Dr. Yael Shwartz

Department of Science Teaching Weizmann Institute of Science

Dr. Yael Shwartz received a BSc in pharmaceutical chemistry at Bar-Ilan University (1989), and a PhD (direct track) in Science Education from the Weizmann Institute of Science (2004). She did her postdoctoral research at the University of Michigan’s School of Education, and returned to the Weizmann Institute in 2009 to join the Department of Science Teaching.

Her research interests are focused on many facets of science education including, scientific literacy, the value of teaching science to all, professional development for teachers, and integrating thinking skills into science education. She studies how teachers and students function in web-based environments in order to understand the type of support needed for teachers to improve their classes’ use of multiple digital learning environments and resources. She is also developing interdisciplinary science learning modules, integrating scientific inquiry practices with the science content.

Dr. Shwartz is currently the head of the National Center for Science and Technology Teachers, and the project "Chemistry on Line," which combines online teaching of chemistry with lab activities at the Weizmann Institute for students who do not have the option of studying chemistry in their schools. Dr. Shwartz has taught high-school chemistry for 10 years, and has been involved in inquiry-based curriculum development, implementation, and assessment both in Israel and the US.