CV

 

 

DAVID FORTUS

 

 

Home                                      Office

19 Elroi                                   Department of Science Teaching

Ramat Gan 5235062               Weizmann Institute of Science

ISRAEL                                  234 Herzl. St., Rehovot 7610001

972-3-573-5789 (P)                ISRAEL

972-8-934-2493 (P)

                                                972-8-934-4115 (F)

                                                david.fortus@weizmann.ac.il

                                                http://www.weizmann.ac.il/ScienceTeaching/Fortus/home-0

 

Education

PhD (1999-2003)                 University of Michigan, Science Education, “Design-Based Science and the Transfer of Science Knowledge and Real-World Problem-Solving Skills”, co-advisors – Joe Krajcik & Ron Marx

Teaching License (1995)     Israel Ministry of Education

MSc (1988-1991)                 Technion - Israel, Physics, “The BCS Model of Superconductivity in Thermofield Dynamics”, co-advisors – Ady Mann & Micha Revzen

BSc (1978-1983)                  Technion – Israel, Aeronautical Engineering

 

 

Employment History

2018 – ongoing                    Weizmann Institute of Science – The Chief Justice Bora Laskin Professorial Chair of Science Teaching

2014 – ongoing                    Weizmann Institute of Science – Israel, Associate Professor

2006 until 2014                    Weizmann Institute of Science - Israel, Senior Scientist

2003 until 2008                    Michigan State University, Assistant Professor in Science Education

1993 until 1999                    HEMDA - the Center for Science Education in Tel-Aviv - Israel, High school physics teacher

1991 until 1993                    Israel Aircraft Industries, Project manager

1983 until 1988                    Israel Air Force, Captain

 

 

 

Editorial Appointments

2020 – ongoing              Editorial Board of קריאת ביניים, the Israeli journal for junior high school science teachers

2018 – ongoing              Editorial Board of Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research

2010 – 2014                   Associate editor of the Journal of Research in Science Teaching

2008                               Editor of a special issue of The Elementary School Journal dedicated to science education

2005-2008                      Editorial Board of Science Education Review

 

 

National Committees

2017 – ongoing              Chair of national steering committee for 8th grade exam in science and technology (מיצ"ב)

2017 – ongoing              Member of national committee for middle school science and technology (מו"ט חט"ב)

2017 – 2020                   Member of national committee on Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

2010 – 2015                   Member of national steering committee for 8th grade national exam in science and technology (מיצ"ב)

2009 – 2015                   Member of national committee for high school science and technology in society (מוט"ב)

 

Executive

2009-2014                      Co-founder and co-director of the Zomer High School in Ramat-Gan, ISRAEL

 

Advisory Boards

2021 – Ongoing             University of Georgia: “Supporting Instructional Decision Making: The Potential of Automatically Scored Three-dimensional Assessment (PASTA)”, and NSF-funded project

2019 – Ongoing             Oranim College: Steering Committee for the Center for STEM Teacher Development

2017 – 2021                   Michigan State University: "Profiles of Science Engagement: Broadening Participation by Understanding Individual and Contextual Influences", an NSF-funded project

2013 – 2015                   Branco-Weiss Organization: Steering Committee for Instructional Coaching in the Sciences

2012 – 2013                   American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): “The Development and Validation of an Assessment Instrument to Study the Progression of Understanding of Ideas about Energy from Elementary School through High School”

 

Consulting Activities

2019 – ongoing              Beijing Normal University: AISL-AS - Alliance of Improving Scientific Literacy for All Students (AISL-AS)

2018 – ongoing              OpenSciEd, BSCS

2011 – 2013                   Columbia University: “The Thailand Standards Project”

2012                               University of Michigan: “Integration between the sciences and the arts at the Detroit School of Arts”

2011                               American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): “STEM Learning in the Context of Green School Buildings: A Curriculum Planning Project for the Middle Grades”

 

Teaching

Weizmann                      (A) Quantitative Methods, (B) Thesis Seminar, (C) Assessment Methods, (D) Introduction to Science Education, & (E) Attending to Affect

Zomer                             (A) Energy Transformation, Conservation, and Dissipation, & (B) Sight and Light's Interaction with Matter

MSU                              (A) Teaching Science for Understanding, (B) Inquiry & Practice in Science Teaching, & (C) Contemporary Issues in Science Curriculum and Teaching

 

Review Boards

Israel Science Foundation, Social Sciences and Humanities

National Science Foundation, ITEST

 

Other

2019 – 2020                   Chair of the Outstanding Dissertation Reward Award (ODRA) committee, National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST)

2018-2019                      Co-chair of the Outstanding Dissertation Reward Award (ODRA) committee, National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST)

 

 

 

 

 

 

International Recognition

Awards

2005                               APA (American Psychological Association) Division 15 (Educational Psychology) Paul R. Pintrich Outstanding Dissertation Award

2004                               NARST (National Association for Research in Science Teaching) Outstanding Dissertation Award

1999-2003                      Spencer Fellowship – University of Michigan

 

 

