“Education by Riddle”

By

Dan & Giora Chamizer

“By asking questions you can

learn almost everything” (Socrates)

Outline

• Introduction• About us• “Education by Riddle”

– The concept – how it was developed, how it works

– Advantages, Limitations– Case study - “The Ethiopian Project”– Other projects– Facts and numbers

Introduction

• “Education by Riddle” - a unique educational method that involves common-sense riddles and questions, in various fields of interests, which creates rational challenges for the students towards the ultimate goal

EDUCATION

About us

• Dan Chamizer - Founder– Israel`s most famous riddler– Described by many as “modern Renaissance

man”– Created riddles for newspapers, TV stations,

radio shows– Has orchestrated national hunts for treasures

worth millions of dollars for companies such as Microsoft, Intel and Israel`s largest banks.

About us

• Giora Chamizer - Founder & CEO– Responsible for the creation of prize contests,

games and riddles for Israeli TV and the country`s leading daily newspaper.

– Creator of “sheshtus”, Israel`s longest-running TV game show - entering its 8th season

– In charged of localization projects adapting for shows such as: “lets make a deal”, “family feud”

About us - Statistics

• It took 3 months for the Chamizer riddle to raise the ratings of a daily radio show from 1% to 11%, making it the most-listened-to show in Israel for the next seven years.

• 250,000 people visited the Negev region of Israel for Chamizer`s Negev Treasure hunt.

• 59% of the Yedioth`s daily newspaper (Israel`s largest) have said they try to solve Chamizer`s daily riddle (Israeli Advertising Union, 1997)

• 91% of Israelis claim to have heard of Chamizer`s riddle (Israeli Advertising Union, 1997).

• 17,000 school classes in Israel have participated in Chamizer`s unique “Education by riddle” system in the past 4 years.

• 237 Chamizer projects have been purchased and sponsored by private commercial companies since 1980.

• 65% of Israel`s new-media and online companies have used Chamizer`s formats.

“Education by Riddle”

“By asking questions you can learn almost everything” (Socrates)

• Asking questions is the corner stone in every educational

process.

• Asking question involves not only the “absorbing mind” of the

students but also the “processing mind” - directing the student to

process information in order to come with the right solution.

“Education by Riddle” How it was developed

Based on thesuccess of “Treasure hunt”, daily riddle

and other mind challenging games

Based on the riddle + questioning idea to create an educational

platform that suits any type of material and goals

Lack of educational methods that leads to:self education,knowledge hunt, curiosity,

and interests

The idea to develop an educational tool/platform based on the “contest-reward” concept that have

been tried successfully in past projects.

“Education by Riddle” - The Concepts

Motivate students in a stimulating, entertaining and competitive methods, in various fields of interests, towards the ultimate goal

EDUCATION

“Education by Riddle” - how it works

Content Editor and creator

- Updated weekly - Directing the students using set of riddles to solve

Students entering the site on a weekly basis to receive a mission

Students work on

their mission in order to come with the right solution

Interactive Content Center

“Education by Riddle” - how it works

• Students compete against each other, but also against other classes.

• At the end of each project, the best classes win huge prizes.

• Each student joins the group effort in order to help his or her class – the team – win.

• The teacher functions in the program not like an omniscient central figure but more like a tutor, whose job is to help the class organize itself without intervening in the actual learning process.

“Education by Riddle” Advantages

To students:• Operating student`s imagination resources throughout the all educational

process.• Creating happening around the educational process.• Creating interest and curiosity in the studied material.• Generates the ability to work either in groups of individually.• Using interactive resources in order to accomplish the various missions.• Research-study.• Based on interior motivation derived from the pleasure and/or from

competitive motives.• Developing creation, original and associative thinking - positive influence on

remembering the materials.• Learning a specific material on all its aspects.• Encouraging the desire for achievement .

“Education by Riddle” Advantages

To schools and teachers:

• Each program is tailor-made to promote one main subject or cause: encouraging kids to read, commemorating a historical event,

supporting minorities within societies, and so on. • Enables teachers to simultaneously cover various areas of interest.

• Developing non-frontal teaching methods – an experience for the teacher.

• Using alternative valuation tools .

• Encourage the development of teaching programs based on the “riddle concept”.

“Education by Riddle” Limitations

New educational method has its limitations:• Could threaten teacher`s authority.• No Clear and finite methods of evaluation – teachers

evaluate on alternative ways of evaluation.• When riddles are too difficult, could lead to the

development of antagonism towards the method.• After using this entertaining method of education,

conventional methods could be perceived as pale and boring.

“Education by Riddle”The Ethiopian Project

Goal:To promote acceptance among their classmates of young Ethiopian Jews, who have come to Israel during the past decade.

sponsored by the Joint Foundation

“Education by Riddle”The Ethiopian Project

• The project involved 400 mixed classes countrywide.

• The classes competed for cash prizes, an appearance in a popular TV show, and an official invitation from the Israeli president in Jerusalem.

“Education by Riddle”The Ethiopian Project

• Each class received a poster to hang in the classroom; on the poster were 10 empty boxes.

• Each box represented a task that the class, working together, would attempt to fill.

• All tasks revolved around the Ethiopian heritage: its customs, folklore, history, and language.

“Education by Riddle”The Ethiopian Project

• The tasks were assigned once per week on a central website dedicated for the project.

• Some tasks involved riddles the kids had to solve, while other exercises were creative in nature: coming up with logos, songs, and stories.

• Through working together on the tasks, non-Ethiopian kids were exposed to what Ethiopian kids tend to hide – their amazing heritage. Since all competed for the same prize as one team, getting to know the minority became a necessity.

• The website provided clues and helpful suggestions. Participants could contact each other through the website, and classes could share information, ask for tips, and even chat with other students.

“Education by Riddle”The Ethiopian Project

• Each class dedicated one hour a week during school hours for the projects.

• The kids eventually documented their projects on the poster.

• After 10 weeks, all 400 classes submitted their posters to a committee of judges.

• The committee selected the best posters and announced the winners on the website.

• The total budget of this project was $100,000.

“Education by Riddle” - Other projects

“Education by Riddle” - facts and

numbers• Half of the students ages 12-18 have participated in “Education by Riddle” projects

• Academic courses are given to teachers in order for them to use the method

• The Israeli Ministry of Education officially approved the system, and academic institutions such as the Ben Gurion University and Gordon Education Academy have given their blessing as well.

• Thousands of students have taken their final history exams using Chamizer’s system. Instead of memorizing facts from books and being tested, they received a set of riddles to solve.

• Foundations like CRB (Charles B. Bfronfman) and the Joint Foundation, and companies such as Microsoft and Intel have sponsored the projects,

fully believing in their contribution to community education.

“Education by Riddle”

Thank you