João Pedro Da Ponte, Marisa Quaresma and Joana Mata-Pereira
This paper seeks to understand how teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) is developed during a lesson study regarded as a professional development process that…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to understand how teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) is developed during a lesson study regarded as a professional development process that places particular emphasis on teachers' knowledge of tasks, representations and students' learning.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on the networking of two theories, namely the Interconnected Model of Teacher Professional Growth (IMTPG) and MKT. The methodology is qualitative and interpretative. The participants are three primary school teachers and team members involved in a lesson study. Data collection was conducted by means of participant observation, with audio recordings of the sessions and a final individual interview.
Findings
The participant teachers developed their knowledge of tasks and representations, which are essential elements of content and teaching knowledge, as well as knowledge of the curriculum, content and students. Additionally, they developed specialized knowledge of mathematics, the meaning of fraction as a measure and its representation on the number line. This development arose from activities conducted in the Domain of Practice, in many cases prompted by the External Domain, and was particularly important when these activities gave rise to unforeseen consequences. Connections among the various domains were established through enactment and reflection processes.
Originality/value
The study shows how the networking of two different theories, in this case the IMTPG and MKT, may enhance further understanding of educational phenomena. This networking involved the coordination of these two theories, which were superimposed in the Group Domain.
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The purpose of this paper is to review the research concerning the use of lesson studies in the education of secondary school prospective mathematics teachers. It discusses the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the research concerning the use of lesson studies in the education of secondary school prospective mathematics teachers. It discusses the adaptations made on the designs, the aims and outcomes established, the processes used, and the needed improvements in the experiences reported so far.
Design/methodology/approach
The scientific studies reviewed were identified in a Google search, using the key words “lesson study”, “mathematics”, and “secondary.” The identified material was recorded in a database and the themes for the analysis cover the planning, execution, and reflection phases of a formative process.
Findings
The paper identifies the several pending issues regarding the use of lesson studies in prospective teacher education such as defining the aims, establishing the relationships among participants, scaling, and adapting lesson studies for the particular purpose of educating future teachers.
Research limitations/implications
At a practical level, this review suggests that lesson studies in pre-service teacher education must have a clear formative aim. It also shows that many formats are possible and must be chosen according to the specific conditions. In addition, it suggests the need for research regarding the definition of the aims, the working relationships established among participants, the problem of scale, and the problem of adaptation or simplification.
Originality/value
The paper identifies the key issues in the design of lesson studies in initial teacher education. It argues that besides signaling the positive outcomes, more critical (or self-critical) investigations are needed, e.g. using external researchers as “critical friends”, which address their difficulties, limitations, and drawbacks in a more thorough way.
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Maria Gorete Ramos Fonseca and João Pedro da Ponte
This research aims to understand the learning with regard to didactic knowledge of an early childhood teacher who participated in a Lesson Study (LS) on the topic of patterns, as…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to understand the learning with regard to didactic knowledge of an early childhood teacher who participated in a Lesson Study (LS) on the topic of patterns, as well as her perspective about LS as a teacher education process.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a qualitative case study of an early childhood teacher who participated in a LS alongside three other colleagues and a facilitator. Data collection was made by participant observation with elaboration of a research journal, audio recording of sessions and a collective interview. Data analysis was made by content analysis based on the conceptual framework.
Findings
This case study shows that early childhood teachers may become aware of the importance of working with their children mathematical ideas. It also shows that they may develop their didactic knowledge in several dimensions such as school mathematics, curriculum, children and their learning, and teaching practice and that they may appreciate LS as a means of professional development.
Originality/value
This study shows the potential of LS for the professional development of early childhood teachers, a scarcely researched area. It also shows that their learning may include dimensions related to specific curricular areas such as mathematics.
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Gorete Fonseca and João Pedro da Ponte
The study aims to understand what learning is evidenced regarding knowledge about the teaching of mathematics by five primary teachers when they reflect on research lessons. To do…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to understand what learning is evidenced regarding knowledge about the teaching of mathematics by five primary teachers when they reflect on research lessons. To do so, we used situations from the formal and informal reflection sessions that took place after teaching four research lessons.
Design/methodology/approach
It is a qualitative and interpretative research. Data collection was done by participant observation with elaboration of a research journal, audio recording of sessions and a whole-group interview. Data analysis was made by content analysis based on the conceptual framework.
Findings
The study shows the relevance of carrying out successive research lessons, followed by moments of formal and informal reflection, leading to improvements in relation to the way the task is proposed to the pupils, the representations used and the monitoring and questioning carried out by the teacher in the various phases of the lesson.
Originality/value
In lesson study, very often, only one research lesson is held. This case shows the potential of successive research lessons, each of which is followed by moments of reflection, in promoting the development of teachers’ didactic knowledge, namely regarding teaching practice, providing a more in-depth look at the way pupils work on mathematical tasks and the role of the teacher in promoting learning. Reteaching proved to be a valuable strategy to support teachers’ reflections in order to improve the leading of pupils’ work.
