TY - CHAP
T1 - Rethinking Lesson Study in Japan
T2 - A Case Study Analysis
AU - Isozaki, Tetsuo
AU - Isozaki, Takako
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.
PY - 2022/1/1
Y1 - 2022/1/1
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Case study
KW - Continuing professional development
KW - Japan
KW - Lesson study
KW - Teacher knowledge
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85161894527&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-981-16-9785-2_28
DO - 10.1007/978-981-16-9785-2_28
M3 - 章
AN - SCOPUS:85161894527
SN - 9789811697845
SP - 573
EP - 588
BT - Handbook of Research on Teacher Education
PB - Springer Nature
ER -