“By asking questions you can
learn almost everything” (Socrates)
“Education by Riddle”
By
Dan & Giora Chamizer
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 commonsense 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
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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 the
success 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
Students entering the
site on a weekly basis to
receive a mission
Content Editor
and creator
Interactive Content Center
Students work on
their mission in
order to come with
the right solution
- Updated weekly
- Directing the students
using set of riddles
to solve
“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