Invited Presentations

2019           Is STEM Literacy for All a Tenable Goal? Beijing Normal University

2018           Systems, Transfer, and Fields: Evaluating a New Approach to Energy Instruction. Michigan State University

2016           Why is it important for EVERBODY to learn science? Michigan State University.

2015           The Real Reasons Why it is Important for People to Learn Science. Beijing Normal University.

2014           Motivating Meaningful Learning. Michigan State University

2013           The Fire Extinguisher. Haifa University, Haifa, Israel

2011           Extinguishing a Fire. University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

2010           Adolescents’ Declining Motivation to Learn Science. Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

2010           Education as a Fire Extinguisher. National Institute for Testing and Evaluation, Israel

2009           The interdependency of learning progressions and curriculum. Learning Progressions Assessment Workshop, NSF, Ann Arbor, MI

2009           What can we learn from the experience of “Tomorrow 98?” Education: From Vision and Policy to Implementation, an international conference at the van Leer Institute, Jerusalem, Israel

2008           The Importance of Learning to Make Assumptions. Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

2006           Transfer & Social Interactions in Design-Based Science. Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, New Orleans, LA

2006           A Learning-Goals Model for Developing Standards-based Middle School Science Materials. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers, Syracuse, NY

 

Other Presentations

  1. Fortus, D., Dershimer, R.C., Mamlok, R., Krajcik, J., & Marx, R.W. (2002). Design-Based Science and real-world problem-solving. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA.
  2. Fortus, D., Dershimer, R.C., Mamlok, R., Marx, R.W., & Krajcik, J. (2002). Design-Based Science and student learning. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, New Orleans, LA.
  3. Dershimer, R.C., Fortus, D., Mamlok, R., Krajcik, J., & Marx, R.W. (2002). An examination of the discourse patterns used in a Design-Based Science classroom. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, New Orleans, LA.
  4. Mamlok-Naaman, R., Fortus, D., Dershimer, R.C., Marx, R.W., & Krajcik, J. (2002). Adapting Innovative Curriculum to Local Needs? An International Perspective. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, New Orleans, LA.
  5. Mamlok-Naaman, R., Dershimer, R.C., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., & Marx, R.W. (2002). "How Do I Design a Cellular Phone that is Safer to Use?" Adaptation of an Innovative Curriculum to Local Needs -An International Perspective.  Paper presented at the 2nd International IPN – YSEG Symposium, Kiel, Germany.
  6. Fortus, D., Dershimer, R.C., Krajcik, J., & Marx, R.W. (2002). Design-Based Science. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Science Teachers Association, San Diego, CA.
  7. Mamlok, R., Dershimer, R.C., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., & Marx, R.W. (2002). Learning Science by Designing Artifacts (LSDA): A case study of the development of a Design-Based Science curriculum. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, St. Louis, MO.
  8. Fortus, D., Dershimer, R.C., Mamlok-Naaman, R., Marx, R.W., & Krajcik, J. (2003). Design-Based Science and the transfer of scientific knowledge and ‘designerly’ skills.  Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
  9. Dershimer, R.C., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., & Marx, R.W. (2003). A description of the teacher questioning patterns used in the critique sessions of a Design-Based Science Curriculum.  Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
  10. Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., & Marx, R.W. (2003). Well and Ill-Defined Science Problems. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Philadelphia, PA.
  11. Roseman, J., Gunckel, K., Krajcik, J., Fortus, D., Smith, E. (2004). The importance of high quality curriculum materials: Supporting teachers analyze, select and modify curriculum materials. Presented at the annual meeting of AETS, Nashville TN.
  12. Fortus, D. (2005). Restructuring school physics around real-world problems: A cognitive justification. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada.
  13. Gunckel, K., Fortus, D. & Smith, E. (2005).  An exploration of the role of curriculum materials in teaching science and learning to teach science.  Presented at the annual meeting of AETS, Colorado Springs CO.
  14. Fortus, D. & Kanter, D. (2005).  Curriculum driven practice-based professional development.  Presented at the annual meeting of AETS, Colorado Springs CO.
  15. Fortus, D., Hug, B., Krajcik, J. S., Kuhn, L., McNeill, K. L., Reiser, B., et al. (2006). Sequencing and supporting complex scientific inquiry practices in instructional materials for middle school students. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, San Francisco, CA.
  16. Fortus, D. (2006).  Understanding the big ideas: Preparing for breadth by going into depth.  Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, San Francisco, CA.
  17. Nordine, J., Fortus, D., & Krajcik, J. (2006).  Development of Middle School Students ’ Conception of Energy during a Qualitative Unit in Which Energy is Not Defined.  Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, San Francisco, CA.
  18. Krajcik, J., Reiser, B.J., Schwarz, C., & Fortus, D. (2007). Supporting a Learning Progression for Scientific Modeling in Project-Based Inquiry Curricula. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
  19. Weizman, A. & Fortus, D. (2007). Using Scientific Models to Learn about Shadows. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching, New Orleans, LA.
  20. Weizman, A. & Fortus, D. (2007). The Driving Question Board: A Tool to Support Inquiry-Based Learning. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching, New Orleans, LA.
  21. Fortus, D. (2008). The Importance of Learning to Make Assumptions. Invited talk given at the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
  22. Reiser, B., Schwarz, C., Fortus, D., Kenyon, L., Krajcik, J., & Davis, E. (2008). MoDeLS: Articulating a Learning Progression for Scientific Modeling. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY.
  23. Schwarz, C., Reiser, B., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., Roseman, J.E., Willard, T., & Archer, A. (2008). Designing and Testing the MoDeLS Progression. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching, Baltimore, MD.
  24. Weizman, A., Shwartz, Y., Fortus, D., & Krajcik, J. (2008). Developing the Practice of Scientific Modeling through Classroom Discussions. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching, Baltimore, MD.
  25. Fortus, D., Weizman, A., Shwartz, Y., Merritt, J., & Schwarz, C. (2008). Towards a Learning Progression for Scientific Modeling: What we’ve learned from 6th Grade Students and Teachers. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching, Baltimore, MD.
