Never heard of the concept of "Lesson Study" in this form. Thanks for alerting to it! Had a quick look in Chapter 1 of the 2007-book "Japanese Lesson Study in Mathematics". Incarnation of Collaborative Communities (very popular in Japan)?

No, sorry, I didn't do research in this area, would be difficult to carry out here, as CC is not yet popular here (at least not in education). What are you after: a kind of meta-analysis? Who is the father/mother of this movement in education?

Never heard of the concept of "Lesson Study" in this form. Thanks for alerting to it! Had a quick look in Chapter 1 of the 2007-book "Japanese Lesson Study in Mathematics". Incarnation of Collaborative Communities (very popular in Japan)?

No, sorry, I didn't do research in this area, would be difficult to carry out here, as CC is not yet popular here (at least not in education). What are you after: a kind of meta-analysis? Who is the father/mother of this movement in education?

I did some research on the role of "intermediary objects" in the design process. Design experiments were conducted by students of the faculty of mechanical engineering. An objective of the study was to see the support that it provides these intermediary objects.

Added reference to the book (title page only)

May be, at the school level such a thing may be useful. I have come to know about it for the first time.

Hello folks, thanks for your responses. I am working on a small tablet right now. Tomorrow I will respond more fully. I saw a video of a lesson study for Math in primary school in Japan, and 1 for Math in secondary school in Penang. Many primary school teachers in Japan also have a PhD.

Will get back to you all...

(Sent from mobile)

I looked up examples of lesson studies and it seems to constitute what I would describe as a good 'normal' lesson in Australia, in that the focus is on concept development and personal development. I say good normal lesson because it doesn't happen as it should all the time. There are some benefits to the study lesson explicit design process. Teachers have to focus on concepts. Teachers have to focus on personal development. Teachers have to collaborate. Teachers have to reflect on a lesson. Teachers have to support each other. Teachers have to consider student personal differences. It appears to me that this would be used as an adjunct to a more didactic 'normal' lesson style.

Hi folks, thanks for your posts. If you have other views and data, please ADD ON, thanks.

in my institution, getting students to improve academically is an all important matter. We are just 1 source providing pre-university education in my country, competing with others. (This is one of my reasons, Paul. Yes, my data is from young kids, Hemanta,)

I only have some data for students (ages 8 through 11). Students who begin at 50% (at 8 yr) can achieve 90% (at 11 yr) with a high performing teacher; while students who begin at 50% with a low performing teacher can go down to 37% (at 11 yr).

Low performance teaching includes passive lecture, content delivery and lack of students' engagement with the lessons. This is like what you are saying, Mark.

Indeed Miranda. I am commenting on two aspects:

1. 'Good'teaching, and

2. Teaching style that is regarded as the 'norm' either didactic or ???

The second one was a hypothesis of mine because what I read about lesson studies just looked like what I would call quality teaching. I've attached a set of teaching criteria that we were using several years ago. It came from the University of Queensland and was derived from observations of succesful teachers in action. I have always found these a useful set of aspirational descriptors.

Thanks, Mark et al. :)

I always try to motivate my students. Even though, I put in much effort, I only have about 20% who are sincere knowledge seekers likely to be life-long learners. None is stupid, but some want maximum mark for minimum work; they use their lap-top and other gadgets for entertainment not for learning. At times they need a scolding :(

Not sure of the value of scolding. Might feel good to the scolder but does not much for the scoldee. They may appear chastened but what is in their head remains the same. know how you feel though. I have spent a lifetime separating what I am responsible for - the effort to do everything I can to help them learn, and what I am not responsible for - their final decision re choice of behaviour.

Miranda, sounds like the minimax principle from economics (game theory), sure these guys will become the managers of the future, don't you think (tongue in cheek)? I know this type of student very well, actually it is inadvertently fostered by a critical aspect of the so-called Bologna reform in Europe.

Little anecdote: once I was giving a lecture to be concluded with a usual (summative) test. However, students could earn some extra points to their grade by doing a small project, which might also minimize the risk of a fail in case of doing a bad test. Now some of the students opted out, i.e. didn't want to do the optional small project, because they were satisfied with (and apparently confident to get) a "just passed" as this would give them the full number of (Bologna) credit points for this course. This is minimaxing: what's the utility difference of the best grade, if the lowest passing grade guarantees the maximum number of CP? Game theory works, Bologna too, but not as intended (ever heard of side-effects)!

