REHOVOT, ISRAEL—April 8, 2008—An innovative new study program for science and math teachers will soon be inaugurated at the Weizmann Institute of Science. The Caesarea Program, made possible by the Caesarea Edmond Benjamin de Rothschild Foundation, will offer master’s degrees in science education to outstanding high school and middle school science and math teachers. The curriculum, prepared by Weizmann Institute faculty, will include studies designed to broaden and deepen scientific knowledge, meetings with scientists working at the cutting edge of scientific research, and practice in applying innovative approaches to teaching. Participants will also conduct research in the field of science teaching and gain firsthand experience in leading original educational initiatives.
Studies will take place two days a week for the first two years, and one day a week in the third year. The rest of the week, the participants can continue their normal teaching duties. Participants will be selected on the basis of recommendations and personal interviews, and each will receive a study grant in addition to an exemption from tuition.
For teachers who already have advanced degrees, the program offers a multi-track option that will integrate practical studies with research that will take place one day a week. Participants in this branch of the program are also eligible for study scholarships.
A continuing-education program will be offered to those who finish either track, in collaboration with the Science Teaching Department and other scientific departments at the Weizmann Institute, and with the Davidson Institute of Science Education, which also conducts its activities at the Weizmann Institute. The continuing-education program will aim to support the participants in developing and implementing innovative science education projects.
The Caesarea Program is open to outstanding science and math teachers who have at least three years of teaching experience. Those teachers chosen to participate in this prestigious program are required to commit to teaching for at least another three years after they complete their studies.
The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, is one of the world's top-ranking multidisciplinary research institutions. Noted for its wide-ranging exploration of the natural and exact sciences, the Institute is home to 2,600 scientists, students, technicians, and supporting staff. Institute research efforts include the search for new ways of fighting disease and hunger, examining leading questions in mathematics and computer science, probing the physics of matter and the universe, creating novel materials, and developing new strategies for protecting the environment.