  26. Shwartz, Y., Weizman, A., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., & Reiser, B. (2008). Middle-School Science Curriculum: Coherence as a Design Principle. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching, Baltimore, MD.
  27. Fortus, D. (2009). The interdependency of learning progressions and curriculum. Invited presentation, given at the Learning Progressions Assessment Workshop, Ann Arbor, MI.
  28. Schwarz, C., Reiser, B., Fortus, D., Shwartz, Y., Acher, A., David, B., Kenyon, L., & Hug, B. (2009). MoDeLS: Defining a Learning progression for Scientific Modeling. Paper presented at the LEAPS meeting, Iowa City, IA.
  29. Fortus, D. (2009). The Importance of Learning to Make Assumptions. Invited presentation, given at the Arab College, Haifa, Israel.
  30. Reiser, B., Schwarz, C., Kenyon, L., Fortus, D., & Acher, A. (2009). A Learning Progression for Elementary and Middle School Students’ Modeling Practices. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA.
  31. Fortus, D., Vedder-Weiss, D., & Shwartz, Y. (2009). Supporting Student and Teacher Learning about Modeling Practices. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Orange County, CA.
  32. Chen, J. & Fortus, D (2009). A Study of Three Science Teachers’ Implementation of Inquiry-Based Curriculum. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Orange County, CA.
  33. Fortus, D. (2010). Adolescents’ Declining Motivation to Lean Science. Invited presentation, given at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
  34. Yayon, M., Mamlok-Naaman, R., & Fortus, D. (2010). Using a knowledge-in-pieces representation to characterize chemical-bonding knowledge: The basis of a diagnostic tool. Paper presented at the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, Denton, TX.
  35. Fortus, D. (2010). Education as a Fire Extinguisher. Invited presentation, given at the National Institute for Testing and Evaluation, Israel.
  36. Krajcik, J., Fortus, D., Reiser, B., Sutherland, L., & Smith, S. (2010). Comparing student achievement across time in contexts using a coherent inquiry curriculum versus those using traditional curricula. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Philadelphia, PA.
  37. Fortus, D., Shwartz, Y., & Rosenfeld, S. (2010). High school students’ modeling knowledge. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Philadelphia, PA.
  38. Fortus, D. & Vedder Weiss, D. (2011). Adolescents’ declining motivation to learn science: Inevitable or not? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Orlando, FL.
  39. Fortus, D. & Vedder Weiss, D. (2011). Adolescents’ declining motivation to learn science: What do they say? Paper to be presented at the Biennial meeting of the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA), Lyon, France.
  40. Fortus, D. & Vedder Weiss, D. (2012). Measuring Students' Continuing Motivation. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Indianapolis, IN.
  41. Fortus D. & Krajcik, J. (2012). Integrating Energy into a Middle School Science Curriculum. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Indianapolis, IN.
  42. Vedder Weiss, D. & Fortus, D. (2012). Developing Constructs to Distinguish Between Schools. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Vancouver, Canada.
  43. Fortus, D. & Vedder Weiss, D. (2013). The Antecedents of Adolescents’ Continuing Motivation for Science Learning. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Puerto Rico.
  44. Fortus, D., Sutherland, L., Reiser, B., & Krajcik, J. (2013). Assessing the Role of Curriculum Coherence in Student Learning about Energy. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Puerto Rico.
  45. Vedder Weiss, D. & Fortus, D. (2014). Why Study? Emphasizing Mastery Goals in the Science Classroom. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Pittsburgh, PA.
  46. Fortus, D. & Vedder Weiss, D. (2014). Using a Self-Report Survey to Study the Effect of Teaching Practices on Students' Motivation. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Pittsburgh, PA.
  47. Roseman, J.E., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., & Reiser, B. (2015). Curriculum Materials for Next Generation Science Standards: What the Science Education Research Community Can Do. Symposium presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Chicago, IL.
  48. Harms, U., Opitz, S., Neumann, K., & Fortus, D. (2015). Building an integrated understanding of energy through K-12 teaching. Symposium presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Chicago, IL.
  49. Dorfman, B. & Fortus, D. (2015). The Relations between Teachers and Parents' Messages and Adolescents’ Self-Efficacy for Science Learning. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Chicago, IL.
  50. Touitou, I. & Fortus, D. (2015). Predicting changes to students' motivation to engage with science in and out of schools that serve low SES communities. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Chicago, IL.
  51. Peleg, R., Hofstein, A., Katchevich, D., Yayon, M., Mamlok-Naaman, R., & Fortus, D. (2015). Introducing chemistry teachers to mystery inquiry-type skills. Paper presented at the bi-annual meeting of the European Science Education Research Association, Helsinki.
  52. Peleg, R., Hofstein, A., Yayon, M., Katchevich, D., Mamlok-Naaman, R., & Fortus, D. (2015). Teaching Enquiry with Mysteries Incorporated: experiences in implementing a professional development project. Paper presented at the bi-annual meeting of the European Science Education Research Association, Helsinki.
  53. Lavonen, J., Krajcik, J., Neumann, K., & Fortus, D. (2015). Studying Student and Teacher Engagement in Finnish & U.S. Classrooms. Paper presented at the bi-annual meeting of the European Science Education Research Association, Helsinki.
  54. Fortus, D., Elran, Y., Saig, A. (2016). Not just kittens: Design Guidelines for YouTube science videos for the general public. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Baltimore, MD.
  55. Touitou, I. & Fortus, D. (2017). Modeling changes to students' motivation for science in schools that serve low SES communities. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, San Antonio, TX.
  56. Neumann, K., Kubsch, M., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J. S., & Nordine, J. C. (2017). Assessing Three-Dimensional Learning. Paper presented at the Annual International Meeting of NARST, San Antonio, TX.
  57. Krajcik, J., Bielik, T., Nordine, J., Fortus, D., & Neumann, K. (2017). The Centrality of Phenomena in 3-Dimensional Learning. Paper presented at the Annual International Meeting of NARST, San Antonio, TX.
  58. Fortus, D., Touitou, I., Neumann, K., Krajcik, J., & Nordine, J. (2017). Supporting Student Engagement in Three-Dimensional Learning and Instruction. Paper presented at the Annual International Meeting of NARST, San Antonio, TX.
  59. Nordine, J., Opitz, S., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., & Neumann, K. (2017). Instructional Coherence as a Support for Three-Dimensional Science Learning. Paper presented at the Annual International Meeting of NARST, San Antonio, TX.
