Highlights

Professional Development activities:

Our STEP PD for teachers will start in the fall of 2024. Read our newsletter, or here for more details


Conference organization:

CERME 14 - Bolzano, Italy, February 2025

ICMT 5 - Trondheim, Norway, June 2025


Research group activities:

Research group meetings will resume on Wednesdays in November, 2024. Please get in touch with meri@education.haifa.ac.il for more details. 


Latest publications:

Moed-Abu Raya, K., Olsher, S. (2024). Teachers’ Formative Assessment Practices in Their Mathematics Classroom Using Learning Analytics Visualizations. Digital Experiences in Mathematics Education. Advanced online publication:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s40751-024-00148-7

Cusi, A., Aldon, G., Barzel, B., Olsher, S. (2024). Rethinking Teachers’ Formative Assessment Practices Within Technology-Enhanced Classrooms. In: Pepin, B., Gueudet, G., Choppin, J. (eds) Handbook of Digital Resources in Mathematics Education. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95060-6_29-1

Dr. Shai Olsher

I am a senior lecturer in the Department of Mathematics Education in the Faculty of Education, and a researcher in the Mathematics Education Research and Innovation Center at the University of Haifa. 

My research is a braid comprised of three strands: mathematics education, digital technologies, and curriculum resources design and implementation. My studies usually combine all three, often bringing forth one specific strand to focus on. In them, I go beyond the study of existing technologies, but rather take an active part in designing and implementing novel environments and tools that facilitate the learning, teaching, and assessment in mathematics.

My current research focuses on:

You can find me on: Google Scholar | ResearchGate 

On a personal note:

Living in Tel-Aviv, married to Dana, and raising our kids Noa, Berry, and Yuli, I try also to attend to my favorite pastime activities which usually include either the sea or the desert, and ideally - both:

sea and desert

More Links:

Research & Development

Peer-reviewed journal articles

Moed-Abu Raya, K., Olsher, S. (2024). Teachers’ Formative Assessment Practices in Their Mathematics Classroom Using Learning Analytics Visualizations. Digital Experiences in Mathematics Education. Advanced online publication:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s40751-024-00148-7

Yerushalmy, M., Olsher, S., Harel, R., Chazan, D. (2023). Supporting Inquiry Learning: an Intellectual Mirror that Describes what It “Sees”. Digital Experiences in Mathematics Education. 9, 315–342, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40751-022-00120-3

Harel, R., Olsher, S., & Yerushalmy, M. (2022). Personal elaborated feedback design in support of students’ conjecturing processes, Research in Mathematics Education, 26(1), 70–89.   https://doi.org/10.1080/14794802.2022.2137571

Olsher, S., & Lavie, I. (2023). Design of Tasks for Assessment of Generalization Abilities by Pre-Service Teachers of Elementary School Mathematics. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology54(5), 706–724. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2021.1962999

Cusi, A., & Olsher, S., (2022). Design of classroom discussions and the role of the expert in fostering an effective and aware use of examples as a means of argumentation. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 20, 1573-1593, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10763-021-10201-1 

Abdu, R., Olsher, S., & Yerushalmy, M. (2022). Pedagogical considerations for designing automated grouping systems: the case of parabola. Digital Experiences in Mathematics Education. 8, 99-124, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40751-021-00095-7   

Haj-Yahya, A., & Olsher, S., (2022). Preservice Teachers' Experiences with Digital Formative Assessment in Mathematics. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 53(7), 1751-1769, https://doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2020.1842527

Olsher, S., & Cooper, J. (2021). Aspects of the teacher-textbook relationship: What can we learn about teachers when they tag didactic metadata?. ZDM Mathematics Education, 53(6), 1347-1358,  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-021-01251-4 

Cooper, J., Olsher, S., & Yerushalmy, M. (2021). Empirical Reconstruction of Learning Progressions Based on Teachers’ Tagging of Didactic Metadata. Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 61,100833. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0732312320300973

Olsher, S., & Cooper, J. (2021). Expressing the Voice of the Textbook—Insights Gained from Tagging Didactic Metadata. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education. 19, 1635–1653, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-020-10124-3

Yerushalmy, M., & Olsher, S., (2020). Online assessment of students’ reasoning when solving example-eliciting tasks: using conjunction and disjunction to increase the power of examples. ZDM - The International Journal on Mathematics Education. 52, 1033–1049. https://DOI.org/10.1007/s11858-020-01134-0 

Cooper. J., Olsher, S., & Yerushalmy, M. (2020). Didactic metadata informing teachers’ selection of learning resources – Boundary-crossing in professional development. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education. 23, 363–384. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-019-09428-1 

Olsher, S., & Even, R. (2019). Organizing Tools Suggested by Teachers in the Mathematics Textbook They Use in Class. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 17, 1381–1399. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-018-9902-2 

Yerushalmy, M., Nagari Haddif, G., & Olsher, S. (2017). How Might the Design of Tasks for Online Formative Assessment Support our Understanding of Students' Conceptions? ZDM - The International Journal on Mathematics Education. 49(5), 701-716. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-017-0871-7

