Analysis of Social Interaction and Behavior Patterns in the Process of Online to Offline Lesson Study: A Case Study of Chemistry Teaching Design based on Augmented Reality

Lesson study is a school-based, collaborative professional learning model that typically involves teachers and a facilitator as key participants. It is important to develop insights into the role of the facilitators, as they have a supportive and crucial role in the lesson study process. This study examines the challenges and successes perceived by a facilitator when supporting lesson study in two different contexts in Abu Dhabi. A qualitative research design was employed for an in-depth focus on the journey of the facilitator in the lesson study process. Four teachers from a public school and three teachers from a private school completed lesson study following the collaborative lesson research model. The same facilitator worked with both groups. Data were collected through reflection journal entries written by the facilitator. Thematic analysis was utilized to make sense of the data, develop codes, and identify the following five themes: school leadership support, facilitator’s experience in lesson study, facilitator’s role in the lesson study process, teachers’ ownership of lesson study, and lesson study contributing to teachers’ knowledge and practice. Implications of the findings are discussed in the paper.

Lesson study is no longer to teachers in the U.S., who are increasingly adopting the practice themselves. But, Ms. Chokshi and Ms. Fernandez are finding, they may lack the nuanced understanding that is necessary to use lesson study in the way that it was intended. RECENTLY, there has been a rapid proliferation of lesson study groups in the United States.1 Since deep knowledge about lesson study is rare in the U.S., it is likely that some of these groups have an incomplete understanding of this Japanese practice. Some may focus on structural aspects of the process of lesson study or may mimic its superficial features, while ignoring the underlying rationale for them.2 Our purpose here is to clarify some of the guiding principles behind the process of lesson study by identifying three categories of challenges that U.S. practitioners of lesson study may encounter at different developmental stages in their learning about the process. We wish to help lesson study practitioners focus on core principles and more coherently define the purpose of their lesson study work, so that they can move beyond its procedural aspects toward richer, more sustainable practice. Challenges to Launching Lesson Study: Common Concerns and Assumptions In this section, we describe cultural and logistical roadblocks that some individuals perceive when they first encounter lesson study. By addressing these concerns and false assumptions here, we hope to offer both a justification and a rationale for doing lesson study, so that interested individuals can move beyond discussing obstacles and toward actually engaging in the process. 1. Lesson study is an idea from a foreign country, so it can't be done in the U.S. Even though the formal process for lesson study was developed and popularized in Japan, there is nothing exotic about it. Lesson study not only possesses many of the features that are recommended by U.S. educators, it also organizes them into a coherent and systematic process. Specifically, lesson study is teacher-directed, since teachers determine how to explore their chosen goals and address student needs through their examination of practice. This examination of practice is concrete, because the main activities of the lesson study process are embedded in the realities of the everyday classroom. Lesson study is also inherently collaborative, since teachers work together with a common purpose and draw from one another's experience and expertise. Finally, sustained lesson study work can help teachers build a shared body of professional knowledge.3 2. U.S. teachers will not be able to find time for doing lesson study. Although lesson study is time-consuming, it can also be highly rewarding, so finding time for it is not impossible once teachers have made a commitment to the practice. According to a survey we recently conducted, a majority of U.S. lesson study groups met at least once a week, and most of these groups even found time to meet during the school day.4 However, time for conducting lesson study will always be limited, so we advise U.S. practitioners to use specific strategies in order to maximize their available time. For example, lesson study meetings can be run more efficiently by assigning roles to group members, distributing materials for feedback beforehand, and so on.5 Administrators can also play a significant role in supporting lesson study, especially with regard to scheduling, obtaining substitute coverage, and allocating funds. Some administrators have found creative ways to maximize their existing resources.6 3. We can't justify lesson study to others without proof that it improves student performance. The concern that lesson study will not allow practitioners to measure and communicate their findings about student performance is closely linked to the U.S. cultural desire for quick results (along with education policy pressures that focus on measurement by means of standardized achievement test scores). …