  60. Kubsch, M., Nordine, J., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., & Neumann, K. (2017). A Cognitive Scaffold for Teaching Energy Transfer between Systems in Middle School. Paper presented at the Annual International Meeting of NARST, San Antonio, TX.
  61. Nordine, J., Carswell, K., Krajcik, J., Fortus, D., & Neumann, K. (2017). Beyond Naming Forms: Teaching Energy in Middle School by Modeling Energy Transfers Between Systems. Presented at the National Science Teachers Association National Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
  62. Nordine, J. C., Kubsch, M., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J. S., & Neumann, K. (2017). Supporting three-dimensional energy learning in a project-based approach that emphasizes modeling energy transfers between systems. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Antonio, TX.
  63. Nordine, J., Kubsch, M., Neumann, K., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., (2017). Teaching Energy from a “Three-Dimensional” Perspective. Kolloquium Didaktik der Naturwissenschaften [Science Teaching Colloquium], Leibniz-University of Hannover. Hannover, Germany.
  64. Fortus, Marcus Kubsch, Yaron Lehavi, Sebastian Opitz, Jeffrey Nordine (2017). Assessing the Preparation for Future Learning of Energy. Paper presented at the bi-annual meeting of the European Science Education Research Association, Dublin, Ireland.
  65. Bat-Shahar Dorfman & David Fortus (2017). The influence of different educational environments on gender differences in science self-efficacy. Paper presented at the bi-annual meeting of the European Science Education Research Association, Dublin, Ireland.
  66. Bat-Shahar Dorfman & David Fortus (2017). The influence of different educational environments on students' science self-efficacy. Poster presented at the bi-annual meeting of the European Science Education Research Association, Dublin, Ireland.
  67. Fortus, D., Shwartz, Y., & Rosenfeld, S. (2017). High School Students’ Meta-Modeling Knowledge. Paper presented at the bi-annual meeting of the European Science Education Research Association, Dublin, Ireland.
  68. Kubsch, M., Nordine, J., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., & Neumann, K. (2017). Lerntrajektorien im Energiekonzept. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the German Society for the Didactics of Physics and Chemistry.
  69. Abramovitch, S. & Fortus, D. (2018). Energy for Future Scientists. Paper presented at the annual meeting of NARST, Atlanta, GA.
  70. Touitou, I., Carswell, K., Neumann, K., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., & Nordine, J. (2018). A teacher's perspective on teaching energy differently: Transitioning from a forms and transformation approach to a transfer approach. Paper presented at the annual meeting of NARST, Atlanta, GA.
  71. Neumann, K., Kubsch, M., Fortus, D., Nordine, J., & Krajcik, J. (2018). Assessing students’ progression in developing a deeper understanding of energy. Paper presented at the annual meeting of NARST, Atlanta, GA.
  72. Nordine, J., Lehavi, Y., Krajcik, J., Neumann, K., & Fortus, D. (2018). Assessing Middle School Students’ Preparation for Future Learning about Energy. Paper presented at the annual meeting of NARST, Atlanta, GA.
  73. Fortus, D., Nordine, J., Krajcik, J., & Neumann, K. (2018). Students' Sense of Self-Efficacy in Using the Energy Concept. Paper presented at the annual meeting of NARST, Atlanta, GA.
  74. Kubsch, M., Nordine, J., Fortus, D., Neumann, K., & Krajcik, J. (2018). Measuring Integrated Knowledge – A Network Analytical Approach. Paper presented at the bi-annual meeting of ICLS, London, Great Britain.
  75. Neumann, K., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., & Nordine, J. (2018). Assessing students’ progression in developing knowledge-in-use about energy. Paper presented at the bi-annual meeting of ICLS, London, Great Britain.
  76. Fiedler, K., Kubsch, M., Krajcik, J., Fortus, D., Neumann, K., & Nordine, J. (2018). Teaching energy focusing on transfers and fields. Workshop presented at the annual meeting of GIREP, San Sebastian, Spain.
  77. Nordine, J., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., & Neumann, K. (2018). Assessing Preparation for Future Learning about Energy. Gordon Research Conference, Bryant University, RI.
  78. Kubsch, M., Neumann, K., Nordine, J., Krajcik, J., Fortus, D. (2018). Integriertes Wissen: Lerntrajektorien im Energiekonzept [Integrated Knowledge: Learning Trajectories in the Energy Concept]. Poster presented at GDCP-Jahrestagung 2018: Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung als Grundlage für berufliche und gesellschaftliche Teilhabe. Kiel, Germany.
  79. Kubsch, M., Nordine, J., Fortus, D., Neumann, K., & Krajcik, J. (2019). Systems and transfers vs. forms and transformation: investigating approaches to teaching energy in middle school. Paper presented at the annual meeting of NARST, Baltimore, MA.
  80. Abramovitch, S. & Fortus, D. (2019). Conceptions of Energy in the Printed Media for the General Public. Paper presented at the annual meeting of NARST, Baltimore, MA.
  81. Kubsch, M., Nordine, J., Neumann, K., Krajcik, J., & Fortus, D. (2019). Investigating a Systems Transfer Approach to Teaching Energy in Middle School. Paper presented at the annual meeting of ESERA, Bologna, Italy.
  82. Fortus, D., Kubsch, M., Bielik, T., Krajcik, J., Lehavi, Y., Neumann, K., Nordine, J., Opitz, S., & Touitou, I. (2019). Systems, Transfer, and Fields: Evaluating a new Approach to Energy Instruction. Paper presented at the annual meeting of ESERA, Bologna, Italy.
  83. Fortus, D. (2019). Is STEM literacy for All a tenable goal? Paper presented at the inaugural AISL conference, Beijing China.
  84. Fortus, D. & Ofek-Geva, E. (2020). The relationships between hormones and the motivation of adolescents to learn science. NARST, Portland, OR.
  85. Kubsch, M., Nordine, J., Neumann, K., Fortus, D., & Krajcik, J. (2020). Developing energy, systems, and fields in middle school – in praise of modest goals. NARST, Portland, OR.
  86. Kubsch, M., Neumann, K., Nordine, J., Fortus, D., & Krajcik, J. (2020). What energy ideas matter for future learning? ICLS, Nashville, TN.
  87. Lin, J., Zeng, L., Han, H. & Fortus, D. (2021). Modeling the relations between self-efficacy, interest, spatial visualization and mental rotation in STEM education. AERA 2021.
  88. Lamb, R., Sadler, T., Neumann, K., Fortus, D., Antonenko, P., Kavner, A., & Hoston, D. (2021). Comparing two Task Analysis Guides in Science: Examination of Cognitive Demand. NARST 2021.
  89. Lin, J., Fortus, D., & Neumann, K. (2021). Engaging students in PBL in science classrooms: The challenges for Chinese primary teachers. NARST 2021.
  90. Langbeheim, E., Fortus, D., Nordine, J., Neumann, K., Krajcik, J., Jin, H., & Furtak, E. (2021). Learning progression assessments and teachers' classroom enactments of curricula. NARST 2021.
  91. Ofek-Geva, E. & Fortus, D. (accepted). How do the personal experiences of adolescents, affect their affinity toward science and science learning? ESERA 2021.

