Haya Ben Simon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ms. Haya Ben Simon is a doctoral candidate [direct Ph.D. track] in the Faculty of Education in Science and Technology at the Technion. She graduated from the Technion with B.Sc. degree in Biology (2013) and B.Sc. degree in Biology education (2016). Haya has been a Biology, Science, Biotechnology and class educator teacher for the last 7 years, previously at Amit Haifa middle and high school and now at Zvia Afula high school. Hayas’ research focuses on the development and integration of Scientific Reasoning, Nature of Science Understanding and Informal Statistical Reasoning through students engaged in Citizen Science.

Email: shayak@campus.technion.ac.il

Awards, fellowships and honors

  • 2025- Faculty Excellence Award
  • 2025 – Receiving the Miriam and Aaron Gutwirth Fellowship
  • 2024 – The ‘Malli Foundation’ Scholarship for Outstanding Students from Migdal HaEmek

Publications

Theses

  1. Ben-Simon, H. (In process). Integration of informal statistical reasoning, scientific reasoning and nature of science understanding through citizen science. Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Supervision: Prof. Tsybulsky, D.

Refereed Papers in Professional Journals

  1. Ben-Simon, H. & Tsybulsky, D. (Accepted with revisions). The contribution of designed purposes in mediating authentic scientific purposes for students in citizen science projects. Science & Education.
  2. Ben-Simon, H., Pshenichny-Mamo, A. & Tsybulsky, D. (Under Review). Teaching the nature of science: pedagogy of practice framework for teacher professional development. Science & Education.

Chapters in books

  1. Ben-Simon, H. & Tsybulsky, D. (In press). The pedagogical potential of citizen science in cultivating scientific reasoning, statistical reasoning, and NOS understanding. In D. Tsybulsky, D. & T. Tal (Eds.). The contribution of Citizen Science to Biology and Environmental Education: Realities, Opportunities and Impact. Springer.

Contributed talks and posters 

  1. Ben-Simon, H., Dvir, M., & Tsybulsky, D. The role of designed educational purposes in raising the accessibility of authentic scientific purposes. NARST2023 Online conference. Chicago, USA, April 2023. Poster presentation.
  2. Ben-Simon, H. & Tsybulsky, D. Fostering NOS understanding in biology education – theoretical and practical aspects. The annual teachers conference 2022, Weitzman institute, Israel.
  3. Pshenichny-Mamo, A., Ben–Simon, H. & Tsybulsky, D. Teaching nature of science to in-service teachers.  International Conference on Teacher Education Passion and Professionalism in Teacher Education. Tel-Aviv, Israel, June 2023. Oral presentation.
  4. Ben-Simon, H., Pshenichny-Mamo, A. & Tsybulsky, D. Nature of science in teacher professional development: In-service teachers’ perceptions and strategies for integration. ESERA2023 conference. Cappadocia, Turkey, August-September 2023. Oral presentation.
  5. Pshenichny-Mamo, A., Ben-Simon, H. & Tsybulsky, D. Pedagogy of practice approach to teaching nature of science to in-service teachers. NARST2024 conference. Denver, Colorado, USA, March 2024. Oral presentation.
  6. Ben-Simon, H. & Tsybulsky, D. Bridging the gap: How designed purposes facilitate authentic scientific purposes in citizen science project. NARST2025 Online  conference. National Harbor, Maryland, USA, March 2025. Oral presentation.
  7. Tsybulsky, D., Pshenichny-Mamo, A. & Ben Simon, H. Nature of science in science curriculum and teacher education, a global perspective: Nature of science in Israel. NARST2025 conference. National Harbor, Maryland, USA, March 2025. Symposium. 
  8. Ben Simon. H, L & Tsybulsky, D. Citizen Science as an innovative framework for fostering students’ understanding of the Nature of Science. Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Education Conference 2025. Western Galilee College Online conference, Acre, June 2025. Oral presentation.
  9. Ben Simon, H. & Tsybulsky, D. Transforming Biology and Environmental Education through Citizen Science: The Pedagogical Potential of Citizen Science Projects to Cultivate Scientific Reasoning, Statistical Reasoning, and the Nature of Science Understanding. ICER2025 conference. Acre, September 2025 (accepted). Symposium.
  10. Ben Simon, H., & Tsybulsky, D. The role of designed purposes in mediating authentic scientific purposes in citizen science projects. ICER2025 conference. Acre, September 2025 (accepted). Poster presentation.

Other publications

  1. Ben-Simon, H., Pshenichny-Mamo, A. & Tsybulsky, D. (2022). Fostering the NOS understanding in the teaching of biology – theoretical and practical aspects. Israeli Journal for Biology Teachers, 201, 43-52.