About the Division
The Learning and Teaching Division was established in 2022, operating within the Vice Rector's office. The vice president of the division is Mr. Yuval Schreibman.
Bar-Ilan University is the third largest university in Israel, with about 20,000 students, 5,000 lecturers and more than 100,000 teaching hours per year. The division's role is to manage all aspects of teaching and learning through a systemic and holistic point of view, while understanding the changes in the world around us, aiming to create an innovative learning and teaching experience, adapted to the new student and the new lecturer.
The world we live in is amid two of the most significant revolutions that humanity has experienced: The digital revolution and the information revolution. New products are breaking into the market at an unprecedented speed. A flood of information is available and at the fingertips of anyone who seeks it, and the digital means of communication are accessible to each individual, allowing us to be more available and connected than ever.
Our students, members of Gen Z, were born into this reality of excessive media usage. They communicate, listen, absorb and process information in different ways. Their individual priorities are different, and the dynamic job market requires them to demonstrate new skills and abilities. These students desire to be more involved in the learning process, to have more flexibility, to develop relationships, to connect to the job market, to have a sense of community and meaning, etc.
In the new world, where knowledge is available and accessible, lecturers meet a new challenge and are required to take on new roles, such as instructor, mentor, curator, etc. For example, in the vast ocean of knowledge, they must know how to guide and direct the students and find relevant and reliable information.
Thus, it is necessary that traditional teaching methods meet the needs of the students and lecturers in the 21st century, and to the contemporary environment in which they function. The goal is to design active study environments and programs, and to adopt the use of new technological tools while assimilating cognitive skills. Furthermore, intrapersonal and interpersonal skills are essential for their integration into the world of employment and later in adult life. For the lecturers, the aim is to give the tools, guidance and resources required to implement these methods.
This is where we come in! The Learning and Teaching Division was established to promote and improve the means of teaching and learning at the university and adapt them to the new reality; We strive to assist the teaching staff in developing a variety of relevant and innovative study programs which include the students in learning and make it more effective and experiential.
The division has four departments:
- Pedagogy Department
- Digital Development Department
- Moodle Department
- Projects and Strategy Department
The division's activity includes:
- Accompanying the faculties, departments and lecturers in the implementation of innovative teaching methods in existing courses.
- Accompanying the faculties in formulating strategic plans in the field of learning and teaching.
- Development of digital tools for teaching.
- Design, development and technical support for course environments in the Moodle system.
- Holding dedicated workshops for the teaching staff.
- Conducting satisfaction surveys regarding teaching and choosing excelling lecturers.