Olsher, S., Yerushalmy, M., & Chazan, D. (2016). How might the use of technology in formative assessment support changes in mathematics teaching? For the Learning of Mathematics, 36(3), 11-18. https://flm-journal.org/Articles/1083F0AD733094BDDDBD64476F743F.pdf

Olsher, S. (2011). Gradual Teaching of Mathematical Operators through Parameterization and Programming. Aspects in Computer Science Teaching, 33, 8-15 (in Hebrew). https://cse.net.technion.ac.il/files/2016/09/Hebetim-jan11-33.pdf

Book chapters

Cusi, A., Aldon, G., Barzel, B., Olsher, S. (2024). Rethinking Teachers’ Formative Assessment Practices Within Technology-Enhanced Classrooms. In: Pepin, B., Gueudet, G., Choppin, J. (eds) Handbook of Digital Resources in Mathematics Education. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95060-6_29-1

Olsher, S., Chazan, D., Drijvers, P., Sangwin, C., & Yerushalmy, M. (2023). Digital Assessment and the “Machine”. In: Pepin, B., Gueudet, G., Choppin, J. (eds) Handbook of Digital Resources in Mathematics Education. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95060-6_44-1

Robutti, O., Aldon, G., Cusi, A., Olsher, S., Panero, M., Cooper, J., Carante, P., & Prodromou, T. (2019). Boundary objects in mathematics education and their role across communities of teachers and researchers in interaction. In Lloyd, G. M. & Lynch, C. (Eds.) The Second Edition of the International Handbook of Mathematics Teacher Education (pp. 211-240). Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004419230_009

Har-Carmel, Y., Olsher, S., Elkin-Koren, N., & Yerushalmy, M., (2019). eTextbooks: Challenges to pedagogy, law and policy. In Y.Kali, A. Baram-Tsabary, A., Schejter (Eds.), Learning in a networked society. (pp. 177-200). Springer. https://DOI.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14610-8_10

Olsher S. (2019). Making Good Practice Common Using Computer-Aided Formative Assessment. In: Aldon G., Trgalová J. (eds) Technology in Mathematics Teaching. Mathematics Education in the Digital Era, vol 13. (pp. 31-47). Springer. https://DOI.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19741-4_2

Even, R., Ayalon, M., & Olsher, S. (2016). Teacher editing textbooks: Transforming conventional connections between teachers, curriculum developers, and mathematicians. In M. Phakeng & S. Lerman (Eds.) Mathematics Education in a Context of Inequity, Poverty and Language Diversity (pp 127-140). Springer. https://DOI.org/10.1007/978-3-319-38824-3_10

Even, R., & Olsher, S. (2014). Teachers as participants in textbook development: The Integrated Mathematics Wiki-book Project. In Y. Li & G. Lappan (Eds.), Mathematics Curriculum in School Education (pp 333-350). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7560-2_16

Curricular materials

Olsher, S., Aridor, K., Lavie, I., & Popper, P. (2019). Tasks for generalizing Mathematical Geometry concepts for Elementary School. National Center for Mathematics Elementary School Teachers, the University of Haifa (in Hebrew).

“Private Teacher” mathematics education television series (Role: Chief screenplay writer). 74 episodes in 3 seasons, Israeli Educational Television, Tel-Aviv, Israel (in Hebrew).

Software packages

Yerushalmy, M. & Olsher, S. (2014 - present). STEP - Seeing the entire picture, an online platform for formative assessment in STEM. Developed at the Mathematics Education Research and Innovation Center, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Israel. 

Olsher, S., & Yerushalmy, M. (2017- 2019). Edumap - Interactive dynamic tools for tagging and representing curricular resources. See Chrome extension store

Olsher, S. (2007). Achievement analysis for Israeli Psychometric exam preparation course. For: Axoima - Educational Achievements Ltd., Israel (in Hebrew).

Talks, Press, & Presentations

Interactions in teaching and learning mathematics from the technology’s point of view. Plenary lecture at The 11th Jerusalem Conference on Research in Mathematics Education – JCRME 11. Jerusalem, Israel. February, 2023  (in Hebrew).

Te(a)ching to collaborate: Automatic assessment based grouping recommendations and implications for teaching. Plenary lecture at The 15th International Conference on Technology in Mathematics Teaching – ICTMT 15. Copenhagen, Denmark. September, 2021.

Mathematics Education Series (4 chapters), The Lab, on KAN Tarbut (Culture) radio channel and podcast, The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation. July, 2021 (in Hebrew).

Education, science and society in a changing world webinar, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion - Assessment of learning and teaching in a digital environment. October, 2020 (in Hebrew).

The annual national elementary mathematics teachers center conference - Learning analytics in elementary geometry teaching, July 2020 (in Hebrew).

Teaching & Supervising

Courses

Digital learning environments - MA fully online course

Course description: This introductory course focuses on the research of technology in the learning and teaching of mathematics in the classroom. The integration of technology into teaching and learning mathematics is characterized by different and diverse thinking processes compared to using only  pencil and paper. The course deals with theories of learning in a technological environment, exercise and learning management tools, and stresses unique skills for using technology including dragging, snapping, multiple linked representations, location and motion sensors, augmented reality and more. The course requirements include active reading of research articles, learning and trying out the digital tools and mathematical content mentioned in the article, and critical thinking and reflection.


