Development of Teachers’ Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching by Using the Innovation of Lesson Study and Open Approach

Anake Sudejamnong,Maitree Inprasitha,Suladda Loipha,Kittipot Robsouk

doi:10.4236/sm.2014.44032

Abstract

This research was under context of professional development for mathematics teacher by using the innovation of lesson study and open approach project implemented by the Center for Research in Mathematics Education, Faculty of Education, Khon Kaen University, during 2009-2011 academic years. The objective of this research was to study the development of mathematical knowledge for teaching of teacher from working based on 3 steps of the lesson study cycle that incorporated 4 phases of open approach. The target groups were a lesson study team in a project school. Data were collected from 3 steps of lesson study and analysis procedures were based on analyzing videos, protocols, and descriptive analysis. The research found that the teachers obtained development as follows: 1) during the step of collaboratively design research lesson, they discussed and shared knowledge in the mathematical textbooks of project, discussion in objective of the lesson and construction of open-ended problem situation, anticipation for students’ thinking, and specification of issues for discussion in classroom; 2) in the step of teaching and collaboratively observing the research lesson, they obtained knowledge for teaching by presenting the open-ended problem situation, the occurred difficulty of students’ problem solving, the students’ thinking approach in problem solving, the association of approach in each learning unit, the sequencing of thinking, and the extension of students’ incomplete thinking approach; and 3) during the step of collaboratively reflection on teaching practice, teachers obtained knowledge by reflecting the students’ goal accomplishment, the students’ learning process, the students’ thinking approach, the efficiency of media, and the experts’ recommendations.

Highlights

The findings of evaluation by The Trends International Mathematics and Science Study ( TIMSS, 2011), found that the Thai students’ mathematical content and learning behavior, obtained average score in lower level than the international average score
The lesson study team discussed for analyzing the conceptual knowledge in the project textbook
The lesson study was a major model for teaching professional development of Japan

Summary

Introduction

The findings of evaluation by The Trends International Mathematics and Science Study ( TIMSS, 2011), found that the Thai students’ mathematical content and learning behavior, obtained average score in lower level than the international average score. There were only 0.5% of students obtaining the highest average score (The Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology, 2013). 47% of them were taught by the teachers with teaching confidence which was lower than the national average value (The Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology, 2013). The teacher taught by telling, lecturing, and explaining new content, giving the example and assigning the students to do exercise following the example (Kammanee, 2005 cited in Changsri, 2012). It showed that most of primary school teachers had high educational degree, they lacked of readiness and confidence in mathematical knowledge for teaching. This technique caused the teachers to fail in teaching (Rowland & Ruthven, 2011), owing to the lack of major factors in professional expertise caused by their own teaching experience (Loipha & Inprasitha, 2004)

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