In Japan, various styles of Lesson Study (LS) have been born over 140 years. The first issue is what should be the focus of observation in the live lesson. There are two trends with regard to the target of observation. One is teacher- and lesson-plan-centered observation since the Meiji era (1870s), and the other is child-centered observation since the Taisho era (1910s). The former is closely related to administrative-led teacher training. The latter is more complex and can be further divided into five types. The second issue is which activities are given priority in the LS processes: observation of the live lesson itself, preparation before the lesson, or reflection after the lesson. Furthermore, each activity can be designed as a personal or a collaborative process. Thus, there are roughly six types of LS in Japan related to this issue. Which type is adopted depends on the period, lesson-study frequency, and school type. In addition, it is noteworthy that the type of LS implemented is closely related to which of demonstration teacher or observers are regarded as the central learners. The third issue is whether to regard LS as scientific research or as literary research. Teachers and researchers in 1960s Japan had strong interest in making lessons and lesson studies more scientific. On the other hand, as teachers attempt to become more scientific, they cannot but deny their daily practice: making improvised decisions on complicated situations without objective evidence. Although lesson studies have been revised in various forms and permutations over the last 140, formalization and ceremonialization of lesson studies has become such that many find lesson studies increasingly meaningless and burdensome. What has become clear through the discussions on the three issues, the factors that impede teacher learning in LS are summarized in the following four points; the bureaucracy controlled technical expert model, exclusion of things that are not considered scientific, the view of the individualistic learning model, and the school culture of totalitarian products. To overcome obstruction of teachers’ education in LS and the school crisis around the 1980s, the “innovative LS Cases” has begun in the 1990s. The innovative LS aims not for as many teachers as possible but for every teacher to learn at high quality. In the innovative LS Case, what teachers are trying to learn through methods of new LS is more important than methods of new LS itself. Although paradoxical, in order to assist every single teacher to engage in high quality learning inside school, LS is inadequate. It is essential that LS address not only how to actualize every single teacher to learn with high quality in LS but also through LS how to improve collegiality which enhances daily informal collaborative learning in teachers room. Furthermore, LS cannot be established as LS alone, and the school reform for designing a professional learning community is indispensable. Finally, the concept of “the lesson study of lesson study (LSLS)” for sustainable teacher professional development is proposed through organizing another professional learning communities among managers and researchers.

The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare students’ collaborative inquiry learning behaviors and their behavior patterns in an augmented reality (AR) simulation system and a traditional 2D simulation system. Their inquiry and discussion processes were analyzed by content analysis and lag sequential analysis (LSA). Forty university students were divided into dyads and then randomly assigned into AR group and traditional 2D group to collaboratively conduct an inquiry task about elastic collision. The results of the content analysis and LSA indicated that both systems supported students’ collaborative inquiry learning. Particularly, students showed high frequencies on higher-level inquiry behaviors, such as interpreting experimental data or making conclusions, when using these two simulations. By comparing the behavioral patterns, similarities and differences between the two groups were revealed. The AR simulation engaged the students more thoroughly in the inquiry process. Moreover, students in both groups adopted the same approaches to design experiments. Due to the line of AR research is in its initial stage, suggestions for future studies were proposed.

This chapter focuses on how lesson study can be used to assist teachers in the design of meaningful mathematical tasks for their students. It describes strategies in designing the lesson study process of “outline, teach, analyze, critically design” that support teachers’ development of task design. The chapter explains how specifically using critical design after observing the original lesson and having teachers’ focus on making student thinking visible can impact teachers approach to designing tasks. Participating in lesson study enables mathematics teachers to return to their original service ethic, and provides them with structures to focus on their students and students’ thinking. Examples of specific tasks that were developed using this method are discussed, and how the method and prompts enabled teachers to challenge their students to think on their own, rather than simply following their teacher’s thinking. The chapter is based on data collected from lesson study work with hundreds of teachers over a 6-year period. Lesson study, a form of teacher professional development that is widely used in Japan, has been cited as a crucial element in the improvement of mathematics and science education in that country (Stigler & Hiebert, 1999). In recent years, lesson study has become increasingly popular in the United States with the hope that it can drastically improve the US educational system (Fernandez, 2002; Wang-Iverson & Yoshida, 2005). During the lesson study process teachers work in groups to develop a lesson plan that one of the teachers will teach and have others observe. After the teaching and observations, the group meets and analyzes the lesson’s success in reaching its goals, and then makes revisions accordingly. Thus, a central element of lesson study is task design. The lesson study process can enable teachers to share and learn from each other ways to modify curriculum to engage students in meaningful mathematics. Lesson study by its very nature has teachers actively making decisions about the curriculum and redesigning it. In the process, teachers first develop and adapt

