This study explored what was entailed in implementing a professional development (PD) designed in the United States (US) to a different, Israeli, context. To achieve this goal, the first step was empirically examining the effectiveness of such a PD using quantitative methods. We then examined which adaptations were made in the imported PD and at…

Lockdowns imposed by many countries on their populations at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis forced teachers to adapt quickly and without adequate preparation to distance teaching. In this paper, we focus on one of the most formidable challenges that teachers faced during the lockdowns and even in the post-lockdown emergency period, namely,…

This study examined students' ability to learn mathematics in a self-directed teaching environment. One of the main goals of the educational system is to nurture independent learners who can grow up to be inquisitive, critical, creative, and capable of piloting their own learning. This implies making a change in the way the role of the mathematics…

This paper reports on a study conducted within VIDEO-LM (Viewing, Investigating and Discussing Environments of Learning Mathematics), a video-based professional development project for secondary mathematics teachers that aims to enhance reflection on practice. The study explored VIDEO-LM sessions where Israeli teachers watched an 8th grade…

In this paper I explore the question of what counts as successful implementation of a mathematics professional development (PD) project at scale. Two kinds of upscale are presented and differentiated from one another: upscale of settings and upscale of values, and the link between this differentiation and how success may be defined is discussed.…

One of the challenges of understanding the complexity of so-called reform mathematics instruction lies in the observational tools used to capture it. This article introduces a unique tool, drawing from commognitive theory, for describing classroom discussions. The Realization Tree Assessment tool provides an image of a classroom discussion,…

The present study evaluated the effects of a program designed to promote a growth mindset in maths teachers (i.e., the belief that maths ability can improve through experience and learning) to enhance teaching and learning outcomes in their maths classes. The sample was composed of 155 Israeli high-school maths teachers who were randomly assigned…

This research traced changes in choices of technological tools and attitudes toward technology use among novice mathematics teachers at three stages of their professional development: as pre-service teachers, a year later, and in their work as novice teachers. At each stage, the participants were required to evaluate the benefits of technology use…

Teaching mathematically gifted students is a challenging pursuit, especially at the secondary level. However, characterizing teachers who can successfully meet this challenge has so far been scarcely addressed directly. In this paper, elements of the desired profile of such teachers are extracted from the general literature on mathematical…

The implementation of new standards in science and mathematics education necessitates an intensive and comprehensive professional development of science and mathematics teachers. Israel, which currently is in the process of reforming school science and mathematics, constructed a continuous lifelong framework for such professional development. This…