פרופ' פסיה צמיר

I am a professor of mathematics education at the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology, School of Education, Tel Aviv University, Israel.  I was previously mathematics teachers in secondary schools.

My main interests are in

·         Students’ and teachers’ mathematical thinking and learning

·         Mathematics teacher education and professional development of mathematics teachers (K, Elementary school, Secondary school)

·         The role of intuition in mathematics learning and teaching 

My main, current research and development projects focus on

·         Early childhood mathematics learning and teaching

·         High school mathematics learning and teaching

·         Mathematics teacher education: From K to high school  

·         The role of errors in mathematics learning and teaching

·         The Pair Dialogue approach in mathematics education

My teaching, research and development projects are often carried out in collaboration with my friend and colleague Prof. Dina Tirosh.

Education

1973 – 1975              Mathematics, B.Sc., Tel Aviv University

1976 - 1978               Mathematics Teaching Certificate, Tel Aviv University

1988 - 1990               Mathematics Education, M.A. Magna Cum Laude, Tel Aviv University

1991 - 1995               Mathematics Education, Ph.D. Tel Aviv University

Academic and Professional Experience - Sample

                                      ORT High school

1974 - 1996             Teaching mathematics; (and 1979-1996) Mathematics Coordinator

                                      Kibbutzim Teacher Colleges

1989 -                        Teaching mathematics; Training mathematics teachers (and 1992 – 2000) Coordinator of Mathematics Pedagogy for Secondary School

                                      Tel Aviv University

1993 -                        Researching and teaching in the department of Mathematics, Science and Technology, at the School of Education (and since 2011) Full Professor, School of Education, Tel Aviv University

                                      (since 2002) Coordinator of the mathematics secondary teacher education program, School of Education, Tel Aviv University (2007-2010) Coordinator of the mathematics secondary teacher education M.A. program, School of Education, Tel Aviv University

Professional Activities - Sample Roles

International Committees   

I served as a member of the international (IC) of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (2004 – 2008); Vice President of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (2006 – 2007)

Editorial and International Advisory Boards

I served as a member of several editorial boards, including, Mediterranean Journal for Research in Mathematics Education (2002 – Present); International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education (2003 – 2010); Educational Studies in Mathematics (2004-2009); and as a Senior Editor of the International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education (2010 – 2012)         

I served as a member of several international advisory boards, including, Research in Mathematics Education; James J. Kaput Center for Research and Innovation in Math Education at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, USA (2007 – Present)

Supervising Students

1997 -            About 70 students (MA, PhD and Post)     

Projects and Grants - Sample

2000 - 2010             Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport

Teaching and learning rational numbers;
Professionalizing elementary school teachers in mathematics education

                                      The role of errors in mathematics education

                                      Promoting geometrical reasoning in the kindergarten

2006 - 2014             The Israel Science Foundation (ISF)

                                      Teachers’ subject matter knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and teaching of proofs

                                      Preschool teachers' mathematics knowledge and mathematics self-efficacy needed for teaching

2009 – 2010            Women`s International Zionist`s Organization (WIZO)

                                      First steps in mathematics

2009 - 2011             The HARUV Institute

                                      The impact of learning geometrical concepts on self-efficacy and locus of control among abused and neglected kindergarten children

Academic and Professional Awards

Ort-Israel             

Prize for Efficiency, Diligence and Devotion (1985); Exceptional Teacher of the Year (1994)

British Council 

Award for Advanced Studies (1997)

Sacta Rashi Foundation  

Scholarship for Science Education (1998)

תחומי מחקר: תפישת מושגים מתמטיים, בחינת דרכי הוראה והשפעתן על תפישת מושגים מתמטיים, הכשרת מורים וקידום מורים, כללים אינטואיטיביים במתמטיקה, במדעים, הקשר בין מתמטיקה ומדעים.

תחומי הוראה: הוראת מתמטיקה, הכשרת מורים למתמטיקה, הוראת מורים למתמטיקה.

Publications - Sample

תירוש, ד., ברש, א., צמיר, פ., וקליין, ר. היבטים פסיכולוגיים בהוראת המתמטיקה. תל-אביב: הוצאת מופ"ת, 2000.

Tirosh, D., Barash, A., Tsamir, P., & Klein, R.  Psychological aspects of mathematics education.  Tel Aviv: Mofet, 2000 (141 pg).  [In Hebrew].

צמיר, פ. וברקאי, ר. שימוש בשגיאות בהוראת מתמטיקה: תיאוריה וישום. תל-אביב: הוצאת רמות, 2006

Tsamir, P., & Barkai, R.  Using errors in mathematics education: Theory and Practice.  Tel Aviv: Ramot, 2006 (106 pg).  [In Hebrew].

Refereed Articles (Journals and Books)

Tsamir, P., & Tirosh, D. (1999). Consistency and representations: The case of actual infinity. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education. 30 (2), 213-219.

Tsamir, P. (1999). The transition from comparison of finite to the comparison of infinite sets: Teaching prospective teachers. Educational Studies in Mathematics. 38, 209-234.

Tsamir, P., & Almog, N. (2001). Students’ Strategies and difficulties: The case of algebraic inequalities. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology. 32(4), 513-524.

Tsamir, P. (2001). When “the same” is not perceived as such: The case of infinite sets. Educational Studies in Mathematics. 48, 289-307.

Tsamir, P. (2003). From “easy” to “difficult” or vice versa: The case of infinite sets. Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics. 25(2), 1-16.

Tsamir, P. (2003). Basing instruction on theory and research: What is the impact of an extreme case? Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics. 25(4), 4-21.

