Using a non-coercive process to engage mathematics teachers in lesson study

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 329-347
Author(s):  
Allan M. Canonigo
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Mathematics Teachers ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Theoretical Research ◽  
Public High School ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Perspective ◽  
Stakeholder Relationships

Purpose While lesson study may be powerful, it may also be either misguided or superficial. Further, cultural change is difficult and norms such as teacher isolation and autonomy are well entrenched. These concerns point to the need for a non-coercive process that has a positive focus, is essentially self-organizing, encourages deep reflection, and avoids the pitfalls of manipulation by school administrators and or knowledgeable others. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative case study framed by an appreciative inquiry (AI) theoretical research perspective, the author documents the experience of teachers who worked through a complete lesson study cycle with tenth-grade Mathematics in the Philippines, systematically reconstructed from field texts and deliberate co-construction techniques. Findings AI can provide the inclusive collaborative relationship for lesson study to be non-coercive because it takes into account the teachers’ voices, provides a relational space for interactions, offers opportunities for meaningful dialogue, empowers teachers to take action, and manages cultural differences, which avoid the dangers of contrived collaboration that are used to manipulate and control teachers. Thus, many of the benefits of lesson study were achieved through deepened relationships and more collegial atmosphere in the schools. Research limitations/implications The study was conducted in a public high school participated by three mathematics teachers teaching grade 10. This paper limits only to social interactions and dynamics that emerged when the lesson study was first introduced in a particular school. As its limitation, it did not include revisions of the lesson developed, because this study concerned only on describing the process to engage mathematics teachers in lesson study. Social implications This paper poses that more attention needs to be given to the key issues related to social interactions and group dynamics that emerge when lesson study is introduced to existing school cultures and stakeholder relationships. Originality/value This first-hand account of using AI as a non-coercive process for teachers to change their practice to collaborate through lesson study hopes to prompt a conversation about the role of culture for lesson study to be successful in schools.

Introducing lesson study in promoting a new mathematics curriculum in Irish post-primary schools

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 236-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Brosnan
Keyword(s):  
School Leadership ◽  
Mathematics Teachers ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Mathematics Curriculum ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Initial Resistance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate and review how the practices of Lesson Study fare in enhancing the professional capabilities of mathematics teachers when introduced as part of a pilot project in reforming the post-primary mathematics curriculum in Ireland. Design/methodology/approach – Totally, 250 mathematics teachers teaching Junior and Senior Cycle mathematics in 24 post-primary schools constitute the population of this study. The schools which participated are representative of the range of all post-primary schools in Ireland. Findings – Lesson Study has an important role to play in the continuing professional development of teachers in the 24 post-primary schools and beyond in Ireland. An investigation of the maths teachers’ engagement with Lesson Study reveals some considerable initial resistance. Reasons for this resistance are examined and the lessons learned from the steps taken to deal with this are reviewed. Lesson Study is an innovation that teachers need to understand deeply and to practice regularly through mutual support if they are to avail of it fruitfully. Accordingly, further approaches need to be explored, not least the important role of school leadership, to adapt Lesson Study more fully and more productively to the professional cultures of teaching in Ireland. Originality/value – An analytic and evaluative account of the challenges and complexities involved in introducing Lesson Study to post-primary schools in Ireland is presented for the first time.

Developing mathematics teachers’ competence through parallel lesson study

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rongjin Huang ◽  
Xue Han
Keyword(s):  
Mathematics Teachers ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Learning Objects ◽  
Boundary Crossing ◽  
Practicing Teachers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Expansive Learning ◽  
Instructional Objectives

