A 350,000 NIS grant has been awarded to Dr. Maya Usher

Dr. Maya Usher from the Faculty of Instructional Technologies has been awarded a 350,000 NIS grant for three years, through an open call for proposals from the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Education, for personalizing teacher learning through artificial intelligence in 2024.

Dr. Maya Usher

While AI integration in education holds immense potential for reshaping teaching, learning, and assessment processes, comprehensive teacher preparation is essential for intelligent, efficient, and ethical use of these technologies.

Alongside Dr. Usher (Principal Investigator), research partners include Prof. Miri Barak, Dean of the Faculty of Education in Science and Technology at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, and Dr. Abeer Watted from the Faculty of Science Teaching at Al-Qasemi Academic College of Education. 

"This research aims to examine, for the first time from a broad perspective, the challenges and approaches to integrating AI tools in educational processes, focusing on the viewpoints of hundreds of leading researchers and educators from different disciplines in Jewish and Arab societies. 

The project emphasizes that teacher training in the use of AI tools must be conducted responsibly, striving to minimize the exacerbation of existing inequalities and social disparities in Israeli society. The content will be developed with an adaptive and flexible approach, addressing differences in teaching styles, teachers’ needs, disciplines, and the cultural backgrounds of their students. This approach not only promotes inclusivity and relevance across diverse educational contexts but also empowers teachers to take ownership of integrating AI technologies in their classrooms, thereby enhancing the practical impact of such integration”.