Lesson studies in physical education – a scoping narrative

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PurposeLesson studies, a methodology originally developed in Japan, has been used in an increasing number of contexts, both in relation to initial teacher training and in the context of ongoing professional development. However, the research reported on the use of lesson studies in the training of physical education teachers is very limited. The aim of this review is to identify and analyze published studies on physical education lesson studies and to describe the advantages of using the methodology in the context of this discipline.Design/methodology/approachExploratory searches were carried out in four multiple-search databases, and 14 publications were found. Information was collected about authors, year of publication, origin and type of study, purposes, concept of the lesson study, methodology and results.FindingsThe results of the different studies point in the same direction – potential of lesson studies in physical education in initial training and professional development; valuing collaborative work, contextualization and continuous nature; lesson studies as a significant experience; need to create conditions for teachers’ participation in lesson studies; need for further investigation.Originality/valueThe research reported on the use of lesson studies in the training of physical education teachers is very limited. This review is intended to cover all studies related to the theme of physical education lesson studies published in indexed journals.