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Paula Gomes, Marisa Quaresma and João Pedro da Ponte
This article aims to analyse how a teacher leads whole-class discussions during and after participating in lesson studies and to what extent that participation influences her…
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to analyse how a teacher leads whole-class discussions during and after participating in lesson studies and to what extent that participation influences her teaching practice.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a qualitative/interpretative research with a case study design, carried out with a secondary school mathematics teacher who participated in two lesson studies. Data were collected from participant observation, audio recording of lesson study (LS) sessions and discussions with the teacher, video recording of lessons and semi-structured interviews. Frameworks regarding the teachers' actions are used in the analysis.
Findings
The results suggest that in her teaching practice, the teacher led students to explain their strategies with supporting/guiding actions, but she also challenged the students to justify their productions, ensuring that the students' ideas were clear. Additionally, the teacher explored incorrect strategies and disagreements, inviting and challenging other students to intervene or react and involved students in drawing connections, as discussed in the LS. Therefore, the teacher put into practice several actions teachers can do in leading whole-class discussions to promote students' learning. Participating in LS was an opportunity to rethink her teaching practice, as the teacher pointed out, bringing her a new perspective on leading discussions in which students play an active role in learning mathematics, creating opportunities for the students to explain and react to their colleagues' ideas.
Originality/value
This article examines an under-researched issue: the influence of LS on the way a teacher leads whole-class discussions, during and after participating in lesson studies.
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Linda Cardoso, João Pedro Da Ponte and Marisa Quaresma
To understand how lesson study (LS) can promote the development of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of prospective primary teachers. More specifically, to know what PCK…
Abstract
Purpose
To understand how lesson study (LS) can promote the development of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of prospective primary teachers. More specifically, to know what PCK prospective primary teachers develop during LS and how this development occurs.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a qualitative approach, this study took place in a teacher education institution where a LS was carried out during the last semester of the academic year with the participation of two prospective teachers, a teacher educator, a cooperating teacher and a researcher.
Findings
The results suggest that prospective teachers may develop PCK when they participate in LS, regarding lesson planning (goals and lesson plan), task design, students' difficulties and solving strategies, whole-class discussions and observation of student learning. This development occurs through the engagement in LS activities that allow prospective teachers to deepen their knowledge.
Originality/value
This study investigates how the development of prospective teachers' PCK occurs during LS, providing knowledge about how different activities of the LS help develop different aspects of PCK.
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Raquel Vieira and João Pedro da Ponte
This paper focuses on prospective teachers’ (PTs) participation in a lesson study (LS) that prompted them to research their own practice. We seek to describe the dimensions of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper focuses on prospective teachers’ (PTs) participation in a lesson study (LS) that prompted them to research their own practice. We seek to describe the dimensions of PTs’ knowledge of student learning developed during the process and the LS features fostering it.
Design/methodology/approach
The participants were two PTs, a teacher educator, a cooperating teacher and a researcher. The LS was integrated into a Portuguese initial elementary teacher education program. Following a qualitative approach, we used participant observation.
Findings
The PTs developed their knowledge of students’ learning of the concept of area in four dimensions: theories; students’ interests and expectations; ways students interact with the content and students’ strengths and weaknesses in learning the concept. To support this development, the LS design considered follow-up sessions and emphasised collaborative work.
Originality/value
This study focuses on PTs researching their practice and disseminating the results, which has been overlooked in previous research of LS with PTs. The results highlight the potential of LS to motivate PTs to research their practice and emphasise the importance of involving them in disseminating LS results.
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Teresa Conceição, Mónica Baptista and João Pedro da Ponte
The purpose of this paper is to understand what physics and chemistry preservice teachers learn on the nature of the inquiry tasks and about classroom communication in an inquiry…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand what physics and chemistry preservice teachers learn on the nature of the inquiry tasks and about classroom communication in an inquiry task when they take part in a lesson study.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a qualitative and interpretive research which was carried out within a master’s degree course in physics and chemistry teaching with three preservice teachers. Data were collected from participant observation with video recording, interviews, written reflections and group report by the preservice teachers. This two-cycle lesson study was conducted over 12 sessions. The data analysis took place through asking questions and using the constant comparison method, which allowed the identification of the most relevant issues about the preservice teachers learning according to the categories nature of the inquiry tasks and communication promoted by the teacher.
Findings
The results show that the preservice teachers learnt to identify the characteristics of inquiry tasks, how to develop an inquiry task when planning the research lesson and acknowledged its potential for student learning. Moreover, the preservice teachers acknowledged the fact that the classroom communication promoted by the teacher fostered student participation, negotiation of meanings about scientific concepts and construction of new learning that can be shared within the class.
Research limitations/implications
Research is needed as regards how initial teacher education providers may contribute to the learning of preservice teachers in lesson study in initial teacher education programmes.
Originality/value
This research contributes to show potentialities of lesson study in the initial teacher education of preservice physics and chemistry teachers.