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine practicing mathematics teachers’ learning through parallel lesson study in China. Lesson study in China has been practiced for decades. Parallel lesson is an enriched mode of lesson study to address the implementation of new curriculum. Design/methodology/approach – The expansive learning perspective has been used to explore the ways practicing teachers learned to improve teaching through the transformation of learning objects and boundary crossing. Findings – Two cases are illustrated and compared to highlight features of teachers’ learning through parallel lesson study. The practicing teachers developed their competence in transforming instructional objectives and task selection and implementation. In addition, they also developed professional vision in alignment with the reform-oriented curriculum. Originality/value – This study makes significant contribution to understanding teachers’ learning through lesson study in China. Meanwhile, it also demonstrates how the theory of expansive learning could be used as a conceptual framework to examine teachers’ learning through lesson study.

scholarly journals Developing mathematics teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge in lesson study

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 212-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain
Keyword(s):  
Pedagogical Content Knowledge ◽  
Teacher Learning ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Mathematics Teachers ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pedagogical Content ◽  
Primary Mathematics ◽  
Knowledge Of Content

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the development of mathematics teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) over successive cycles of lesson study. Utilising the framework of mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) (Ball et al., 2008), this research classifies features of PCK as utilised by post-primary mathematics teachers in their planning and reflection conversations in lesson study. The development of these features of PCK is then traced over successive cycles. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 12 teachers in two Irish post-primary schools participated in this research. Over the course of one academic year, these two groups of teachers completed a number of cycles of lesson study and qualitative data were generated through audio recordings of all lesson study meetings and through individual interviews with participants. Findings – Analysis of teacher dialogue reveals distinct features of knowledge of content and students (KCS) and knowledge of content and teaching (KCT) incorporated by these teachers in their planning and reflection conversations, providing empirical evidence of MKT in lesson study. The occurrence of these features of KCS and KCT in lesson study conversations increased over successive cycles, demonstrating teacher learning. Originality/value – This research contributes to the literature in expanding the theoretical underpinnings of teacher learning in lesson study. It also provides further empirical evidence of MKT (Ball et al., 2008) in teacher practice, specifically related to post-primary mathematics teachers.

Going the distance: a lesson study on deriving the distance formula

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Von Christopher Gulpric Chua
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Mathematics Teachers ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Mathematical Concept ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Pedagogical Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Distance Formula

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the challenges that Filipino Mathematics teachers face while developing students’ ability to derive the distance formula; allow teachers to collaboratively formulate a lesson designed to address the challenges they have identified from their own practice; and determine how successful the lesson was and how it can be improved so that other teachers dealing with similar difficulties may be able to implement it. The teacher-participants employed Lesson Study (LS) as an approach to improving pedagogical practice. Data were based on the pre- and post-lesson discussions and individual reflection papers of the teacher participants. Design/methodology/approach An action research methodology through LS approach was employed by the teacher participants. Data were based on the pre- and post-lesson discussions and individual reflection papers of the teacher participants. Findings Based on the post-lesson discussion, the teachers agreed that the process of creating a lesson that seeks to develop the students’ ability to derive formulas are crucial to building understanding of the underlying mathematical concept. Also, teachers’ participation in LS was found to have been insightful as it developed in them a greater appreciation towards establishing a professional learning community that is directed towards examining problems that concerns majority of the teachers involved. Originality/value Research in Philippine education has recently seen the increasing interest in LS as a potent pedagogical practice. Nonetheless, papers that report on LS practice in the local context remains to be lacking. This study contributes to the development of this research area and raises the need for Filipino Mathematics teachers to engage in both LS and action research to generate knowledge from their experiences.

Lesson study and the long-term impact on teacher professional community development