 

 

 

Scientific Productivity

Grants

2004-2010       IQWST (Investigating and Questioning the World through Science and Technology), NSF, sub-contract to the University of Michigan, 7.5M$

2006-2010       MoDeLS (Modeling Designs for Learning Science), NSF, subcontract to Northwestern University, 600k$

2008-2009       Reform in Israeli Middle School Science, Rothschild Foundation, $80k$

2010-2011       Supplement to IQWST (described below), NSF, sub-contract to the University of Michigan, 160k$

2011-2014       Characterizing environmental factors that are associated with students' motivation to learn science in and out of school, ISF, 129k$

2012-2015       Not Just Kittens – YouTube Videos as a Tool for Conveying Knowledge to the General Public, Israel Society of Computing (ISOC), 134k₪

2012-2013       Minerva – Hosting a research group from IPN at Kiel University in Germany on a Learning Progression for Energy

2012-2016       Teaching Enquiry with Mysteries Incorporated, ERC-FP7, 224k€

2014-2020       Exploring Potential Learning Trajectories for the Energy Concept in Middle School, NSF, sub-contract to Michigan State University, 1.8M$

2020-ongoing  Environmental and Physiological Factors that Shape Adolescents’ Motivation to Engage with School-based Science Learning, Yeda-Sela, 120k$

2021-ongoing  Coronavirus Challenges in Education: Identifying Teacher Practices that Best Support Adolescents’ Motivation in Hybrid Science Learning in Middle School, 50k$, Weizmann Coronavirus Fund

