, jointly with Prof. D. Samuel (1980)

B. Levi - Objective and continuous assessment of student performance in the
physics laboratory, jointly with Prof. U. Ganiel (1980)

Nehama Zadok - The study of chemistry in small groups, jointly with Prof.
M. Bruckheimer (1983)

Nava Milner - Student learning difficulties as evidenced in the matriculation examinations in chemistry, jointly with Prof. D. Samuel (1984)

Nir Orion - The development, implementation and evaluation of a learning
package in Geology, jointly with Prof. E. Mazor (1985)

Adina Paytan - The development of project work in geology, jointly with E. Mazor (1990)

Merav Yifrach - Definition of chemical literacy and assessment of its attainment in high school chemistry. (Jointly with Dr. Ruth Ben-Zvi).

Nirit Glazer - Investigation into the concept bonding and structure in high school chemistry. (Jointly with Dr. Ruth Ben-Zvi) (2000)

Tamar Levi Nahum - Inquiry experiments in school chemistry, jointly with Dr. R. Ben-Zvi. (2000)

Maria Tenenbaum- Teaching chemistry in 10th grade classes in Israel (2006)

 

Grants and Projects

The following grants were obtained from various agencies:

  1. Factors influencing student enrollment in science in general and in chemistry in particular.
    This research was supported by a grant obtained from the chief scientist in the Ministry of Education and Culture. This study involves 120 10th grade was conducted during the 1983-84 academic year. Various factors, like socio-economic status, cognitive and affective variables will be studied in the context of their influence on student decisions regarding their future studies.
  2. Attitude towards science and scientists, amongst senior and junior high-school student.
    This research study is supported by the Ministry of Science, was carried out in about 150 classes (8th grade, 11th grade and 12th grade) and was supported by the Ministry of Science and Development. This research is aimed at finding out an answer to the question: how students at various ages perceive science and scientists?
  3. The Israeli Chemical Industry
    Since 1990 we are receiving grants from the chemical industry which enabled us to establish and operate the link center between the industrial chemistry and the education system in Israel.
  4. "Science and Technology for All" - Tomorrow 98 in the Upper Galilee. A three years grant to train teachers from various science disciplines to become teacher of the interdisciplinary curriculum: "Science and Technology for all".
  5. National Chemistry Teachers’ Center”- Grant from the Ministry of Education to develop leadership amongst chemistry teachers, development of pedagogical approaches and teaching strategies for high school chemistry, development of experts for the implementation of internet in high school chemistry and development of teacher-leaders to support the implementation of chemistry program and curriculum (1995-2007)
  6. Chemistry curriculum development and implementation A grant provided by the Ministry of Education to develop learning material for 12th grade students (2005-2008)
  7. Coordinator (jointly with Bat Sheva Eylon) of a bi-national grant King's College London-Weizmann Institute of Science) sponsored by the "Gatsby" foundation in London. On: Long-term CPD in the UK and Israel (4 years). 2007-2011.
  8. Teaching chemistry by the Inquiry method”. 100 inquiry-type experiments were developed implemented in about 80 classes among about 2500 students (also series of PhD research studies).
  9. Grant from PERACH project “Teva Hachimia” a project aimed at enhancing the motivation to learn chemistry (Chemistry and Art) (Grant provided by TEVA Pharmaceuticals Industries) (2006-2007).
  10. 2005-2009; Three grants from the EU (CONNECT, PARSEL and PROFILES) member of the leadership The science laboratory in Al-Quds University. An EU project conducted jointly with Palestinian scientists in Al-Quds University to enhance learning in and from science laboratories.

 

International Grants Coordinated in Which I was Project Investigator (PI)

  1. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) of Chemistry Teachers Part of a more comprehensive CPD program. (Coordinated jointly with B. Eylon). Sponsored by the SEP Foundation London: “Gatsby Foundation” (2003-2005). This project is a bi-national project with King’s College London, UK.
  2. CONNECT -Bridging the gap between formal and informal science education: A grant from the EU part of a Consortium in the FP6 Program (2004-2006)
  3. PARSEL: An EU consortium project regarding implementation context-based science aimed at making science more popular and relevant (coordinated by IPN, Kiel Germany) (2006-2009).
  4. PROFILES: An EU Consortium (21 partners) project aiming at enhancing science teachers' professionalism to teach relevant-oriented modules based on learning by inquiry (IBSE) (2010-2014). (Note, that the Weizmann's team was one of the core members in charge of CPD of science teachers- 22 European nations were involved).

 

Involvement in: Journals of Science Teaching and Learning (member of the board and reviewer).

Over the years I was member of the editorial board of the following Journals:

  • Journal of Research in Science Teaching
  • Science Education
  • International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education
  • Learning Environments Research
  • CERP: Chemistry Education Research and Practice (published by the RSC) in the UK.
  • International Journal of Science Education

I was involved in reviewing of many research and pedagogical manuscript in science education.

 

Organization of International Seminars and Conferences

Organization of International Seminars and Conferences
1978

Bat-Sheva De Rotchild  international Seminar on: Curriculum Implementation and its Relationship to Curriculum Development in Science. Rehovot&Jerusalem.

1983 Bat-Sheva international Seminar on: In-service and pre-service training of Science Teachers. Rehovot-Israel.
1988

A Bi-National Seminar U.K. - Israel of Chemistry Learning Difficulties. Jerusalem.

1993

Bi-National Seminar: Netherlands - Israel on: Industrial chemistry; Utrecht, Netherlands.

1993

International Conference on: Science Education in Developing Countries: From Theory to Practice. Jerusalem

1997

Seminar on science Education: EU-Israel (The Weizmann Institute of Science).  Brussels, Belgium.

1998

Co-organizer of a Bi-national workshop, North Carolina-Israel. The Weizmann Institute of Science) on: “Professional Development of Science and Mathematics Teachers”

1999

Co-organizer of a bi-national seminar Israel –France (academies of science), “French –Israeli meeting on: Science literacy in a changing world,. conducted in France.

2006

An International seminar on CPD; Continuous      Professional Development of science teachers, Zafat, Israel.

2014 Organizer of a bi-national UK-Weizmann Institute related to research Collaborations.
2015, 2016 Coordinating Various symposia in the Arabic Academic College, Haifa (sustainability, Research in science education).