Miranda

There is a book you can get:

http://www.rbs.org/publications/Category-Detail/Publication-Detail/191/categoryid--6/productid--6/

Thanks Jane. You are our own RG source for info about Japan. Is cram school like our tuition classes where students may need to pay for more coaching? Is Japanese education system like a pressure cooker style? I will check the sites soon. Thanks.

Sent from mobile.

Never heard the concept earlier but Oscar , Jane Harland, Paul and all thanx for the sharing. It enhanced my understanding

This is an extract from a literature review I carried out on the subject of lesson study last year.

Lesson study

Observations of lessons reveal that the planning of effective lessons is a weakness of many student teachers. Causes of this include lesson planning being done in isolation and weaknesses in the pedagogical and subject knowledge of the students. Although the use of video is useful in the search for reflective practice, the teacher is still left ultimately to plan further lessons in isolation. Stead (undated) proposes that this issue can be addressed using an activity based on the process of lesson study, which is used in Japan (where it originated) in a systematic way as part of the professional development of teachers (Lieberman, 2009; Lewis and Tsuchida 1998) to the extent that is ’the centerpiece of Japanese elementary teachers’ professional development’ (Puchner and Taylor, 2006: 2).

Lee (2008) notes that in addition to Japanese educators a number of American and Hong Kong educators have implemented lesson study as a form of teacher professional development (see Lee, 2008 for further discussion). Lewis (2000: 3–4) explains research lessons and lesson study:

Kenkyuu jugyou means research lesson (or study lesson), and refers to the lessons that teachers jointly plan, observe and discuss. Jugyou kenkyuu— using the same two words in the reverse order—means lesson research (or lesson study), and refers to the process of instructional improvement of which the research lesson is the core piece.

Research lessons are actual classroom lessons with students, which typically share five characteristics (Lewis, 2000):

1. Research lessons are observed by other teachers.

2. Research lessons are planned for a long time, usually collaboratively.

3. Research lessons are designed to bring to life in a lesson a particular goal or vision of education.

4. Research lessons are recorded.

5. Research lessons are discussed.

Fernandez (2010) describes lesson study as a process which brings a group of teachers together to collaboratively design and investigate a ‘research lesson’ developed to meet a specified overarching student-learning goal (Fernandez, 2002; Fernandez, Cannon, & Chokshi, 2003; Lewis, 2002). The central idea is that as the core components that teachers need to consider to improve practice are fundamentally embedded within any one lesson, professional development is therefore embedded within the classroom and teachers can learn from teaching (Sims and Walsh, 2009). Lesson study includes cycles composed of several phases: collaborative planning, lesson observation by colleagues and other knowledgeable advisors, analytic reflection, and ongoing revision (Lewis, 2002; Stigler & Hiebert, 1999). As part of the process, lesson study groups develop a written reflective report of their work (Fernandez, 2002; Lewis, 2002).One of the unique characteristics of lesson study is how it seeks to involve the learners in the discussion and analysis of the observed lesson(s) (O’Leary, 2012 in press). The use of video (discussed above) within the model enables teachers to reflect on their own practice with the support of colleagues and mentors.

Stead (undated) describes the process of lesson study as a four step cycle similar to Kolb’s model of the adult learning process – abstract conceptualisation, active experimentation, concrete experience and reflective observation (Atherton 2011). Stead (ibid) proposes that

students work in groups of at least two and follow this process in planning a series of lessons:

1) Curricular goals for pupils are identified

Students will consider what they want pupils to learn, carefully consider the sequence in which the lessons will be taught and justify their decisions. It may be necessary for some students to do additional research to strengthen their own subject knowledge at this stage.

