The holding of this conference for the second time and the tremendous positive response towards it, are no doubt indications of its success and importance as well as its contribution to the participants and to the furthering of their professional work as teacher educators.

The potential for a traditional gathering now exists, embodying possibilities of accessing new knowledge, of learning and in particular, of meetings (which are not limited by place) among educators working in the same fields and having the same interests. In addition, a model for student-teachers has been put into place and perhaps even a model for teaching-learning within the school system.

Through your active participation, you are helping us fulfill this potential.

Special greetings to the initiator of this Conference, The Mofet Institute, and to its leading staff.

Dr. Sara Ziv, Director
Department of Teacher Education
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport

I am delighted to be amongst the congratulators of the participants of our Second International Online conference. This conference opens gates to an endless arena where experts, researchers and experienced educators, dealing with teacher education, can meet.

For all the participants, who constantly face the challenges of being a teacher and an educator, this conference will provide an opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions, to learn from the most recent and updated research, to draw conclusions from accumulated experience, and to share thoughts regarding ways of improving teacher education.

This conference will, no doubt, broaden the circles of discourse among colleagues from various and different countries, will enrich the knowledge of its participants, will put down foundations for new research, and will clear new pathways for developing the field of teacher education.

I wish you all a most interesting and fruitful conference.

To end, I wish to thank The Mofet Institute staff which, five years ago, initiated, planned and executed the First Online Conference for Teacher Educators. This staff has once again come together, and with great talent, wisdom, love and devotion, has organized this second conference which will, no doubt, surpass its predecessor.

Again, I wish to thank and welcome all participants and organizers of this conference.

Dr. Uzi Melamed
Chair, Executive Committee
The Mofet Institute

Teachers worldwide, regardless of their language, religion or culture, deal with similar educational issues and share common challenges in the fields of teaching and education. As such, the use of the Internet as a means for bringing together teacher-educators from around the world enables the broadening of horizons, the exchange of ideas, collaborative programs and the clarifying of common issues.

I see this conference, which is entitled "Opening Gates in Teacher Education", as an opportunity for opening new paths for all of its participants.

Educators around the world share the heavy responsibility of molding future generations. Teacher educators are on an endless mission of providing teachers and educators with the most suitable training and tools to deal with this educational mission. I am most certain that this Online Conference will assist us in becoming updated and in discussing new routes in teacher education today.

And to our guests from abroad – I welcome your visit (though a virtual one) to Israel, and invite you to take a real trip and get to know our wonderful country and our educational system.

Amira Chaim
Acting Director General
Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport

The quality of an educational system is dependent on a reliable foundation of teachers and educators. The teaching profession demands a daily, and even hourly, tremendous mental effort.

I find the issue of educating teachers and promoting them in terms of using advanced technologies extremely important. Teacher education is a most vital component in promoting the educational system for the benefit of students' achievements.

This On-line Conference presents an inventive and modern route for meeting colleagues worldwide. Such a meeting offers colleagues and experts the opportunity for exchanging knowledge and holding intensive and deep discussions on topics which will open gates for new channels of thinking and teaching methods, for more research and for unique projects.

Preparing and educating teachers to use advanced technologies in the processes of teaching and learning will no doubt improve both the status of teachers and the achievements of students in the educational system.

I expect teachers, here in Israel, to take part in this important conference, and wish the entire educational community a safe journey towards technological advancement.

May you all be blessed.

Meir Sheetrit
Minister of Education, Culture and Sport