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Kadima Mada (Science Journey):
 

A New Phase in World ORT’s 60-Year Commitment to Bring Practical Education to Israel

As a nation, Israel has a large concentration of high-tech industries and a need for engineers to support its business infrastructure. Recognizing that the level of science and technology education must improve to effectively compete in today’s global economy, ORT began working with the Ministry of Education to identify how to prepare students to take their place in an Israeli workforce that could better meet the country’s increasing high-tech needs. The result is Kadima Mada (Science Journey).

Launched in March 2007, Kadima Mada is an exciting multi-year, multi-million dollar initiative to increase the level of science and technology education in Israel. In partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Education and local authorities, Science Journey now serves more than 100,000 students throughout Israel with programs that provide greater opportunities, increased resources, and better facilities at high schools in more than 30 communities and in hospital education centers in 27 hospitals. This robust, comprehensive science and technology program has gone from strength to strength and continues to improve the lives of thousands of Israeli students and teachers. Major initiatives include installation of 1000 interactive classrooms ‘Smart Classes’ throughout Israel, the building of Science City in Kiryat Yam, and plans for a new campus for Shaar HaNegev School in the south of Israel. ORT America is supporting the following Science Journey programs:   SMART CLASSES Smart Classes have revolutionized the educational system in Israel. Designed to assist teachers in meeting their day-to-day classroom challenges, Smart Classes are enhancing students’ academic performance with simple, practical and meaningful use of technology. The Smart Class also expands the diversity of learning styles in the classroom and is a highly effective way to maintain students’ interest and engagement. Most importantly, students think it’s “a fun and very cool way to learn!” Smart Classes are comprised of an Interactive White Board (IWB) linked to a computer for use by the teacher, a projector linked to the IWB, laptop computers for use by students, a laser printer, teaching software, and a wireless network. INTELLIGENT LABORATORIES These labs are placed in schools situated in economically depressed areas of Israel. The Intelligent Laboratory is a concept in science teaching that combines innovative equipment to help carry out experiments and new methodologies in teaching. The laboratories use the Nova system of data loggers and sensors that record, collate and present data from scientific experiments so that students can focus their attention on conducting the experiments and interacting with their teachers. The overall goal is to increase student interest and motivation with the end-result of raising attainment levels and the number of students that opt for a science or technology-based career. Upgrading the science laboratory equipment will have an immediate effect on the level of general interest in the sciences, as well as on the level of learning and teaching. MOVING SCIENCE EXHIBITIONS The immediate objective of the Moving Science Exhibition project is to give young people from towns and villages on Israel’s periphery the opportunity to gain similar experiences as their peers in the larger cities by bringing science and technology exhibits to them. The longer-term goal is to inspire and encourage an interest in science and technology studies among students from Israel’s periphery, which will follow them as they continue their education and career paths. MABAT Many young people (and adults!) find scientific theory difficult to understand and for this reason, tend to steer away from the sciences as soon as they can. The MABAT program provides a fun, stimulating learning environment that engages junior high school students in scientific and technological experiments. STUDENTS AT RISK The Students at Risk (STARs) program is a global initiative, helping economically disadvantaged students by providing essential items such as uniforms, books, school supplies, hot meals and transportation vouchers. Israeli students identified for this program are in desperate need of financial support to remain in school. Their families are suffering from unimaginable economic hardship and deprivation. They may come from single parent households, have parents who are unemployed or underemployed. Others are experiencing crisis such as death or serious illness that have disrupted family income. This project ensures that these students attend school with their basic needs met so they can concentrate on their studies and not feel any different from their peers. WORLD ORT TEACHER EMPOWERMENT CENTERS Each World ORT Teacher Empowerment Center (WOTEC) is a haven for teachers and is specially designed as a high-tech staff room featuring all the upgraded equipment that teachers need to prepare their lessons with minimal stress and maximum efficiency. The WOTEC project provides teachers with updated educational technologies and teaches them how to incorporate them into their daily classroom activities. Each WOTEC consists of a specifically designated room where teachers can prepare their lessons, develop their own teaching materials - CDs, movies, Web sites, slides, transparencies, brochures, and other printed materials – all using modern information and communication technology. SMILE PROGRAM The SMILE program is an educational lifeline for bedridden children in hospitals throughout Israel. SMILE provides laptop computers and student mentors who bring friendship, mentoring and educational assistance for hospitalized children undergoing various treatments. This enables students of all ages to continue their studies and avoid falling behind in their schoolwork. The SMILE project also provides a rewarding opportunity for 10th grade students from schools participating in the Kadima Mada program to perform the community service necessary in order to graduate from high school. INNOVATION LEADERS Innovation Leaders provide motivation and inspiration to students and teachers. They  spearhead and support new educational initiatives in schools throughout Israel. Each leader ensures that technology education continues to be an engaging, interactive learning experience for all.