2) A lesson is planned collaboratively

As a group the students will develop a lesson plan. This will involve studying existing lessons and building on what they consider the best and most suitable available. An important part of the planning is to write a lesson play (Zazkis et al 2009). This involves writing a script of the intended questions together with anticipated pupil responses. Thought is then given in advance about how to deal with possible misconceptions. This aspect is challenging for student teachers due to lack of experience of how pupils respond, but developing the ability of student teachers to respond to wrong answers in an effective way rather than just ignoring them is an important part of their development. Fernandez et al (2003: 179) describe this as adopting the student lens “by attempting to understand students’ thinking, anticipate their behaviours, and determine how to use this knowledge to build students’ understanding”. (In this context replace “students” by “pupils”). As part of the planning, the group will identify what data they wish the observers to gather in the next stage, such as video or work samples. The benefits of video recording are noted earlier in this review.

3) The plan is implemented by one member of the group and observed by the others

One member of the group teaches the research lesson and the other members observe and gather data. Fernandez et al (2003: 175) stress the importance of this data collection and that the observers should adopt a researcher lens. They should not take on the role of classroom assistants: “It is hard to pinpoint the effects of unclear instructions and confusing explanations when other teachers are providing compensatory actions. In essence, the validity of the data collected...is compromised because it is not reflective of how the lesson would have evolved with only one teacher doing the teaching”. Some training in conducting observations will be necessary for the students.

4) A debrief in which observations are discussed and new goals are identified to restart the cycle

A post-lesson discussion is conducted which focuses on the data collected and student learning. It should not focus on the teacher as it was not their lesson, but a group lesson. Lewis (2002) states that clear protocols for the discussion should be established and suggests that the teacher who taught the lesson should speak first and so has the chance to point out any difficulties in the lesson before they can be pointed out by others. Once difficulties are pointed out, others need not then criticise them. Discussion can consider what needs to be refined if the lesson is to be taught again and what has been learned that will inform the planning of the next lesson in the sequence.

A further development of lesson study explored by Fernandez (2010) is microteaching lesson study (MLS) which incorporates the collaborative, continuous improvement aspects of lesson study and the simplified environment associated with microteaching (smaller teaching groups of 5 – 10 students and a shorter lesson time of 30 minutes). MLS sessions are videotaped in order to capture key interactions within the session, which are thought to be magnified with such small student groups. Focus is on the teaching of knowledge rather than particular teaching skills (see Fernandez, 2010 for a comparison of Lesson Study, Microteaching and MLS).

Literature related to lesson study is predominantly generic, with the occasional reference to advantages for specific curriculum areas such as Maths (O’Leary, 2012 in press; Fernandez, 2010; Lieberman, 2009; Parks, 2007; Puchner and Taylor, 2006) and Science (Lo and So, 2004). This may be a reflection of the Japanese origins of lesson study in relation to teacher professional development particularly in the improvement of mathematics and science education. In this context there appear to be advantages. For example ‘situating learning about mathematics or students in the context of the classroom means that complicated interactions can be captured, discussed and analysed’ (Parks, 2007: 1201). In addition there are reported significant changes in students’ achievement reflecting students’ effective learning in the process, and subsequent improvement in teacher’s teaching during the mode of planning-teaching-evaluation process (Lo and So, 2004). Teachers are thought to develop deeper reflective and metacognition skills through involvement in lesson study collaboration, and as a result, children can be observed to be more reflective, inquisitive and metacognitive (Jetter and Hancock, 2012).

Further, lesson study provides opportunities for a free discussion of ideas, with participants able to challenge others’ and their own way of thinking, and seeing learning from students’ perspectives (Lee, 2008:1124) and supports professional development of subject knowledge and pedagogical skills, ongoing collaboration, peer observation, group conferencing, self-reflection and heightened awareness of learners’ needs and difficulties (ibid: 1118). The cycle of planning, observing, discussing and revising enables teachers to reflect on what they have learned as well as what their students have experienced in the classroom, adopting a more teacher-centred approach to observation, putting teachers in control of their own professional development (Lee, 2008: 1117) which is thought to be the most positive step forward in the achievement of ‘real and meaningful improvement in teaching and learning standards’ (O’Leary, 2006: 198). Hancock and Jetter (2012: 2) note the benefits of observing the way in which children work in addition to the work they produce during lessons:

The opportunity to closely observe student behaviours during the peer taught lessons is providing new insights including such subtleties as notations of ‘tsubayaki’ (under-breath exclamations) students make during the lesson which the instructing teacher may miss.

