From In-Service Training to Professional Development: Alternative Paradigms in Israel for Diaspora Educators

Publication Date: December 2003

Publisher: Jewish Agency for Israel. Department of Jewish-Zionist Education. Research and Development Unit

Author(s): Lisa D. Grant; Alex D. M. Pomson

Research Area: Education

Keywords: Educators; Adult education; Israel attachment

Type: Report

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

Little research has been conducted to help understand what different kinds of programs accomplish in terms of their impact on the personal and professional lives of participants. More fundamentally, no attempt has yet been made to build a conceptual framework that can help define The Jewish Agency's role in providing Israel-based professional development for North American Jewish educators. This paper attempts to fill in these gaps. Through an investigation of two different programs, we ask what should be the key characteristics of professional development for Diaspora educators in Israel. We explore the benefits of doing such a training program in Israel, and we consider how time should be spent in order to maximize Israel as a resource for Jewish teacher educators.