2021-ongoing  Adolescents’ Declining Motivation to Engage with Science – The Contribution of Neuronal Changes. Yeda-Sela, 118k$

 

 

Past and present PhD Students & Postdoctoral fellows

Limor Daphna                       Postdoctoral fellow, at present teacher at Givat Brenner school

Yael Shwartz                         Postdoctoral fellow, at present Senior Staff Scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Ayelet Weizman                    Postdoctoral fellow, at present VP of SpaceIL

Shahar Abramovitch             PhD student, at present postdoctoral fellow, University of Massachusetts at Boston

Rachela Alfasi                       PhD student, at present principal of the Shibolim high school

Dana Vedder-Weiss              PhD student, at present assistant professor at Ben-Gurion University

Malka Yayon                         PhD student, at present chemistry teacher at de Shalit school

Jing Chen                              PhD student, at present researcher at ETS

Israel Touitou                        PhD student, at present staff scientist at the CREATE for STEM Institute at Michigan State University

Bat-Shahar Levy                   PhD student, at present senior intern in science teaching at Weizmann Institute of Science

Ella Ofek-Geva                     PhD student, at present postdoctoral fellow in science teaching at Weizmann Institute of Science

 

 

 

Collaborators (alphabetically)

Robert Chen, Professor, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Betsy Davis, Professor, University of Michigan

Arthur Eisenkraft, Professor, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Yael Kali, Associate Professor, Haifa University, Israel

Lisa Kenyon, Associate Professor, Wright State University

Joe Krajcik, Professor, University of Michigan

Knut Neumann, Professor, IPN, University of Kiel, Germany

Jeffrey Nordine, Associate Professor, IPN, University of Kiel, Germany

Julia Plummer, Associate Professor, Penn State University

Brian Reiser, Professor, Northwestern University

Jo Ellen Roseman, Director, Project 2061, AAAS

Troy Sadler, Professor, Univeristy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Christina Shwartz, Associate Professor, Michigan State University

LeeAnn Sutherland, Chief Educational Officer, Activate Learning

Tali Tal, Professor, The Technion, Israel

Yonatan Yeshayahu, MD, Head of Pediatrics, Assuta Samson Hospital, Israel

Omer Bar-Yosef, MD, Head of Pediatric Neurology, Sheba Medical Center

 

Patents

Copyright for IQWST – Investigating and Questioning the World through Science and Technology, sold to Activate Learning, USA

 

 

 

 