However, Lee (2008: 1123) notes that lesson study can be time consuming and burdensome for teachers to engage with in terms of planning and co-ordination and requires school administrators to show their support in terms of timetabling, obtaining substitute coverage and providing staff development time. The guidance of external advisors from universities or educational advisors is noted as a worthwhile support system (Puchner and Taylor, 2006; Sims and Walsh, 2009; Fernandez 2010; Hancock and Jetter, 2012).

In a study relating to lesson study in the UK, the model was trialled in twenty schools across eight local authorities (Dudley, 2007) and teachers have been reported to view the approach positively with demonstrable impact on the quality of teaching and on pupil progress and attainment’ (ibid, cited in O’Leary, 2012 in press).

Conclusion

Evidence presented in this review seems to support the notion of partnership models for teacher training as being worthwhile and potentially successful. Lesson study and other reflective, supportive peer mentor schemes appear to offer some advantages to support this model, particularly in relation to maths and science subjects. Gilbert and Dorothy (2011) note the need for a strong organisational structure for the partnership with proactive leadership and clearly defined roles, effective and continuous training for lead mentors, strong and consistent communication between HEI and partnership schools, and the provision of a handbook for trainee teachers to ensure clear and realistic expectations amongst other factors which contribute to the success of partnership models.

Thanks Carolyn and Amir.....

I am teaching in Engineering School and used this tecnique for level-4 students while teaching "Civil engineering Design" module. Rather than teaching in a traditional way, a lesson plan was prepared to teach a chapter on "design of water retaining structure" in a more realistic way. Class was divided in to six groups each consisting of 4 members. students in each group was chosen in such a way that they all come from same place/city/village. In initial classes they were taught basic concepts and codal provisions to design water tank and then gave a class problem to design a water tank for their place/city/village for next 50 years. It was an open ended problem where student has to collect various information and data from various government and private agencies to design a water tank for next 50 years for their village. student have appriciated this approach and they have come out with wonderful ideas for water distribution system for their village overcoming existing water distribution problem. Each group came with 2 to 3 conceptual design and gave strong rational in choesing the best one and designed the water tank. This approach has improved their intellectual and congnitive skills.

Thanks Julie and Patil. Sorry for late response. I was very busy.

From your responses, I gather that Lesson Studies may be implemented from elementary through tertiary levels. I have been reading the online reference that Jane provided. My college is new and the library is as bare as Mother Hubbard's cupboard!

When you have more info, please enlighten me. PLC is going to be 1 important project for my college soon.....

Hello Miranda. I'm extremely interested in the ways teachers continue to learn after they enter the classroom. The title of my thesis, which I completed in November of 2013, is "The Teacher Scholar: Improving teachers' perceptions of professional development through lesson study and extended collaboration." It's a case study that follows the experiences of three high school English teachers as they participate in a lesson study that is followed by individual collaboration with a curriculum coach. There is also information pertaining to lesson study in the literature review that you may find useful.

If you want to take a look at it, I'll be happy to send it to you.

I've participated in and facilitated lesson studies. In my opinion, it's the most useful and relevant form of professional development that a teacher can engage in.

Hi Andrae, yes, please send to me. Thanks.

[email protected]

@Friends, thanks all of you. I hope you enjoy this thread. I have holidays till Sunday for the Chinese New Year break, but I still have the mobile to read your interesting posts. Before I joined RG (and before RG was born), I spent some holiday time driving with friends and practicing driving, because it's not one of my natural talents.

@Andrae McConnell

I'll also colud take a look, my e-mail: [email protected]

Ljubomir Jerinic

@ Miranda and Ljubomir

Sure!

Tx Andrae

Ljubomir

Hello friends, I am back from the normal round of Chinese new year visitation.

@Andrae, please send it when you can. Thanks.

Thanks Andrae, I have it now :)

I've been talking to David Weston, CEO of http://www.teacherdevelopmenttrust.org/ who use lesson studies as a professional development framework, but I haven't seen any publications evaluating this approach.

