Aim. In the paper the authors briefly describe a methodology they proposed to innovate engineering education at secondary vocational schools in the field of CAD/CAE systems, and subsequently in a more detail they analyse teachers´ experiences and opinions on the use of the proposed methodology, and to it designed teaching materials, in their teaching practice. Methods. The proposed innovative way of the CAD/CAE system teaching is based on inverting the ratio of the time allowance between teaching technical drawing, and teaching modelling and simulation from 2:1 to 1:2. The stated inverting enables on the one hand to reduce by half the number of teaching lessons allocated to creation of technical documentation, and on the other hand to double the number of teaching lessons devoted to modelling and simulations. Results. As a main output of the proposed innovative approach of the CAD/CAE system teaching two textbooks were created which can be used in teaching the subjects focused on technical drawing knowledge and skills acquisition at secondary vocational schools according to the newly proposed alternative way of teaching methodology of CAD/CAE systems. Conclusion. The created teaching materials supporting the teaching of CAD/CAE systems according to the proposed methodology undergone through an experimental implementation process at a selected sample of vocational schools in conditions of real pedagogical practice. Evaluation of the obtained experiences was done in a frame of a panel discussion.

Aim. The main aim of the authors of this study is to indicate the problem areas of individuals and the families during the pandemic and post-pandemic situation which occurred in connection with a deteriorating social and societal situation. Methods. Using a literary descriptive and deductive method, the authors identify, indicate and analyze not only epidemiological measures and the possibilities of applying social interventions in the individual and in the family, but also draw attention to state measures taken to manage new conditions of family life. Results. The analysis indicates a broad issue that affects individuals, families, and groups, as well as societal sectors. The authors point to the provision of interventions through social work, which takes into account the basic characteristics of the family. Social intervention therefore becomes an important tool in solving problematic situations of any small or large social group. Conclusions. The pandemic and post-pandemic situation brought about a number of problematic situations that had to be solved dynamically and, in many cases, through crisis intervention. Forms of assistance to individuals and families brought cohesion and unity, but also brought a number of other concerns reflecting the current adverse societal situation into the wider environment.

Background: Social media has been a particularly significant tool for sharing grief over the death of loved ones, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The research was conducted from December 2022 to June 2023. The aim of the study was to determine the support options of social media used by grieving individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative research methodology was employed for the purposes of the study. Sixteen respondents participated in the research - 9 women and 7 men aged 24 to 45 years. Semi-structured interviews were used as the data collection tool. Results: In the space provided by social media, support for grieving survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic was primarily utilised for connection and community. Other options that respondents identified as useful were access to resources and information, sharing memories and stories, emotional support and empathy, virtual memorialization and awareness about grief, loss, and the importance of mental health support during those challenging times. Conclusion: In the current era of modern technological progress, death and grief are increasingly and prominently represented through digital media. Simultaneously, they transform the way interaction occurs among grieving survivors. Similar research could be a continuation in further exploring the impact of social media on public health and also on the potential usefulness of their digital tools.

The pilot study aimed at enhancing understanding of how novice teachers in Israel perceive &=039; teacher leadership&=039; as a distinct category of &=039; educational leadership&=039. The study focuses on first-year teachers in their internship year, graduates of a Teacher Training Program for Academics. The goal of this study was to explore whether there is a discrepancy between their perceptions on the theoretical level and on the practical level. The research paradigm was qualitative, using emic and etic approach as the basis for the content analysis of the novice teachers&=039; final papers. The theoretical understanding yielded qualities that are necessary for teacher leaders, in 4 categories: &=039; humanistic/social qualities&=039; &=039; managerial qualities&=039; &=039; pedagogical qualities&=039; and &=039; personality qualities&=039; depicting spiritual and practical aspects. The findings from the internship year show that teacher leadership refers to teachers from different roles and school subjects, a diversity of performances at school, many of which represent individual initiatives of teachers. The profile of teacher leaders from their school days reveals teachers with sensitivity, humanity and devotion. The recommendations of the study are to further develop the professional identity of teachers as teacher leaders/innovators/change agents within Teacher Training Programs.

This study reflects on students' and instructors' evaluations of an embedded literacies course in a Master's program in Teaching & Education in Israel. The main goal of the study was to explore the academic justification for embedding a compulsory academic literacies course, taught in the mother tongue (Hebrew), at the outset of the M.Teach. Using questionnaires and interviews, students and instructors' perceptions were sought with reference to the necessity, contribution and suitability of the course in a Master's degree. Unlike their instructors, students were not persuaded of the need or utility of the course they had completed. The interviews suggested that they saw it as irrelevant, at their level of study, and irrelevant to their work in the M.Teach. While implementing such a course is complicated, involving many considerations, the main conclusion is the need to share with students the course' aims - beyond study skills and language proficiency - of acculturating students to the academic discourse in general and to Education as a discipline in particular. This should diminish the gaps between students' and instructors' perceptions and motivate the students towards the course. Although the study took place in the local context of Hebrew-speaking students, it has wider applicability wherever students - including local students - need a better understanding of the demands of writing for their higher degree.

The study explored the perceptions of student- teachers of educational leadership and management with regard to the roles of homeroom teachers and subject teachers in secondary schools. The participants of the study are students in the biggest College of Education in Israel. The analysis was conducted on the students' posts in an online forum of an academic course using qualitative and quantitative methods. The students' posts indicated a differentiation between the perceptions of the two roles on the level of ideology as opposed to the practical level. The most prevailing leadership model that emerged from the findings is transformational with four other models, all of which are congruent with the humanistic approach to teaching. Further research should focus on the gaps between school reality and teacher education programmes in order to facilitate the induction phase for novice teachers.

