Following the COVID-19 pandemic’s enormous wave of job losses, a groundbreaking program in Israel offered new hope to professionals seeking a fresh start. Called Kivun H’adash, which translates to “New Direction,” this quick training course aimed to tackle two pressing issues: a nationwide shortage of teachers and widespread unemployment among those with college degrees. Prof. Yael Fisher and Prof. Orna Shatz-Oppenheimer, and Dr. Rinat Arviv Elyashiv—studied how this program worked and its potential benefits for the education system. Their findings are published in the journal Education Sciences, a publication focused on advancements in teaching and learning methods.
Facing the pandemic’s challenges, this program was created with support from the Ministry of Education and other organizations. It allowed candidates to qualify as teachers after a few months of intense online lessons and hands-on practice. Online lessons, delivered via tools like Zoom, were synchronous, meaning participants and instructors engaged in real-time discussions. As one of the coordinators described, the program felt like a “mission,” as it tackled not only the economic crisis but also the need for teachers in vital areas such as science, math, and early childhood education. The program marked a new way of thinking by using online platforms to deliver lessons.
Participants enrolled in large numbers, despite the hurdles of quickly recruiting and organizing such a program. Many students brought a sense of commitment and life experience to the table. According to one coordinator, “The students were more mature; they brought added value… experience with people, children, and life itself.” Their maturity was seen as a strength, helping them cope with the demanding nature of the program. This program, labeled as an alternative training model, offered a nontraditional, fast-tracked pathway for career changers to enter the teaching profession.
Several obstacles made the program especially challenging. For instance, pandemic-related school closures limited the opportunities for participants to practice teaching in real classrooms. Hands-on practice, known as clinical training, allows teachers-in-training to observe and teach in actual school environments, but this became difficult with schools shut down. Coordinators had to think creatively, using virtual teaching simulations, where trainees practiced teaching through digital tools, and team teaching online to make up for this. Despite these efforts, Dr. Fisher remarked, “They learned the materials but did not interact with the classroom,” stressing the importance of real-world practice in teacher training.
Problems aside, the research found that the program served as an effective and timely solution to the dual crises. Coordinators expressed both optimism and caution about whether all participants could adjust to the realities of teaching. As one coordinator shared, “I am not sure everyone will succeed. Some will find it challenging to manage a classroom.” Managing a classroom, a skill known as classroom management, refers to maintaining order and fostering a productive learning environment, which can be daunting for new teachers.
Teachers and educational planners can learn much from this initiative, which showed how flexible and alternative training programs can help address long-standing challenges in the system. Alternative programs refer to nontraditional methods of training professionals, often faster and more flexible than conventional courses. It also underscored that future programs must ensure trainees get enough practical experience and strong support to prepare them for the realities of teaching.
Looking ahead, the study concluded that while online classes can efficiently cover theory, hands-on teaching practice remains essential. A balanced approach that blends online learning with field-based experiences, such as student teaching in real classrooms, is vital for training future educators. “Hybrid teacher-training programs can teach disciplinary content online,” Dr. Fisher said, “but practical work, including clinical training and specialization, likely needs to occur in the traditional setting of teacher-training institutions.”
As the world’s schools continue to adapt to rapid changes, Israel’s experience with Kivun H’adash offers an inspiring example of how challenges can lead to innovation.
Journal Reference
Fisher, Y.; Shatz-Oppenheimer, O.; Arviv Elyashiv, R. “The Effect of COVID-19 on a Short-Term Teacher-Education Program: The Israeli Case.” Education Sciences, 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090958
About the Authors
Yael Fisher is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Administration at Achva Academic College in Israel. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Administration. Her research focuses on educational administration and policy, parental involvement, excellence in education, and teachers’ and principals’ self-efficacy. Professor Fisher published many articles and three books: “The Road to Excellence: Success Stories of Five Schools in Israel” (2008), “There Is Yet Another Way: Success Stories of Parental Involvement in Schools” (2010); New Horizons for facet theory: Interdisciplinary Collaboration Searching for Structure in Content Spaces and Measurement (2011). In the past 20 years, she has been a consultant in the Ministry of Education and a personal advisor of the Minister for Minority Affairs. Professor Fisher played a significant role in determining the policy of school principals’ training programs in Israel and key managerial positions in Ahava College and beyond (such as the head of the graduate school, the college rector, etc.). Serves as a board and editorial member of academic book publishers and an academic adviser to academic colleges on writing master’s degrees.
Orna Schatz Oppenheimer is an associate professor with a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is dean of social science at Hacademic Hemdat Teacher College. She was a lecturer in the Education Department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and at M.Ed David Yellin Academic College. She is engaged in qualitative narrative research on beginning teachers and professional identities. She has published books and articles.
Dr. Rinat Arviv Elyashiv serves as the Director of the Research Authority in Kibbutzim College of Education. Her studies focus on educational policy, teacher career, teacher professional development, educational assessment and social inequality. She participates in international partnerships to promote teachers’ professional identity and development.
