A review of chemistry teachers’ professional development models in Israel

The main goal of this perspective is to look at the history of chemistry teachers’ professional development and the factors that have influenced their focus. High-school chemistry teachers’ preparation in the United States, as well as in Israel, has been influenced by changes in the student audience and the implications of research on learning. Since Sputnik, programs have shifted from teacher-directed lectures in the classroom to models that are more student-centered, with an emphasis on a strong laboratory component. New programs, enhanced by new technologies, have expanded beyond traditional teacher-preparation programs. All these factors necessitate approaches to teacher preparation and support that are appropriate, well-planned, and future-oriented. Over a period of more than 50 years, starting in the mid-1960s, the Weizmann Institute of Science’s Department of Science Teaching has been involved in the development of comprehensive and intensive chemistry curricula, including the development of both chemistry content and its related pedagogies, and implementation that encompasses chemistry teachers’ professional development, research, and assessment. The models of professional development of chemistry teachers that will be discussed in this paper, including research findings, will serve as evidence to the professionalization of the chemistry teachers in Israel.