We have developed a methodology called the "Learning Design Studio", which I from my conversations with David I understand has many parallels with lesson studies, except that it is based on a design-science paradigm of educational research. This means, among other things, that it is oriented to change, beyond understanding existing practice:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256841554_Learning_design_studio_educational_practice_as_design_inquiry_of_learning

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256841282_The_learning_design_studio_collaborative_design_inquiry_as_teachers_professional_development

Yishay

Conference Paper Learning Design Studio: Educational Practice as Design Inqui...

Article The learning design studio: Collaborative design inquiry as ...

Thanks Yishay Mor. I will get into those 'threads' very soon.

I'm glad you find my comments helpful. Please don't hesitate to send me any questions you might have.

Yishay

I have a little experience of the learning community approach and am not sure if that experience is of help with the research taking place/planned. The experience is based on leading a large comprehensive school deemed academy. In that case the approach adopted was initially triggered by a desire to integrate assessment for learning approaches into the classroom and to launch this we engaged Dylan William as the key note speaker. Dylan is a respected researcher with a full conviction that a learning communities approach can really lead to improvement. As well as providing a charismatic lead, our contract with him involved materials to be used in learning communities meetings. My own view was that Dylan was so convinced that this worked that there were dangers that the approach being suggested lacked flexibility.

Learning communities meetings were introduced across the school allowing scheduled meetings that formed part of teachers contracted commitments. The meetings brought together staff from across subject divides and included both teachers and teaching assistants. The structured meetings allowed discussions of approaches to teaching- for example the quality of questioning - and it placed all participants in a peer paired partnership. In meetings challenges for improvements were agreed,between meetings the pair observed each others progress.

At the end of the one year cycle it was interesting that a collective vote over whether to continue or not agreed that this should carry on and in that respect it appeared to be a successful influence on the quality of teaching in a school where the Q of T judgement made by inspectors was 'Outstanding'.

Having reflected on this I do feel that the work would have been strengthened if rather than rely heavily on the Dylan William influence, we had spent a little time talking about the theory and research behind this that comes form Wenger and Lave, or event looked at the development of an activity theory of learning that is most closely associated with Engstrom but has interesting democratic Russian roots.

I do feel that at leadership and teacher level it highlighted for me that as'professional' teachers and 'professional' headteachers we don't spend enough time talking about how effective learning takes place or how the effectiveness of learning can be improved in schools. The worry is that it isn't a question of keeping up to date with the latest readings, much of the help over this can come from work of Dewey that is 100 years old.

I am not sure if this ramble helps!

Thanks Alan, I will get back, soon...

Sent from mobile.

Alan, I totally agree with you over minimising the impact of 'approaches' and engaging the professionalism of teachers and leaders to either collaborate or merely discuss ideas. There is a huge bank of observational knowledge available in the teaching community. What is misding is those sqme teacher's critique or analysis of that observation. A leader is often needed to get this going but once started it is very powerful. In my school we have been careful to create frameworks rather than approaches once we go the conversations humming. This allowed for each teacher to be creative within the framework.

I ramble on with my thoughts on this by clarifying why I mentioned Dewey & separately why Activity Theory.

Dewey rejected the idea that learning was a process of filling empty vessels and considered learning to be a process of logical inquiry, In this respect he cites Darwin as an influence. He applies this learning through logical inquiry to.developing groups of learners that can at the least discover for themselves existing concepts/knowledge and at best create new knowledge.

The type of learning being described does seem to have a link to what is culturally acceptable. The early roots of the Activity Theory of Learning that is closely linked to Learning Communities stems from Russioan influence when Vygotsky et al were working post the Russian revolution - a time when the idea of hierarchys was being challenged .In their case the type of learning being described was challenging the concept of the teacher who knows dictating to students who don't know. It had the democratic approach to inquiry that challenges the didactic classroom. It encourages questioning and encourages a challenge to 'truths'.

Thanks, Mark and Alan. Yes, thanks for : 'Dewey rejected the idea that learning was a process of filling empty vessels and considered learning to be a process of logical inquiry'.

If it were just filling vessels, and not due to constructivism, how easy it would be to teach and produce UNIFORMLY talented students.