The study investigated principals’ instructional leadership role and lesson study program implementation in public secondary schools in Kajiado County. The objectives were to find out the role the principals played in supervising the implementation of the lesson study program and to find out the role the principals played in promoting collaborative practices when implementing the lesson study program. The study was anchored on Carrier’s instructional leadership model and Vygotsky’s social-cultural theory. A mixed-methods research approach was used with a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. The study’s target population consisted of 95 public secondary schools, 95 principals, and 651 mathematics and science teachers from Kajiado County, with a sample size of 29 principals and 248 mathematics and science teachers. This was achieved using probability and non-probability sampling techniques, which included purposeful, proportionate, and simple random sampling. The collection of data was done using an interview guide for principals and a questionnaire for teachers. A pilot study was conducted in two schools that had characteristics similar to those of the schools that were involved in the study. The research instruments were validated by experts with knowledge of instructional leadership from Tangaza University College and the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. The analysis of quantitative data was done using descriptive statistics, which included frequency distributions and percentages, and were generated using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The data was presented in the form of bar graphs, pie charts, and frequency tables. Qualitative data was analyzed using a thematic approach and presented using narratives and direct quotes. The findings revealed that secondary school principals carried out supervision throughout the process of lesson study by attending lesson study meetings, observing lessons, and giving feedback. They also discuss challenges encountered by teachers during lesson study implementation, such as limited time, lack of funds, heavy workload, and competing programs. School principals were also found to be supportive in terms of collaborations such as teamwork, peer lesson observation, and team teaching. However, the study found some challenges that face such collaborations which include a lack of clear understanding of lesson study by newly employed teachers as well as uncooperative teachers, especially those with many years of experience. The study concluded that despite the challenges facing lesson study implementation, public secondary school principals in Kajiado County make an effort to supervise lesson study implementation. The study also concluded that secondary school principals promote collaborative practices that support the implementation of lesson study programs. The study recommends that Center for Mathematics Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) organizes training on lesson study for mathematics and science teachers with a teaching experience of less than five years as well as sensitization workshops on lesson study for secondary school principals who are newly employed. Also, the study recommends that the Ministry of Education (MOE) develops a clear policy for lesson study implementation. The study suggests that further research be conducted to investigate lesson study program and students’ academic achievement.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0019/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how lesson study can lead to teacher learning and improvement of instruction by developing teachers’ mathematical-task knowledge and by supporting teachers’ selection, modification, and implementation of mathematical tasks. Mathematical-task knowledge includes knowledge needed to use tasks that require a high level of thinking and reasoning.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative case study design was used to explore the learning and instruction of three teachers as they went through the process of lesson study, developed knowledge around mathematics tasks, and made changes to their instruction. Methods included direct observation of lessons, semi-structured interviews, and participant observation.FindingsThis lesson study project supported teachers in developing mathematical-task knowledge and in making change to instructional practice. The teachers discussed in this paper added to their understanding of mathematical tasks and changed how they implemented tasks after lesson study. The teachers began to challenge students to go beyond memorizing or executing procedures to deepen the students’ understanding of mathematical concepts. Teachers developed key insights and understandings of mathematical tasks, triggering shifts in their thinking, and changes to instruction. Collaboration and reflection altered the selection, modification, and implementation of mathematical tasks.Research limitations/implicationsThis study reveals the connections between features of lesson study and the pathways that lead to learning and improvements to instruction. Limitations included the demands of the school district’s pacing guide and curriculum, and a limited number of interviews and observations were conducted after lesson study.Originality/valueThere are many different ways lesson study has been implemented in the USA, yet the effectiveness of many lesson study projects is still unclear. This study reveals more about the lesson study process, what features are important, and how these features lead to development of knowledge and practice. This study examines how teachers within the same lesson study group added to their knowledge and practice and how different features of lesson study prompt them to make changes.