Publications

Refereed Articles

  1. Fortus, D., Reddy, S., & Dershimer, R.C. (2003). Comparing different brands of batteries.  The Science Teacher 70(3), pp. 38-41.
  2. Fortus, D., Dershimer, R.C., Marx, R.W., Krajcik, J., & Mamlok-Naaman, R. (2004). Design-Based Science (DBS) and Student Learning.  Journal of Research in Science Teaching 41(10).
  3. Avraham, R., Fortus, D., & Logue, K. (2004). Revisiting the roles of legal rules and tax rules in income redistribution: A response to Kaplow & Shavell. Iowa Law Review 89(4).
  4. Fortus, D. (2005). Design-Based Science.  Review of Science Education 4(2), pp. 40-47.
  5. Fortus, D., Dershimer, R.C., Krajcik, J., Marx, R.W., & Mamlok-Naaman, R. (2005). Design-Based Science (DBS) and Real-World Problem-Solving.  International Journal of Science Education 27(7), pp. 855-879.
  6. Shwartz, Y., Weizman, A., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., & Reiser, B. (2008). The IQWST experience: Using coherence as a design principle for a middle school science curriculum. The Elementary School Journal 109 (2), pp. 199-219.
  7. Weizman, A., Shwartz, Y., & Fortus, D. (2008). The Driving Question Board: A visual organizer in Project-Based Learning. The Science Teacher 75(7), pp. 33-37.
  8. Fortus, D. (2009). The Importance of Learning to Make Assumptions.  Science Education 93(1), pp. 86-108.
  9. Schwarz, C. V., Reiser, B. J., Davis, E. A., Kenyon, L. O., Acher, A., Fortus, D., Hug, B., & Krajcik, J. (2009).  Developing a learning progression of scientific modeling: Making scientific modeling accessible and meaningful for learners. The Journal of Research in Science Teaching 46(6), pp. 632-654.
  10. Shwartz, Y., Weizman, A., Fortus, D., Sutherland, L., Merritt, J., & Krajcik, J. (2009). Classroom discussions and their role in inquiry-based learning environments. The Science Teacher 76(5), pp. 44-47.
  11. Nordine, J., Krajcik, J. & Fortus, D. (2011). Transforming Energy Instruction in Middle School to Support Conceptual Change and Future Learning. Science Education 95(4), pp. 670-699.
  12. Vedder Weiss, D. & Fortus, D. (2011). Adolescents’ Declining Motivation to Learn Science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 48(2), pp. 199-216.
  13. Vedder Weiss, D. & Fortus, D. (2011). Is adolescents’ declining motivation to learn science inevitable? Science Education Review 10(1), pp. 8-9.
  14. Yayon, M., Mamlok-Naaman, R., & Fortus, D. (2012). Characterizing and representing student’s conceptual knowledge of Chemical Bonding. Chemistry Education Research and Practice. DOI: 10.1039/c0rp90019b.
  15. Vedder-Weiss, D. & Fortus, D. (2012). Students' declining motivation to learn science: A follow up study. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 49(9), pp.1057-1095.
  16. Ramnairan, U. & Fortus, D. (2013). South African physical sciences teachers’ perceptions of new content in a revised curriculum. South African Journal of Education 33(1), pp. 1-15.
  17. Vedder-Weiss, D. and D. Fortus (2013). School, teacher, peers and parents’ goals emphases and adolescents' motivation to learn science in and out of school. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 50(8), pp. 952-988.
  18. Fortus, D. & Vedder-Weiss, D. (2014). Measuring Students’ Continuing Motivation for Science Learning. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 51(4), pp. 497-522.
  19. Fortus, D (2014). Attending to Affect. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 51(7), pp. 821-835.
  20. Fortus, D., Sutherland Adams, L., Krajcik, J. & Reiser, B. (2015). Assessing the role of curriculum coherence in student learning about energy. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 52(10), pp. 1408-1425.
  21. Peleg, R., Yayon, M., Katchevich, D., Mamlok-Naaman, R., Hofstein, A., & Fortus, D. (2016). The Israeli TEMI Case: Adaptation of TEMI Modules to Local Context. Chemistry in Action, 107, pp. 33-36.
  22. Fortus, D., Shwartz, Y., & Rosenfeld, S. (2016). High School Students’ Meta-Modeling Knowledge. Research in Science Education, 46(6), 787-810.
  23. Fortus, D. & Daphna, L. (2017). Adolescents' Goal Orientations for Science in Single-Gender Religious Schools, International Journal of Science Education 39(1), 86-103.
  24. Peleg, R., Yayon, M., Katchevich, D., Mamlok-Naaman, R., Fortus, D., Eilks, I., & Hofstein, A. (2017). Teachers’ views on implementing storytelling as a way to motivate inquiry learning in high-school chemistry teaching. Chemistry Education Research and Practice 18, 304-309.
  25. Nordine, J., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., Lehavi, Y., Neumann, K., & Kubsch, M. (2018). Modelling Energy Transfers between Systems to Support Energy Knowledge in Use. Studies in Science Education 54(2), 177-206.
  26. Vedder-Weiss, D. & Fortus, D. (2018). Teachers' Mastery Goals: Using a Self-Report Survey to Study the Relations between Teaching Practices and Students' Motivation for Science Learning. Research in Science Education, DOI: 10.1007/s11165-016-9565-3.
  27. Nordine, J., Krajcik, J., Fortus, D., & Neumann, K. (2019). Using Storylines to Support Three-Dimensional Learning in Project-Based Science. Science Scope, 42(6), 85–91.
  28. Dorfman, B. S. and D. Fortus (2019). Students' self‐efficacy for science in different school systems. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 56, 1037–1059.
  29. Fortus, D., Kubsch, M., Bielik, T., Krajcik, J.S., Lehavi, Y., Neumann, K., Nordine, J., Opitz, S., & Touitou, I. (2019). Systems, Transfer, and Fields: Evaluating a new Approach to Energy Instruction. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 56(10), 1341-1361.
  30. Kubsch, M., Nordine, J., Neumann, K., Fortus, D., & Krajcik, J.S. (2019). Probing the Relation between Students’ Integrated Knowledge and Knowledge-in-Use about Energy using Network Analysis. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 15(8), em1728.
  31. Kubsch, M., Nordine, J., Neumann, K., Fortus, D., & Krajcik, J.S. (2019). Supporting students in using energy ideas to interpret phenomena: the role of an energy representation. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 1-20.
  32. Kubsch, M., Touitou, I., Nordine, J., Fortus, D., Neumann, K., & Krajcik, J. (2020). Transferring Knowledge in a Knowledge-in-Use Task: Investigating the Role of Knowledge Organization Using Network Analysis. Education Sciences 10(20), doi:10.3390/educsci10010020.
  33. Fortus, D. & Daphna, L. (2020). When Goals do not Concur: Conflicting Perceptions of School Science. Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research 2(6).
  34. Fortus, D. and Touitou, I. (2021). Changes to students' motivation to learn science. Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research 3(1): 1.
  35. Kubsch, M., Opitz, S., Nordine, J., Neumann, K. Fortus, D., & Krajcik, J. (2021). Exploring a pathway towards energy conservation through emphasizing the connections between energy, systems, and fields. Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research 3(1):2.
  36. Fortus, D., Lin, J., Neumann, K., & Sadler, T. (submitted). The Role of Affect in Science Literacy for All. International Journal of Science Education.
  37. Ofek-Geva, E. & Fortus, D. (submitted). How do the personal experiences of adolescents aged 10-14 affect their affinity toward science and for science learning? Journal of Research in Science Teaching.
  38. Kubsch, M. & Fortus, D. (submitted). The interplay between students’ motivational profiles and science learning. Journal of Research in Science Teaching.
  39. Ofek-Geva, E., Vinker-Shuster, M., Mehlman, T., Malitsky, S., Brandis, A., Fortus, D., & Yeshayahu, Y. (submitted). The Onset of Puberty and Adolescents’ Motivation to Learn Science. Adolescent Health.

