Dr. Oved Kedem
Dr. Oved Kedem was born in Argentina in 1945, and immigrated to Israel in 1965, to Kibbutz Beit Kama. He has lived in Gedera since 1989. He is married to Susanna (piano teacher), father of 3 and grandfather of 3. He studied at the Open University and the Weizmann Institute. He received his doctorate in physics from Salford University in the UK, and also studied aeronautical engineering, manufacturing engineering, and specialized in teaching science.
Over the years, Dr. Kedem has worked with the goal of promoting science education among teachers and students, by developing curiosity and critical thinking towards scientific, social and political powers, demanding explanations and proposing alternatives. This, in the belief that science is a tool for finding answers to existential questions: What are we? What are the ways to understand how the world works? How can scientific knowledge be used for the benefit of mankind?
Throughout his career he has been working to bring science closer to the hearts of students, teachers, from a perception that science should be learned from context (social, historical, political, cultural) and not as isolated fields (physics, mathematics, biology, chemistry, etc.).
Dr. Kedem worked as a science teacher and educator in high school. He initiated and established a biotechnology plant for the extraction and purification of proteins from human plasma. He later developed teacher education and training units in the science teaching department of the Weizmann Institute and in the Center for Educational Technology.
In addition, Dr. Kedem is one of the founders of the Davidson Institute for Science Education at the Weizmann Institute, where he has held the position of Director of Educational Projects. As part of this he developed a new approach called "active science" that helps students to the fullest of their mental, social and mental abilities.
Since his retirement (2012) he has worked as a Curriculum Advisor at the Davidson Institute.
Dr. Kedem's methods and educational approach were presented to an Israeli audience, and to educators from all over the world and were very successful. He taught as part of international courses at the Center for International Cooperation, lectured and conducted workshops in South Korea, Poland, and Latin America.
Today he continues to develop ideas and models for active teaching and learning of sciences. These models are applied in the development of parks and science museums, and in the presentations that appear on this site.
Orna Talmon
Science teacher in elementary and middle schools. Coordinates and teaches advanced training for science and technology teachers in Tel Aviv-Yafo.
"I got to know Oved in the training of science teachers. The unique pedagogy of full lessons in an experiential creative wonder experience brought with him by an applied worker in the field with my students ... A worker full of creative ideas, good at turning chemistry and physics into a child's play"