This study aims to analyze the utilization of lesson study in improving the teaching competence of Physical Education (PE) teachers at the elementary school level. The lesson study process which consists of three main stages: planning, implementation, and collaborative reflection, was applied in the context of PE learning in several elementary schools. Participants in this study came from physical education teachers from the Palembang (Indonesia) area, totalling 10 elementary school PE teachers. The quality of learning is measured by looking at two aspects: teaching skills observed from recorded processes on how teachers managed the classroom and from students' formative class evaluation questionnaire after the learning process. The initial measurement and training on managing the classroom were given to the participating teachers before the lesson study was conducted. Furthermore, the lesson study program was carried out for four cycles. The same measurement was taken before and after the lesson study was concluded. All data in this study were processed using IBM SPSS 27 with paired sample t-test analysis and effect sizes. The results of the study found that lesson study at the before and after stages was proven to significantly improve the quality of teacher teaching (p<0.05), but not at the teaching skills (p>0.05). The results showed that lesson study effectively helped PE teachers identify and correct weaknesses in their teaching, improve pedagogical skills and facilitate more interactive and quality learning. In addition, lesson study also encourages the development of a collaborative culture among teachers, which contributes to improving professionalism and learning quality. This study concludes that lesson study is an effective strategy to improve the teaching competence of PE teachers at the primary school level, and it is recommended to be applied more widely in teacher development programs.

Purpose – Lesson study has emerged as an approach to improving the quality of teaching in the USA. The purpose of this paper is to provide an investigation into teachers’ attitudes toward lesson study. Evidence suggests that lesson study may increase teachers’ content knowledge and their ability to anticipate student misconceptions during lessons. Nevertheless, certain issues have surfaced in the literature. Teachers may struggle with the demands of collaboration, critique of their lessons, and observation of their teaching. Moreover, lesson study may conflict with the existing mandate-monitor culture within many school districts. Understanding how teachers perceive lesson study is vital to gauging the effectiveness of the process. Design/methodology/approach – In all, 55 teachers at two elementary schools in urban Los Angeles participated in the researcher-designed survey. For the teachers in this study, participation in lesson study was mandatory, and most had participated in a version of lesson study that emphasized following the established curriculum and district-approved strategies. Data were analyzed using correlational analysis. Findings – Results yielded significant associations between teachers’ comfort levels with collaboration, lesson observation, lesson critique, and their support for lesson study. Higher degrees of control by the district over the lesson study process were linked to teachers feeling less responsible for student learning. Practical implications – The findings from this study have important implications for the prospects of lesson study as a model of teacher development in the USA. Originality/value – This paper fulfils a need to investigate factors that impede and promote the effective implementation of lesson study in the USA.

This study aims to present the experiences of pre-service mathematics teachers’ on skill-based problem solving-oriented lesson study. In the study, the activities related to the learning environments designed by the lesson study groups before and after the research lesson with a focus on problem solving are investigated. In this way, the study aims to reveal how lesson study affects pre-service mathematics teachers’ awareness of teaching problem solving. In the study, 31 pre-service mathematics teachers first received a comprehensive training on teaching problem solving in mathematics for six weeks. Then, the pre-service teachers received a one-week training on the lesson study professional development model. In the last stage, they carried out problemsolving-focused lesson study processes under the guidance of the researcher with ten lesson study groups that they formed on the basis of volunteerism. Finally, the lesson study groups shared their experiences with the other pre-service teachers participating in the study by presenting the bulletins they prepared. The data were obtained through planning and evaluation meeting minutes, observation notes of research lesson practitioners and observers, initial and final lesson plans and documents. The data obtained in the study, in which the case study design of the qualitative research approach was preferred, were subjected to descriptive analysis using Polya’s (1957) problem solving process steps framework. During the lesson study process that they experienced within the scope of the research, pre-service teachers shared their knowledge and experiences about the problem solving process and teaching with each other, as well as activities such as collaborative work in groups, designing and implementing teaching materials such as lesson plans and worksheets. According to the results obtained in the study, it was seen that the activities in the problem solving-oriented learning environments of the pre-service teachers varied thanks to the collaborative structure of the lesson study. In addition, it was seen that the pre-service teachers had the opportunity to experience the steps of the problem solving process and the instructions they could use in these steps on the students through the research lesson and then make the necessary rearrangements through evaluation meetings. Considering the opportunities offered by the collaborative and school-based structure of lesson study, it is thought that lesson study can be a functional model for pre-service teachers to use theory and practice together in courses on problem solving instruction.

