New Perspectives in Science Education

ORT Israel schools offer a unique framework for science and technology integrated studies. Under the assumption that integrated study of subjects is of greater value than studying each field separately, we use an innovative pedagogical method of learning by analogy. This means that the students learn science and technology subjects by constantly drawing parallels between them, thereby minimizing, as far as possible, the discrete study of each field.

The real advantage of this method emerges when the students are working actively to find for themselves new connections between different fields and ideas, rather than just absorbing specific examples of analogies. This way, “learning by analogy” leads to “thinking by analogy”, which in turn yields innovative, inventive way of thinking.

The highlight of learning by analogy at ORT Israel schools comes in the form of a yearly national competitive event. Once a year all 10^th grade students of the science and engineering track convene for a two days science camp, taking its place at the Bloomfield Science Museum in Jerusalem. Going through 30 different stations all over the museum, the students are challenged to solve science and technology riddles and puzzles with the use of analogies. Each station uses specially tailored combinations of one or more of the museum exhibits with props, pictures and texts, presenting interesting connections and analogies.

This highly motivating competition takes the advantageous but yet abstract notion of analogies and makes it concrete and physical. This was a challenge we, at the ORT Israel R&D centre, took upon ourselves in developing both the framework and content of these 30 original stations. The result is more than a thousand students who had participated over the years in these events, gaining a profound understanding of science and technology.

The program was revised, approved and is being supported by the Israeli ministry of education.