From Schools to Nature: Bridging Learning Environments in Israel

Chapter

Abstract

This chapter portrays the history of out-of-school education in Israel from the early 1900 to the 2000, and the changes from ideological natural history education to modern science-education. Historical documents are presented that show the unique blend of romantic views with progressive education thought and how this blend had an impact on Israeli outdoor education for decades. In 1960, the new science curriculum shifted at least part of the out-of-school learning into more inquiry-learning oriented. In parallel, teachers became less engaged in their students' out-of-school learning, while informal science and environmental organizations offer their services to the education system. This trend discourages teachers from being more involved and acting as mediators between their students and professional guides and between the school and the out-of-school learning environments. This historical interpretation of the place of out-of-school learning in Israel could be relevant to other places in which accountability considerations become more central now-a-days.

Keywords

Field Trip Meaningful Learning Science Museum Inquiry Project Informal Science 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

References

  1. Avissar, O. (2011). Good to hike for our land: The development of the field trip myth in the national Zionist education. In G. Cohen & E. Shaish (Eds.), The field trips as an educational and value tool (pp. 59–87). Jerusalem: The Ministry of Education (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
  2. Bamberger, Y., & Tal, T. (2007). Learning in a personal context: Levels of choice in a free choice learning environment in science and natural history museums. Science Education, 91(1), 75–95.Google Scholar
  3. Bamberger, Y., & Tal, T. (2008a). An experience for the lifelong journey: The long-term effect of a class visit to a science center. Visitor Studies, 11(2), 198–212.Google Scholar
  4. Bamberger, Y., & Tal, T. (2008b). Multiple outcomes of class visits to natural history museums: The students’ view. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 17(3), 274–284.Google Scholar
  5. Dillon, J., Rickinson, M., Teamey, K., Morris, M., Choi, M., Sanders, D., et al. (2006). The value of outdoor learning: Evidence from research in the UK and elsewhere. School Science Review, 87, 107–111.Google Scholar
  6. Dror, Y. (2011). Field trips as part of national education. In: G. Cohen & E. Shaish (Eds.), The field trips as an educational and value tool (pp. 22–33). Jerusalem: The Ministry of Education (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
  7. Falk, J. H. (Ed.), (2001). Free-choice science education, how we learn science outside of school. NY: Teachers College Press.Google Scholar
  8. Falk, J. H., & Dierking, L. D. (2000). Learning from museums: Visitor experiences and the making of meaning. Walnut Creek, Calif.: AltaMira Press.Google Scholar
  9. Gertel, G. (2010). The natural path. Benei-Brak: Sifriat Poalim Hakibbutz Hameuchad Publishers (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
  10. Gotlib, S. (2002). A jubilee of science education in Israel: transformation of goals and teaching methods. The Center of Science Teachers’ Professional Development. The Ministry of Education: Shelomi (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
  11. Kisiel, J. F. (2014). Clarifying the complexities of school–museum interactions: Perspectives from two communities. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 51(3), 342–367.Google Scholar
  12. Kubota, C., & Olstad, R. (1991). Effects of novelty-reducing preparation on exploratory behavior and cognitive learning in a science museum setting. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 28, 225–234.Google Scholar
  13. Margolin, J. (1957). Nature education: The ideas of J. Margolin. Tel Aviv: HaKibbutzim Seminar (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
  14. Milner, I. (2001). What fun! we almost got killed!. In J. Benstein (Ed.), One Earth, many worlds: A reader, study guide and activity manual in environmental thought, (2nd Ed., pp. 314–318). Tel Aviv: The Heschel Center for Environmental Learning and Leadership (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
  15. Morag, O., & Tal, T. (2012).Assessing learning in the outdoors with the field trip in natural environments (FiNE) framework. International Journal of Science Education, 34(5), 745–777.Google Scholar
  16. Orion, N. (1993). A model for the development and implementation of field trips as an integral part of the science curriculum. School Science and Mathematics, 93, 325–331.Google Scholar
  17. Orion, N., & Hofstein, A. (1994). Factors that influence learning during a scientific field trip in a natural environment. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31, 1097–1119.Google Scholar
  18. Pedretti, E. (2002). T. kuhn meets T. rex: Critical conversations and new directions in science centers and science museums. Studies in Science Education, 37, 1–42.Google Scholar
  19. Sadeh, I., & Zion, M. (2009). The development of dynamic inquiry performances within an open inquiry setting: A comparison to guided inquiry setting. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46(10), 1137–1160.Google Scholar
  20. Schön, D. A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
  21. Smoli, E. (1965). Teaching about nature in rural communities. Nature Education, 15/16, 1–2.Google Scholar
  22. Stahl, A. (1981). How the Ashkenazi Jews were educated to love nature and field trips. Iunim Behinuch, 31, 61–75 (in Hebrew).Google Scholar
  23. Tal, T., & Abramovitch, A. (2012). Activity and action: Bridging environmental sciences and environmental education. Research in Science Education, 43, 1–23.Google Scholar
  24. Tal, R., & Argaman, S. (2005). Characteristics and difficulties of teachers who mentor environmental inquiry projects. Research in Science Education, 35(4), 363–394.Google Scholar
  25. Tal, R., Bamberger, Y., & Morag, O. (2005). Guided school visits to natural history museums in Israel: Teachers’ roles. Science Education, 89(6), 920–935.Google Scholar
  26. Tal, T., LavieAlon, N., & Morag, O. (2014, January 17). Exemplary practice in field trips to natural environments. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. doi: 10.1002/tea.21137.
  27. Tal, T., & Morag, O. (2007). School visits to natural history museums: Teaching or enriching. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44, 747–769.Google Scholar
  28. Tal, T., & Morag, O. (2009).Action research as a means for preparing to teach outdoors in an ecological garden. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 20, 245–262.Google Scholar
  29. Tal, T., & Steiner, L. (2006). Patterns of teacher‐museum staff relationships: School visits to the educational centre of a science museum. Canadian Journal of Math, Science and Technology Education, 6(1), 25–46.Google Scholar
  30. Zaharoni, M. (1970). Nature and landscape, chapters in teaching the Bible, history and the land of Israel. Tel Aviv: Culture and Education (in Hebrew).Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Faculty of Education in Science and TechnologyTechnionHaifaIsrael

Personalised recommendations