Haya Ben Simon

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short Biography

Haya Ben Simon is a doctoral candidate in the direct Ph.D. track at the Faculty of Education in Science and Technology at the Technion. She earned a B.Sc. in Biology from the Technion in 2013 and a B.Sc. in Biology Education in 2016. Haya has over seven years of experience as a secondary school teacher, teaching biology, science, and biotechnology, as well as serving as a homeroom teacher. She previously taught at Amit Haifa Middle and High School and currently teaches at Zvia Afula High School. Her research focuses on the development and integration of scientific reasoning, the nature of science understanding, and informal statistical reasoning through students’ engagement in citizen science.

Email: shayak@campus.technion.ac.il

Awards, fellowships and honors

  • 2026 – Jacobs Excellence Scholarship
  • 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. (Accepted with revisions). Teaching nature of science: A pedagogy of practice framework for teachers’ professional development. Science & Education.

Chapters in books

  1. Ben-Simon, H. & Tsybulsky, D. (2025). 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 Biology 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., Yifrach. 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. Tsybulsky, D. & Ben Simon, H. Transforming biology and environmental education through citizen science: the pedagogical potential of citizen science projects to cultivate scientific reasoning, statistical reasoning, and understanding of the nature of science. ICER2025 conference. Acre, September 2025. 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. Poster presentation.
  11. Ben Simon, H. & Tsybulsky, D. Engaging students with citizen science: Gateway to new scientific frontiers (accepted). ILANIT2025 Conference. Eilat, Israel, February 2026. Oral presentation.
  12. Ben Simon, H., Yifrach. L., & Tsybulsky, D. Learning about science by doing real science: Fostering NOS understanding through citizen science (accepted). NARST2026 Online Conference. Seattle, Washington, April 2026. Oral presentation.
  13. Pshenichny-Mamo, A., Ben Simon, H., & Tsybulsky, D. From knowing to doing: Professional development for science educators in Nature of Science through a ‘Pedagogy of Practice’ framework (accepted). IHPST2026 Conference. Lisbon, Portugal. Oral presentation.
  14. Ben Simon, H. & Tsybulsky, D. Transforming biology and environmental education through citizen science: Conceptualizing the educational value of citizen science for fostering scientific and statistical reasoning and NOS understanding (submitted). ERIDOB2026 Conference. Ljubljana, Slovenia, August 2026. Symposium.
  15. Yifrach. L., Ben Simon, H., & Tsybulsky, D. Authentic biology education through citizen science: Enhancing students’ understanding of the Nature of Science (submitted). ERIDOB2026 Conference. Ljubljana, Slovenia, August 2026. 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.