PurposeThe research reported in this paper brings forth the experiences of three teachers working in different schools. These teachers learned about lesson study through a course offered at the University of Malta while, at the same time, leading a lesson study with colleagues at their school. With the COVID-19 outbreak, these teachers had, out of necessity, to adopt and accommodate for their lesson study to an exclusive online approach. This paper, hence, focuses on teachers' learning as they shifted their lesson study online.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents a case study that delves into the experiences and perceptual insights that these teachers manifested in shifting to an exclusive online lesson study situation. Data collection is derived from a focus group discussion, teacher reflective entries and detailed reports documenting the lesson study process and experiences. Employing technological frames as the theoretical lens, a description-analysis-interpretation approach was employed to analyse and interpret reflections and grounded experiential perceptions that the respondents disclosed during their lesson study journey.FindingsNotwithstanding their initial discerned sense of loss and unpreparedness of being constrained to migrate lesson study to exclusive online means, teachers eventually recognised that digitally mediated collaborative practices enhanced self-reflection about the lesson study process. Therefore, the extraordinary situation that the teachers in this study experienced not only disrupted their modus operandi but also allowed them to discern new opportunities for learning about digital technology use in lesson study.Practical implicationsDisruption, brought about by unforeseen circumstances, takes teachers and professional development facilitators out of their comfort zones, invariably helping them grow out of their limitations and rethink lesson study practices.Originality/valueIntentionally driven disruptions prompt teachers to resolve their dissatisfactory situations by thinking out of the box, eventually helping them to improve their professional practices.

The key to professional development is inquiry. For teachers, it means that they become researchers, inquiring into their own practices for purposes of professional renewal. Lesson Study has been widely accepted as an embedded teacher professional development process. This paper reports on primary school mathematics teachers’ view and perceptions toward Lesson Study processes as a mean for their continuous professional development. After their exposure to Lesson Study processes from a four week course at RECSAM, the researchers sought their views and experiences with conducting Lesson Study. The respondents were primary school mathematics teachers and teacher’ educators who participated in courses conducted at SEAMEO RECSAM, Penang, Malaysia. The data were drawn through interview and from their project works, journals, reports, and questionnaires. This study noted that most of the teachers held positive but reluctant views on Lesson Study as a path for continuous professional development. They agreed that Lesson Study can be used as effective tool for their professional development under specific circumstance. Possible factors that support and hinder teachers to be engaged in Lesson Study were noted such as flexible time table, teacher’s experiences and supportiveschool policy.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to capitalize on the advantages of an evidence-based lesson analysis while proposing a method of research on teaching that offers opportunities for deeper reflections. The objective is to examine how well a transnational learning project such as this one can determine the cultural script of a mathematics lesson in Malaysia through the perspective of Japanese educators well trained in the lesson study approach. Emphasis here is on a cross-cultural analysis to view in depth the cultural script of teaching mathematics in Malaysia with particular focus on how teachers respond to students’ mistakes in a mathematics lesson.Design/methodology/approachThis paper draws on data collected by the authors in a lesson study in Malaysia that aimed to provide a cross-cultural analysis of a Malaysian mathematics lesson (grade 10) through the eyes of Japanese educators. Data retrieved should determine the cultural script of a mathematics class in Malaysia with an emphasis on Malaysian teachers’ responses to students’ mistakes in class. The cross-cultural analysis of a lesson is a comparative method that reveals the hidden factors at play by increasing awareness of characteristics in classroom situations that are self-evident to all involved members.FindingsThe findings are intended to the cultural script of Malaysia in the context of “classroom culture regarding mistakes” and “mistake management behavior.” The impact on the quality of teaching and learning also discussed in relation to how it can be improved in practice from the following perspectives: the teacher’s attitudes toward student mistakes; how mistakes are treated and dealt with in class; and how learning from mistakes is managed. The data in Table II provide a meta-analysis of evidences of “classroom culture regarding mistakes” and “mistake management behavior” of the teacher from the Malaysian researchers and practitioners’ perspective as well as from the lens of the Japanese educators.Research limitations/implicationsThis study realizes that both sets of research studies value the importance of mistakes. It is important to identify the source of students’ mistakes and further learn from them. In order to reveal the overall structure of the cultural script of lessons, we need to realize that various cultural scripts are at work in the production of any given lesson. In the future, the authors hope to develop the potential of this view of culture script of teaching through cross-cultural analysis for lesson study and curriculum research and development.Practical implicationsThis study aims to capitalize on the advantages of evidence-based lesson analysis through the lesson study process while proposing a method of research on teaching that offers opportunities for deeper reflections. The objective is to examine how well a transnational learning project such as this one can determine the cultural script of a mathematics lesson in Malaysia through the perspective of Japanese educators well trained in the lesson study methodology.Social implicationsThe authors need to obtain reflective feedback based on concrete facts, and for this reason “lesson study,” a pedagogical approach with its origins in Japan, is attracting global attention from around the world. This study focuses on the discrete nature, the progression, significance, and the context of lessons. That is, by avoiding excessive abstraction and generalization, reflection based on concrete facts and dialogue retrieved from class observations can be beneficial in the process. The mutual and transnational learning between teachers that occurs during the lesson study process can foster the building and sharing of knowledge in teaching practice.Originality/valueThere is currently little empirical research addressing “classroom culture regarding mistakes” which mostly represents how teachers and students learn from mistakes in the classroom. This study focuses on a cross-cultural analysis to view in depth the cultural script of teaching mathematics in Malaysia with particular focus on how teachers respond to students’ mistakes in a mathematics lesson. The following perspectives are examined: the teacher’s attitudes toward student mistakes; how mistakes are treated and dealt with in class; and how learning from mistakes is managed.