ORT News from Kadima Mada

Kadima Mada’s moveable feast of science is luring Israeli kids back to studying science with the creation of five mobile, interactive exhibitions, each one illustrating a principle of physics.   World ORT Shows The Future of Education: At the Israeli Presidential Conference in Jerusalem, World ORT used the interactive technology in use across its Kadima Mada program to link classes at three schools – two in Israel and one in Moscow - to the audience of some of Israel’s top decision makers. Back to the Future with Kadima Mada: World ORT is reversing the trend against teaching practical technological subjects with this week’s official launch of Phase 9 of Kadima Mada – Learning Science through Technology, at Horfesh Junior High School. World ORT strengthens Israeli society: The mayors of Horfesh and Kiryat Yam and the principal of Shaar HaNegev High School describing how their communities have benefited from Kadima Mada (Science Journey) say that the program has raised morale in areas of conflict, kindled hope in underprivileged towns and are strengthening Israeli society. Can Kadima Mada make industry eco-friendly?: Students embark on this year's project to design an environmentally friendly industrial park to host Haifa Bay's heavy industries in which many of their parents work. Donate Now to Kadima Mada (Science Journey). See  news & events for more headlines from Kadima Mada as well as the news from Latin America, the Baltic states, Europe and the whole of the World ORT network.

Kadima Mada: Showing Progress, Marking Milestones

Oct 2009: World ORT is quadrupling the number of people benefiting from Kadima Mada by administering a network of distance learning portals and other interactive services for hospitalized children. Working in partnership with Kav Or, a charitable organization that uses online communications and enrichment activities to reduce anxiety and stress of hospitalized children, World ORT’s educational expertise will help the 120,000 children who are treated in Israel’s 27 main public hospitals each year.

In 2007, Kadima Mada launched with the installation of brand new, state-of-the-art science and technology laboratories at over 30 Israeli high schools. 

Update for 2009: World ORT’s leading role in introducing “smart” technology into Israeli schools was reaffirmed in May when some 100 teachers and principals from 40 schools attended an open day at Sha’ar HaNegev High School. The teachers spent the day being introduced to the theory and practice of using Interactive White Boards (IWBs) and associated equipment which World ORT brought to Sha’ar HaNegev and five other schools last year under Phase 5 of its Kadima Mada (Science Journey) program.  In light of the successful impact of the new technology in the schools benefiting from Kadima Mada, Israel’s Ministry of Education, Ministry of Development of the Negev and Galilee and World ORT have become partners in an ambitious project to convert 1,000 classrooms into high-tech smart classes over the next two years.

In 2007, some 4,000 Students at Risk were identified as being in urgent economic need of assistance in order to continue their studies. Vouchers were distributed to 17 schools where recipients are selected by teachers and counselors at the schools who are not only familiar with each student’s needs but are able to have a close and supportive relationship with each one of them. Vouchers can be redeemed for text books, sports kit, school supplies or uniforms.

UPDATE for 2009: World ORT is distributing more than 570,000 shekels-worth of aid to some of the poorest high school students in Israel – but donations to the Students at Risk program are down while the needs of children have increased. Principals are grateful for the support, stressing the psychological boost that poor students enjoy by being able to start the academic year on an equal footing with their more affluent classmates. But with official figures showing 28 per cent of Israeli citizens – 1.6 million people, including 600,000 children – living in poverty and the situation worsening because of the recession, principals of schools participating in Kadima Mada are pleading with World ORT’s supporters to make sacrifices, if necessary, to help those who are seriously disadvantaged.

Donate Now to Kadima Mada (Science Journey).