Rethinking Lesson Study in Japan: A Case Study Analysis

Teachers in Japan have traditionally engaged in lesson study (jyugyoukenkyuu) to systematically improve their teaching and enhance students’ learning since the late nineteenth century. Lesson study, a part of teachers’ culture in Japan, is an art of investigation for teaching and learning through which teachers observe, analyse, and review each other’s lessons. Lesson study is based on traditional understanding and expertise rather than on educational theories. Understanding and analysing teachers’ methods for developing lessons may help bridge the gap between research and practice for both teachers and researchers. The authors reviewed the literature on lesson study and teacher knowledge then focussed primarily on the preparation phase of lesson study conducted at schools attached to one national university, as case studies. This phase, through researching and developing teaching materials (kyouzai-kenkyuu) and making and revising lesson plans (gakushuushidouan-sakusei), requires teachers to identify a lesson’s implicit and explicit values, such as academic, pedagogical, and teacher’s values, clarify their teacher knowledge, and regularly apply in lessons. Therefore, teachers spend much time and energy on this phase. There are some problems in lesson study; however, we argued that the success or failure of lesson study is related to the school culture and collegiality of the professional learning community.