This paper explores the education of prospective teachers with regard to the Theory of Didactical Situations when they engage in lesson study. We particularly focus on studying how a lesson study process oriented towards the Theory of Didactical Situations contributes to increasing prospective teachers’ self-efficacy to plan and teach lessons based on such theory, reducing the gap between theory and practice. Prior to the study, we will discuss how the theoretical postulates assumed in lesson study affect crucial aspects of the process. The study is implemented with 47 prospective early childhood education teachers. We also consider another group of 47 prospective teachers that were engaged in practicum at the time the lesson study process took place. Using a quasi-experimental methodology based on a questionnaire developed ad hoc that captures the particularities of the didactic paradigm assumed, the results of our study show that both lesson study and practicum lead to a statistically significant increase in future teachers’ self-efficacy to plan and teach lessons in line with the paradigm assumed. However, size effect measures show that the increase observed in the lesson study group is significantly higher, which supports the benefits of lesson study in initial teacher education. We discuss what the features of lesson study are that could be related to this increase. Finally, we sketch new lines of research connected with the benefits of lesson study versus other teacher education experiences like practicum, as well as with links between self-efficacy and knowledge growth in lesson study.

Global challenges faced by teacher researchers outside of Japan are related to theoretical, practical knowledge, research methodology, success and sustainability of adapted lesson study (LS) projects. These issues highlight the necessity of in-depth theoretical research of authentic Japanese lesson study (JLS) approach. The purpose of the article is to explore LS theorization through theoretical analysis of multifaceted structure of JLS components and integration of action research (AR) methodology in JLS to make LS evidencebased and comprehensible. The main idea is theorization of LS through modeling, evaluation checklist and conceptualization of LS philosophy. As a result of comparative, analysis and synthesis, structured analysis and modeling research methods, multi cyclical LS model integrated with AR methodology, evaluation checklist used as assessment tool for model realization and LS philosophy were developed. The model and checklist are used to describe 4 LS as AR stages (pre-diagnostic, intervention, post-diagnostic and knowledge construction) and 37 components. The model is significant to get theoretical knowledge acquisition, the evaluation checklist is crucial in practice as self-correction, self-assessment and self-regulation tool. They can be utilized by teachers throughout LS process. The research findings contribute to developing LSmethodology with a set of assessment criteria to make LS scientifically grounded research.