 

 

Invited Reviews

  1. Fortus, D. (2008). Science Education. In T.L. Good, C. Ames, Berliner, D., Brophy, J., Corno, L., & McCaslin, M. (Eds.), 21st Century Education: A Reference Handbook. Thousand Oaks, (pp. 352-359). CA: Sage Publications.
  2. Fortus, D. & Krajcik, J. (2012). Curriculum Coherence and Learning Progressions. In B.J. Fraser, K.G. Tobin , & C.J. McRobbie  (Eds.), The International Handbook of Research in Science Education (2nd ed.), Dordrecht: Springer Verlag.
  3. Fortus, D. (2015). Motivation and the Science of Learning. In R. Gunstone (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Science Education, Dordrect: Springer Verlag.

 

 

Edited Book

  1. Chen, R.F., Eisenkraft, A., Fortus, D., Krajcik, J., Neumann, K., Nordine, J., & Scheff, A. (2014). Teaching and Learning of Energy in K-12 Education. Dorderecht: Springer.

 

 

Book Chapters

  1. Fortus, D., Mann, A., & Revzen, M. (1995). The Hartree-Fock Bogoliubov approximation in thermo field dynamics and temperature-like correlations. In Y.X. Gui, F.C. Khanna, & Z.B. Su (Eds.), Thermal field theories and their applications (pp. 399-405). River Edge, NJ: World Scientific.
  2. Mamlok-Naaman, R., Fortus, D., Dershimer, R.C., Krajcik, J., & Marx, R.W. (2006).  How Do I Design a Cellular Phone that is Safer to Use? In P. Nentwig & D. Waddington (Eds.), Setting into Perspective: Context-based science education, (pp. 215-241). Munster: Waxmann.
  3. Kali, Y., Fortus, D, & Ronen-Fuhrmann, T. (2008). Synthesizing Design Knowledge.  In Y. Kali, M.C. Linn, & J.E. Roseman (Eds.), Designing Coherent Science Education, pp. 185-200. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
  4. Weizman, A., Shwartz, Y., & Fortus, D. (2010). Developing Students' Sense of Purpose with a Driving Question Board. In R. Yager (Ed.), Exemplary Science for Resolving Societal Challenges, Washington DC: National Science Teachers Association.
  5. Schwarz, C., Reiser, B., Fortus, D., Kenyon, L., & Acher, A. (2012). MoDeLS: Issues and Challenges in Defining a Learning progression for Scientific Modeling. In A. Alonzo & A. Gotwals (Eds.), Learning Progressions in Science (pp. 101-137). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
  6. Fortus, D. & Krajcik, J. (2015). Engineering in IQWST. In C. Sneider (Ed.), The Go-to Guide for Engineering Curricula Grades 6-8: Choosing and Using the Best Instructional Materials for Your Student, Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
  7. Fortus, D. (2015). Conservation of energy. In J. Nordine (Ed.), Teaching energy across the science, K-12, Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.
  8. Fortus, D. (2016). Assessing Israeli Students’ Knowledge in Science: Policy and Practice. In M-H. Chiu (Ed.), Science Education Research and Practices in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities, Dordrecht: Springer-Verlag.
  9. Fortus, D. & Nordine, J. (2017). Forces and Motion. In R. Golan Duncan, J.S. Krajcik, & A.E. Rivet (Eds.). Disciplinary Core Ideas: Reshaping Teaching and Learning (pp. 33-54). Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.
  10. Nordine, J. & Fortus, D. (2017). Energy. In R. Golan Duncan, J.S. Krajcik, & A.E. Rivet (Eds.). Disciplinary Core Ideas: Reshaping Teaching and Learning (pp. 55-74). Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.
  11. Fortus, D., & Krajcik, J. S. (2017). Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer. In R. Golan Duncan, J. S. Krajcik, & A. E. Rivet (Eds.), Disciplinary Core Ideas: Reshaping Teaching and Learning (pp. 75-94). Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.
  12. Fortus, D. & Krajcik, J. (2020). Supporting Contextualization: Lessons Learned from Throughout the Globe. In I. Sánchez Tapia (Ed.), International Perspectives on the Contextualization of Science Education (pp. 175-183). Dordrecht: Springer-Verlag.
  13. Fortus, D. & Nordine, J. (submitted). Rethinking Learning Progressions for Energy. In H. Jin, Y. Duanli, & J.S. Krajcik (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Science Learning Progressions. Oxfordshire: Routledge.

 

 

Curricula

  1. Krajcik, J., Reiser, B., Sutherland, L, & Fortus, D. (2012). Investigating and Questioning Our World through Science and Technology (IQWST). Sangari Science. Used in 35 states by several million students.

 

 

Others

  1. Fortus, D., Mualem, R., & Levy Nahum, T. (June, 2009). What can we learn from the experience of “Tomorrow 98”? הד החינוך, pp. 80-85.
  2. Fortus, D., Levy Nahum, T., & Mualem, R. (2009). What can we learn from the experience of “Tomorrow 98”? Report commissioned by Yad Hanadiv, Jerusalem.
  3. Alfasi, R. & Fortus, D. (July 2017). Adaptation of middle school science teaching to the developmental perspective of Waldorf education. קריאת ביניים, pp. 56-60.