New Perspectives in Science Education

Hemda – Center for Science Education, serves as the scientific arm to all high schools in Tel-Aviv-Yaffo. Hemda has its own, specially designed campus for science teaching. Pupils from all over the city leave their schools, once or twice a week, and come to Hemda to learn Physics, Chemistry and/or Computational Science.  Hemda assumes responsibility of teaching 9th to 12th grade students according to the Israeli curriculum, preparing them for Matriculation Examinations and much beyond. The unique model of Hemda enables each pupil in Tel Aviv-Yaffo to achieve high quality science education regardless their socio-economic backgrounds.

Hemda is resting on highly qualified teachers; most of them with Ph.D. in physics or chemistry, who teach in 18 cutting-edge, well equipped laboratories.

The educational concept of science studies in Hemda is built on integrating theoretical studies with experimental work: hands on experiments and demonstrations, many of them computer controlled implementing the results in models and simulations. Traditional separation between classes and laboratories is broken: experiments can be carried out any time.

The unique model of Hemda results in many advantages for the benefit of the students: worldwide-unique program for excellent students named "computational Science"; excellence classes for in-depth physics; special program for 9^th grade students aiming at science-learning motivation and skills through specially designed experiments; books for the benefit of the country-wide students and developing new experiments utilizing the added value of teachers and Lab technicians team work.

Assembling science studies under one roof in Hemda opens the opportunity for integrating students of different social background; allows offering a variety of workshops, enrichment courses and special projects; nourishes excellent students; promotes developing pedagogic projects and delivering "science as Culture" to the community.

During 2016/17, over 2000 students from 19 high schools attend Hemda every week between 4 academic hours (9^th and 10^thgrades) to 8 hours (11^th and 12^th grades). This figure marks a record in the center's 25 years history.