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The purpose of this paper is to present the findings from a systematic literature review of recent studies of the implementation of Japanese lesson study beyond Japan, reviewing evidence of impact and robustness of the studies. Two studies of the implementation of lesson study from outside the timeframe for the literature review are also reviewed in detail, in order to explore the problematic nature of impact evaluation of lesson study.

A systematic literature review of 154 English language studies of the implementation of lesson study with in-service teachers beyond Japan published between 2006 and 2016 identifies 56 as a measuring impact. A lesson study-specific adaptation of Guskey’s (2000) five levels for the evaluation of professional development enables an analysis of the types of impact measured. An analysis using the Maryland Scientific Method Scale (MSMS) enables a review of robustness. Two recent robust studies from beyond this timeframe are then analysed in detail in terms of their framing of lesson study as an intervention and selection of related impact measures.

The literature review and subsequent analysis shows that studies are largely small-scale US case studies ranking as 1, or “least robust” on MSMS. Studies demonstrate the impact of lesson study on teacher learning and positive reactions, but little evidence of it making a difference to teaching, nor of the impact on schools’ professional learning cultures and structures, is present. The detailed analysis of the two recent studies shows that there are many potential pitfalls for researchers to avoid when measuring the impact of lesson study, specifically in relation to distinguishing lesson study as a professional development intervention, and measuring its impact accordingly.

The systematic review is limited to articles available in the English language, and there is a clear bias towards the USA. The study suggests that future research on lesson study in the UK and beyond should evaluate the implementation of lesson study over a larger scale, gather evidence of the difference lesson study makes to daily teaching and learning, and to its effect on school culture and structures.

The study suggests that researchers should pay careful attention to the fact that lesson study is not an end in itself, merely a means to achieve an identified change to teaching and learning, and design impact measures accordingly.

Unlike other systematic reviews of lesson study, this study analyses the impact evidence for lesson study that might be seen as most relevant to its introduction in cultural and structural contexts beyond Japan. It also explores in detail the potential pitfalls of lesson study impact evaluations, offering guidance to both practitioners and researchers.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an introduction of the papers in the current issue.

By revealing contrasting features of alternative theories of learning, this paper offers a contribution to the on-going discussion about the role of learning theory in Japanese lesson study and its global adaptations.

Attempts to theorize lesson study in contrast to the theory-based learning study reveal a fundamental difference in the learning theories used to underpin this task related to the different world views on which they are founded.

This paper review provides an overview of the insights into lesson and learning studies provided by the authors in this issue of the journal.

Since its introduction in early 2000s, lesson study has been viewed as a promising and powerful approach to professional development and school improvement in Indonesia. The purpose of this article is to discuss the historical development and unique perspective of lesson study at Indonesia University of Education.

Through a systematic review of the related literature to analyse practitioners and official point of views regarding adaptability and sustainability of the lesson study effort, the author portrays the progress and challenge faced by practitioners of lesson study in Indonesia. The author also points out its “existence proof” through the “story of adaptation” in order to describe the “steady change and improvement” and the “local proof route” in practice.

The review shows consecutive changes that started from reforming student learning, teachers’ learning and empowering the learning community, though reaching the core of instructional improvement is indeed challenging.

In this paper there are two substantial lessons learned, i.e. teaching practice and reflective practice are explicated to underlie the proposed framework of substantive aspects of lesson study. Key factors are also highlighted to develop further a valuable and sustained teacher education and development in Indonesia.

The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, the authors set out to advance the thesis that lesson study should be considered as the signature pedagogy of teachers. Second, the authors want to argue that combining the core attributes of Chinese lesson study and Learning study will improve the practice of lesson study. Third, the authors attempt to demonstrate how teachers discover necessary aspects of the object of learning (here called “keys to learning”) through their engagement in Learning studies.

The paper conducted a contrastive analysis of two varieties of lesson studies: the Chinese lesson study and the Learning study.

Lesson studies form a field of varieties, but the commonality among them (i.e. the focus on the lesson) makes the lesson study a strong candidate for being “the signature pedagogy” of teachers. The most important attribute of the Chinese lesson study is its close connection to the daily work of teachers through its embeddedness in teacher research group (arguably the core organisational principle of the Chinese educational system). The most important attribute of the Learning study is its theoretical grounding which helps teachers create an environment for the students to discern and appropriate necessary aspects of the object of learning.

Different varieties may be enriched by including the two core attributes found in the Chinese lesson study and the Learning study.

Two empirical studies are used to exemplify how teacher might discover previously unknown necessary aspects of the object of learning (here called “keys to leaning”).

Students often do not understand the relevance of social studies, are not interested in it, and some early childhood students confuse it with other disciplines. Various external and internal factors prevent teachers from providing meaningful social studies instruction; however, practical solutions can be approached more appropriately and interestingly through collaboration. A team of second grade teachers’ participation in lesson study, a 50 plus-year old Japanese collaborative model, and implications of their activities for 41 students are reported in this interpretative case study. Data concerning students’ perceptions of their social studies classroom environments and attitudes about social studies lessons were collected before and after the lesson study, using surveys and focus group interviews. There were slight changes, both positive and negative, in students’ perceptions of their social studies learning environments, though they were puzzled about the discipline of social studies. Early childhood stakeholders benefit from learning what young students articulate about social studies and social studies learning environments. The description of team collaboration, with early childhood social studies, could be helpful also to teachers engaging in job-embedded professional development.