Digital assessment in Mathematics - MA Seminar

Prerequisite: Digital Learning environments course

Course description: This seminar focuses on the research of digital assessment in mathematics. Using technology in the mathematics classroom enables us to collect a lot of information during student work. Using this information opens up opportunities for assessing different aspects of students work automatically, and enables different levels of analysis and assessment. This analysis could not only assist in the assessment process but also shed light on teachers practices. This course examines different assessment methods , tools and platforms, and different research methods related to digital assessment.


Digital learning resources - MA Seminar

Course description: This seminar deals with the different aspects of digital resources: (A) Describing and classifying different resources (B) Different modes of development and presentation of learning resources, and (C) Different types of analysis of learning resources and their use. Learning resources, and specifically digital learning resources make part of every teacher’s repertoire. The seminar focuses on research about research and tools that assist teachers in describing, choosing, analyzing, and designing learning resources so that they can make informed decisions when designing a teaching and learning sequence.


Digital tools in teaching Mathematics - Secondary mathematics teachers certificate workshop

Course description: This unique practical workshop focuses on integrating digital tools into the mathematics classroom according to the Israeli secondary school and high school curriculum. The use of technological instruments is practiced hands-on by the students as they take part as both teachers and students in peer-teaching experiences. The teaching experiences are followed by reflections and peer-critique to employ critical thinking about the use of different tools for the teaching of different topics. The course requires the students to design their technology rich lessons, using existing or self made tools in such a way that they are aligned with the goals of the national curriculum.

Graduate Students (in alphabetical order)

 

Alumni

Teacher's attention to characteristics of Parabola sketches: differences between use of manual and automated analysis

Read more: Thesis, Olsher, S., & Abu-Raya, K. (2019). Teacher's attention to characteristics of Parab ola sketches: differences between use of manual and automated analysis. In Barzel, B.,  Bebernik, R., Göbel, L.,  Pohl, M.,  Ruchniewicz, H.,  Schacht, F.,  Thurm, D., (Eds.). Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Technology in Mathematics Teaching – ICTMT 14. pp. 213-220. Essen, Germany, 22nd to 25th of July 2019.

Short video - Click Here


The factors influencing of mathematics teachers' pedagogical discretion in evaluating inaccuracies of parabolic sketches in a digital environment

Read more: Thesis, Olsher, S., & Nakhash Khalaila, K. Factors related to mathematics teacher's pedagogic discretion when evaluating parabolic sketches. Presented at ICME 14 (Shanghai, China, July 2021).


The factors influencing of mathematics teachers' pedagogical discretion in evaluating inaccuracies of construction of tangents to circles in a digital environment

Read more: Thesis.


Secondary teachers practices when using automated grouping in algebra lessons

Read more: Thesis


The Adaptive engine as a didactic in a learning environment
Read more: Thesis.


The effect of using different perspectives, dragging, rotating, and feedback, on students' ability to construct, identify, sort, and describe geometric objects in space

Read more: Thesis.


Stereotypical Threat in a virtual environment of mathematics

Read more: Thesis.


The factors affecting the pedagogical discretion of math teachers in evaluating inaccuracies in building quadrilaterals in a digital environment

Read more: Thesis.


How teachers pair students when working with a computer-supported platform for learning mathematics

Read more: Soon.

CV

Academic Positions

2022 - Current: Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

2022 - 2023 Visiting Scholar, Center for Mathematics Education, University of Maryland, MD, USA

2017 - 2022: Lecturer, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

2015 - 2017: Lecturer, Faculty of Education, Kibbutzim College of Education, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Education

Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Science Teaching, 2015

M.A., Tel Aviv University, School of Education, Magna Cum Laude, 2009

B.Sc., Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Department of Computer Science, 2002

Editorial Board Memberships

Digital Experiences in Mathematics Education

Mispar Hazak 2000 ("Strong number" in Hebrew) journal 

Aleh (in Hebrew) journal 


Professional Affiliations

European Mathematical Society (EMS)

International Society for Design and Development in Education (ISDDE)


Offices in Academic Administration

2023 - present: University of Haifa Senate

2020 - present: Faculty of Education Teaching Committee

2020 - present: Department of Mathematics Education Higher Degrees Committee

2020 - 2021: Faculty of Education Strategic Planning Committee


Research Grants

2020-2024, Principal Investigator, Development of modeling activities for medium and high order thinking. The Trump Family Foundation.


2016-2019, Principal Investigator, Systematic assimilation of diagnostics based teaching by A level mathematics teachers in Israel (with Michal Yerushalmy). The Trump Family Foundation.


2016-2019, Principal Investigator, Organizing tool for making content and pedagogical characteristics of digital textbooks characteristics accessible: Research & Development of an interactive tool (with Michal Yerushalmy). Israeli Ministry of Science and Technology.

Contact Details

E-mail: olshers@edu.haifa.ac.il


Tel: 972-4-8249370


Room: 527 (5th floor)


Faculty of Education


Education and Sciences Building


The University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave. Mount Carmel, Haifa 3498838