A scoping review of mathematics teachers’ learning and professional growth through lesson studies

Abstract

Lesson study (LS), a teacher-oriented, student-focused professional development approach that originated in Asia, has spread globally. However, findings related to the effect of LS on teacher learning and growth have varied widely. This suggests a need to review current research on LS in the field of mathematics education. This paper focuses on mathematics teachers’ learning and professional growth through LS using Clarke and Hollingworth’s interconnected model of professional growth (IMPG) that contains three components: domains of change, mediating mechanisms, and change environment. With regard to domains of change, we found that although previous LS studies—often small scaled, qualitative studies—attended to all domains of change, they have more frequently reported changes in the personal (or collective) domain (e.g., teacher knowledge) but have relatively less frequently reported changes in other domains. In fact, there is a lack of research on systematic changes across domains in the IMPG. Regarding the mediating mechanisms, research has well explored both enactment (planning and teaching) and reflection (debriefing). For enactment, the planning process is less appreciated, and there is an inconsistent understanding of the role of the knowledgeable others. For reflection, there is a lack of focus on student thinking and constructive feedback during this process. Finally, research has suggested that LS has received support from the change environment but that tensions (e.g., time limits) have remained. These challenges call for systemic support and cross-cultural collaborations to develop sustainable and large-scale LS. We suggest future directions for continued research and practice.