The purpose of this paper is to better understand the challenges involved in introducing Lesson Study (LS) into teacher education in Malawi by studying mathematics teacher educators’ (TEs’) understanding of planning for LS.

This study is a part of a wider ongoing project designed to improve the quality and capacity of mathematics teacher education in Malawi. One of its components is professional development of all mathematics TEs in Malawi using an LS model. The units being analyzed comprise of the TEs’ written lesson plans and qualitative content analysis is the chosen analytical approach.

Based on the analyzed research lesson plans, the TEs have difficulty in focusing on their own learning parallel to the student teachers’ (STs’) learning, and struggle with predicting STs’ responses to tasks. In addition, there is a pervasive lack of emphasis on planned and focused observation of STs’ learning, as evidenced by a review of the research lesson plans.

This is a small-scale study due to LS being introduced to Malawi teacher education for the first time and the need to test before possible upscaling.

The paper includes a description of mathematics TEs’ understanding of LS in an African context, which can be a valuable information for TEs who are attempting to use LS.

This paper fulfills an identified need to learn more about TEs’ understanding of LS worldwide.

This Higher Education Academy funded study explored learning challenges faced by international students early in their post-graduate courses through the use of Participatory Lesson Study (PLS). The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Two approaches to PLS were explored. Students were interviewed after “research lesson seminars” about their learning experiences; before two seminars, groups of students participated in planning meetings to inform preparation of seminar content and activities.

Results suggest that PLS encourages a deep consideration of pedagogy by lecturers. Observation of student learning and post-seminar interviews highlighted the complex nature of the learning that unfolds during seminars. In some cases, student explanation of learning was dissonant with observations.

This was a small-scale project which cannot offer generalised implications for practice. However, it should act as a starting point to develop PLS on a larger scale and in other pedagogic contexts.

This project led to reassessment of lecturers’ pedagogic assumptions and to development of new approaches. Thematic analysis of pre- and post-seminar student responses highlighted several important issues: variation in approaches to participation in seminars, variable use of technologies to support learning, importance of differentiation for learning and task-types preferred by learners.

Results suggest that PLS facilitates the study of learning in higher education and the development of pedagogy, informed by and responsive to the needs of international students. As such, it has the potential to support any tutors working in higher education, whilst having wider, general utility to other groups approaching the development of pedagogy through Lesson Study.

The purpose of this collaborative self-study inquiry was to enhance the professional practice of faculty members through the adoption of lesson study. A seven-member faculty of education self-study group engaged in lesson study in a computer and learning resources for primary/elementary teachers’ course with teacher candidates.

This study focused on providing teacher candidates with increased opportunities for action and expression during in-class instruction. This collaborative lesson study inquiry (Fernandez et al., 2003; Fernandez and Yoshida, 2004; Murata, 2011) involved the four-step process of planning, doing, checking and acting (PDCA) (Cheng, 2019). Several data collection methods were adopted and data sources analyzed.

Challenges the group encountered during the study included ascertaining the goals of lesson study and offering critical feedback to each other. While this made decision-making more intricate and intentional, there was exceptional value in participating in the lesson study process. The results revealed three overarching themes: 1) challenges in classroom observations; 2) hesitation in providing supportive feedback to colleagues and 3) deliberations regarding what constitutes expertise within subject-specific preservice teacher education.

While lesson study has been adopted fairly extensively in K-12 settings, its adoption in postsecondary education is limited (Chenault, 2017). Considering the merits of lesson study for K-12 practitioners, this research investigated the similar advantages that lesson study might have for postsecondary education faculty, students and programs.

This study aims to consider how lesson study (LS) supports international graduate assistants (IGAs) teaching in settings that are culturally different from their own prior experiences as learners.

The authors used a single-case design to understand LS, including two IGAs and a domestic GA teaching at a US university. Data sources include audio recordings and field notes from LS sessions and lesson observations, data collected from online interactions, and individual interviews.

Qualitative analysis indicates IGAs felt their instruction improved as a result of participation, and they incorporated instructional practices aligned with norms in their new context. Through practical work with a narrow focus, IGAs collaborated with one another and with a more-experienced other. This created a context that reduced IGAs' cognitive dissonance, resulting in transformative teacher learning.

The findings suggest LS might provide supports for transformative learning for IGAs and other teachers, especially when they experience cognitive dissonance, such as that caused by culturally different classroom expectations.

This paper speaks to the identified need for supporting IGAs' understanding of values and norms undergirding pedagogy in their new contexts.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the development of mathematics teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) over successive cycles of lesson study. Utilising the framework of mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) (Ball et al., 2008), this research classifies features of PCK as utilised by post-primary mathematics teachers in their planning and reflection conversations in lesson study. The development of these features of PCK is then traced over successive cycles.

In total, 12 teachers in two Irish post-primary schools participated in this research. Over the course of one academic year, these two groups of teachers completed a number of cycles of lesson study and qualitative data were generated through audio recordings of all lesson study meetings and through individual interviews with participants.

Analysis of teacher dialogue reveals distinct features of knowledge of content and students (KCS) and knowledge of content and teaching (KCT) incorporated by these teachers in their planning and reflection conversations, providing empirical evidence of MKT in lesson study. The occurrence of these features of KCS and KCT in lesson study conversations increased over successive cycles, demonstrating teacher learning.

This research contributes to the literature in expanding the theoretical underpinnings of teacher learning in lesson study. It also provides further empirical evidence of MKT (Ball et al., 2008) in teacher practice, specifically related to post-primary mathematics teachers.