צמיר, פ. וקורן, מ. (2004). קורותיו של תרגיל. מספר חזק. 7, 39-43.

Tsamir, P., & Koren, M. (2004).  The story of a task. Mispar Hazak. 7, 39-43.  [In Hebrew].

Tsamir, P., & Bazzini, L. (2004). Consistencies and inconsistencies in students’ solutions to algebraic “single-value” inequalities. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology. 35(6), 793-812.

Tsamir, P. (2005). Enhancing prospective teachers’ knowledge of learners’ intuitive conceptions: the case of “Same A - Same B”. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education. 8, 469-497.

Tsamir, P., & Tirosh, D. (2005). In-service elementary mathematics teachers’ views of errors in the classroom. Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics. 27(3), 30-42.

Tsamir, P., & Reshef, M. (2006). Students’ preferences when solving quadratic inequalities. Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics. 28, 37-50.

Tsamir, P., Rasslan, S., & Dreyfus, T. (2006). Prospective teachers’ reactions to Right-or-Wrong tasks: The case of derivatives of absolute value functions. Journal of Mathematical Behavior. 25, 240-251.

Tsamir, P. (2007). When intuition beats logic: Prospective teachers’ awareness of their same sides -same angles solutions. Educational Studies in Mathematics. 65(3), 255-279.

Tsamir, P. (2007). Should more than one theoretical approach be used for analyzing students’ errors? The case of areas, volumes and integration. For the Learning of Mathematics. 27(2), 28-33.

תירוש, ד., וצמיר, פ. (2008) משולשים ו"לא-משולשים" בגן הילדים - דוגמאות ידידותיות ודוגמאות שאינן ידידותיות של משולשים ושל "לא-משולשים". מספר חזק 2000. 15, 38-43.

Tirosh, D., & Tsamir, P., (2008). Triangles and "non-triangles" in the kindergarten – Intuitive examples and non-intuitive examples of triangles and of non-triangles: Working in the kindergartens of Yardena and Anat. Mispar Hazak 2000. 15, 38-43. [In Hebrew].

פרקש, ג. א., וצמיר, פ. (2008). פתרונות נכונים ושגויים לבעיה טריגונומטרית במישור. חלק ראשון: מחשבות על משפט הסינוסים. עלון למורה המתמטיקה. 39, 81-86.

Farkash, G., A., & Tsamir, P. (2008). Correct and incorrect solutions to a trigonometric problem - Part one: Thinking about the law of sines. Alon Lemore Hamatematica. 39, 81-86. [In Hebrew].

Tsamir, P., Tirosh, D., &, Levenson, E. (2008). Intuitive non-examples: The case of triangles. Educational Studies in Mathematics. 69, 81-95.

Tsamir, P. (2008). Using theories as tools in teacher education. In D. Tirosh, & T. Wood (Eds.), International handbook of mathematics teacher education: Tools and Processes in Mathematics Teacher Education Rotterdam, the Netherlands: Sense Publishers. (Vol. III., pp. 211-233).

Tsamir, P., & Tirosh, D. (2008). Affect, Subject Matter Knowledge and Pedagogical Content Knowledge: The Case of a Kindergarten Teacher. In: J. Maaß, & W. Schlöglman (Eds.), Beliefs and Attitudes in Mathematics Education: New Research Results. Rotterdam, the Netherlands: Sense Publishers. (pp. 19-29(.

Tsamir, P., Tirosh, D., Dreyfus, T., Barkai, R. & Tabach, M. (2009). Should proof be minimal? Ms T's evaluation of secondary school students' proofs. Journal of Mathematics Behavior. 28, 58-67.

Levenson, E., Tirosh, D., & Tsamir, P. (2009). Students' perceived sociomathematical norms: The missing paradigm. Journal of Mathematical Behavior. 28, 83-95.

צמיר, פ. ופרקש, ג. א. (2009). פתרונות נכונים ושגויים לבעיה טריגונומטרית במישור חלק שני: עוד מחשבות על משפט הסינוסים ועל משפט הקוסינוסים. עלון למורה המתמטיקה. עלון למורה המתמטיקה. 40-41, 25-32.

Tsamir, P., & Farkash, G., A. (2009). Correct and incorrect solutions to a trigonometric problem - Part two: More thoughts about the law of sines and the law of cosines. Alon Lemore Hamatematica. 40-41, 25-32 [In Hebrew].

Tsamir, P., Tirosh, D., Tabach, M. & Levenson, E. (2010). Multiple solution methods and multiple outcomes – Is it a task for kindergarten children? Educational Studies in Mathematics, 73, 217-231.

Tabach, M., Barkai, R., Tsamir, P., Tirosh, D. & Dreyfus, T. (2010). Verbal justification – is it a proof? Secondary school teachers' perceptions. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 8, 1071-1090.

Tirosh, D., Tsamir, P., Levenson, E., & Tabach, M. (2011). From preschool teachers' professional development to children' knowledge: Comparing sets. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 14, 113-131.

Tabach, M., Levenson, E., Barkai, R., Tsamir, P., Tirosh, D., & Dreyfus, T. (2011). Secondary school teachers' knowledge of elementary number theory proofs: The case of general cover proofs. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 14, 465-481.

אובודנקו, ר., וצמיר, פ. (נשלח). דימויי המושג נקודת פיתול. עלון למורה המתמטיקה.

Ovodenko, R., & Tsamir, P. (submitted). Images of the notion inflection point. Alon Lemore Hamatematica. [In Hebrew].

Tsamir, P., & Ovodenko, R. (submitted). University students' grasp of inflection points. Educational Studies in Mathematics.