New Teaching Methods For College Students

Israeli startups will soon compete for the chance to change the way students are taught in higher education.

Many of the country’s 300 ed-tech (educational technology) startups are expected to apply for the new STEP IN competition, created to diversify existing teaching methods for academic courses in English, physical education, music, mathematics, science and technology, and humanities. 

The aim is to integrate innovative technologies into academic courses for teachers-in-training, and give them new and better ways of educating students at college and university. 

Three startups will be chosen to pilot their technologies in two courses next year. They will also receive guidance and mentoring, and participate in local and international conferences. 

At the end of the trial year, one of them will win a contract with the Levinsky-Wingate Academic College. 

The competition was created by the institution in collaboration with the 8200 Alumni Association, a non-profit that promotes entrepreneurship in Israel.

“The Levinsky-Wingate Academic College has set as its goal to promote flexible, personalized and creative teaching and learning, in a holistic combination of mind, body, soul, and technology,” said Shevi Govrin, who initiated the competition and is the head of the college’s Center of Innovation and Excellence.

“We work shoulder-to-shoulder with our wonderful ed-tech industry, which develops solutions and products that can advance teaching and learning in schools and academia to the emerging and changing reality from day to day. 

“The competition will open a door for technology companies and high-tech entrepreneurs to the world of academia, and is the first step in a series of events we are planning.”