Teachers' role in the 21st century has become more complex in today's changing world where knowledge is almost unlimited. Teachers are expected to become technologically oriented and responsible not only for their teaching but also for their students' learning. They have to cater for special needs of individual students in heterogeneous classes, and create a student-centered learning environment which strives for excellence, and offers opportunities for enquiry and active learning. Teachers need to meet the standards of the curriculum while enhancing students' creativity, curiosity and motivation. They need to ensure a safe climate in their classrooms and maintain relationships with students, parents and staff. However, the question of how to embed technological changes in education without posing a threat to human values remains unresolved.The aim of the study was to gain insights about how pre-service teachers perceive teachers' role in a world of technological changes. The study was conducted among students of a Masters program who participated in an online forum of an academic course. The discussion forum was preceded by a Youtube video about the need for educational changes. A content analysis was then conducted on the posts. Findings yielded that although computer-orientation is regarded in a positive way, it certainly cannot replace the role of a meaningful teacher in class. The analysis strongly emphasized a tendency towards the Humanistic Approach in Education with emphasis on teaching values, human relations and social skills, of enhancing creativity and curiosity, and finally developing a holistic view of learners. At the same time the posts demonstrated understanding of the benefits of technologies in education. The study presented a balanced approach which incorporates the old (values) and the new (technology) rather than totally abandoning the old for the sake of the new.

The goal of this study was to explore the similarities and differences in the attitudes of two groups of student-teachers from different cultures: a group of Israelis and a group of Slovaks.The two groups were divided into pairs who carried out an e-mail correspondence on the topic The Inclusion of Students with Special Needs in Mainstream Education. The content analysis of the posts addressed three categories: Theoretical and practical knowledge of special needs, Attitudes towards special needs and inclusion, Strategies for coping with differences in heterogeneous classes. The findings yielded a similarity in the positive attitudes towards inclusion between the two groups. However, the groups differed in their theoretical and practical knowledge because the Slovak group had limited teaching experience and no academic courses on inclusive education. The findings break the existing link between academic courses/teaching experience, and positive attitudes towards inclusion, and suggest a different way of thinking. They also highlight the need to explore conceptual differences between cultures.

The article examines the concept of "The Other" bearing the meaning of "different", rather than the meaning of "whoever is not myself", in the light of Integration and Inclusion in the Israeli Educational System and Society. For this sake two new concepts have been coined: "different-other" and "significant different-other". The literature analysis indicates that according to the Integration Model and the idea of Normalization, the reference to "The Other" as a human being rather than "a special needs person" is minimized, while the ideological basis of Inclusion matches a holistic and pluralistic view which encourages the uniqueness of the "Different-Other" and leads him towards a meaningful life. The analysis of examples in the Israeli society yields that despite advanced legislation and awareness towards individuals with special needs, the current situation does not meet the criteria of Inclusion. The educational reality indicates that no restructuring of the system, as a major criterion of Inclusion, has taken place, although the principles of early identification, intervention and monitoring are already implemented. The overall insight from the article is that despite the strive towards equity and equality in legislation, efforts should be channeled to persuade the public that the "Different-Other" is first and foremost a human being, and it is the duty of the society to view him as a "Significant Different-Other" rather than a "Different-Other".

This article addresses the controversy around teacher use of the mother tongue (MT) in foreign language (FL) teaching.Empirical and theoretical knowledge advocates that the MT should be incorporated by teachers in FL classrooms.The present study was conducted among 112 English language teachers in Hebrew-speaking elementary and secondary schools in Israel.The research tool was a questionnaire designed specifically for the purpose of the study.Findings demonstrate that teachers' overall attitude towards MT use in FL classrooms is positive; they report using the MT for teaching purposes and a small number use the MT for classroom management purposes.Elementary and secondary school teachers differ in their use of the MT.Findings may be useful to language education policy-makers in designing more formal and concrete guidelines to help FL teachers use students' MT judiciously.The article offers a model for an efficient use of the MT in FL classrooms.The question whether the students' mother tongue (MT) should be used in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms in Israel has been re-opened to controversy recently, after many years in which the MT was discouraged on pedagogical grounds in the teaching of foreign languages (FL).This situation exists in many other countries where English as a foreign language (EFL) is taught, given the processes of globalization worldwide, e.g., German as the MT in EFL lessons in German schools or Thai as the MT in EFL classrooms in Thailand.In the state of Israel, it was difficult in the past for teachers to incorporate Hebrew as the MT into EFL classrooms for two reasons: (a) Israel was founded by Jews who immigrated to Israel from all parts of the world; thus, many English teachers were newcomers and did not speak Hebrew themselves, and (b) classes were characterized by a multiplicity of MTs.However, later, when Hebrew became a commonly spoken language for more teachers and students alike, teachers often avoided using it in teaching because it was considered pedagogically inappropriate.In Israel, EFL lessons start in Grade 2 or 3 of elementary school.Although most secondary school graduates speak English at different levels and may be exposed to English on the Internet and television, English is rarely heard or spoken on the streets.

The aim of this study is to examine the attitudes of 36 elementary school teachers towards the inclusion of students with learning disabilities in Mathematics in mainstream classes. The research related to three aspects: teachers’ knowledge of learning disabilities, teachers’ perceptions of the physical inclusion of these students, teachers’ perceptions of their responsibility towards the curricular inclusion of students with learning disabilities and towards curricular adaptations. Findings indicate that teachers’ knowledge of the topic is partial, whereas teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion are positive with regard to the three aspects of the research. The study yielded a need to incorporate the topic of learning disabilities into existing training programs for pre-service teachers.