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-101
Author(s):  
Emily Lewanowski-Breen ◽  
Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain ◽  
Maria Meehan
Keyword(s):  
Mathematics Teachers ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Professional Community ◽  
Professional Communities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School Based ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Long Term Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the long-term impact of participating in school-based lesson study on mathematics teachers' professional community.Design/methodology/approachA study was conducted with six mathematics teachers, from two post-primary schools in the Republic of Ireland, following up on their participation in school-based lesson study over the academic year 2012/13 (see Ni Shuilleabhain, 2016). Qualitative data were generated through one-to-one, semi-structured interviews with the participating teachers and analysed using an empirical framework for teacher community formation (Grossman et al., 2001).FindingsAnalysis of the interview responses suggests that the mathematics teachers in both schools, Doone and Crannog, had developed a mature professional community during their participation in lesson study in 2012/13. Furthermore, the research finds that, in the absence of any other professional development intervention, both teacher communities have been sustained at this level six years later. These findings suggest that a lesson study may serve as a potential structure to foster the development of sustainable professional communities within subject-based teacher groups.Originality/valueWhile a lesson study has been shown to support the development of teacher professional communities, previous research has not addressed the sustainability of the communities which emerge. This study, therefore, adds to the existing literature by investigating teachers' perceptions of the long-term impact of lesson study participation on their professional community.

Host-guest interactions between first-generation immigrants and their visiting relatives: social exchange, relations of care and travel

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 406-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Charles Capistrano ◽  
Adam Weaver
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Host Families

Purpose This paper aims to examine the social interactions between Filipino immigrant-hosts residing in New Zealand and their visiting relatives (VRs) or guests from the Philippines using social exchange theory to understand their experiences. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative, multi-sited study used in-depth interviews to examine social interactions between Filipino immigrant-host families in New Zealand and their respective visiting relatives from the Philippines. Findings Hosting VRs reflects aspects of social exchange theory, and the interdependence and familial obligations related to VR travel demonstrate mutual relations of care. Maintaining relations of care within the family is an ongoing process involving intergenerational relationships that bind together immigrant-host families and their VRs. Research limitations/implications The conceptualization of the social interactions between immigrants-hosts and VRs is not generalizable owing to the small sample size and lack of representativeness. However, despite a small sample, this qualitative inquiry uncovered a series of personal meanings and understandings attached to the maintenance of familial bonds. Practical implications As immigrant-receiving countries become more culturally diverse through migration, research about other cultures will assist tourism planners in understanding the values and actions of a more varied array of residents. A better understanding of travel experiences and interactions between immigrants and their guests may provide marketers with insights into host-guest dynamics within a VR context, thus potentially enabling tourism marketers to create better marketing campaigns. Social implications Future studies may be undertaken from non-Western and Western perspectives that examine the social interactions between hosts and guests in the context of VR travel. Very little research has been conducted that addresses the meanings and understandings attached to these interactions from the perspectives of both hosting and visiting groups. This research highlights the importance of families in tourism, a contrast with the relative blindness of tourism scholarship toward relations of domesticity and sociality. Originality/value What separates the social interactions between family members in the context of visiting friends and relatives travel from the traditional host-guest paradigm is that it does not involve strangers. This study uses social exchange theory to examine social interactions between hosts and guests who are familiar with each other.

Knowledge management strategies for sustaining Lesson Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-178
Author(s):  
Eric C.K. Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Explicit Knowledge ◽  
Relative Effectiveness ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is explore the relative effectiveness of people-based and information technology-based knowledge management (KM) strategies as implemented by principals in Hong Kong schools to facilitate and sustain Lesson Study for teachers’ knowledge sharing and internalization. Design/methodology/approach Data from 184 principals in Hong Kong were collected by a cross-sectional quantitative survey. Confirmatory factor analysis and reliability tests have been used to examine the constructed validity and reliability of the instrument. A structural equation model was applied to confirm the predictive effect of people-based and information technology-based KM strategies on teachers’ knowledge sharing and internalization through Lesson Study. Findings Results show that people-based KM strategy predicts knowledge sharing and internalization by and among teachers. However, while information technology-based knowledge management strategies predict teachers’ knowledge sharing, they do not predict how effectively they internalize knowledge. Practical implications Cultivating communities of practice, professional learning communities and mentoring schemes in schools can nurture a knowledge-sharing culture to facilitate and sustain Lesson Study for teacher learning. Institutionalizing an information technology system can help teachers to retrieve, share and store the school’s explicit knowledge. Originality/value The paper not only suggests school management strategies and practices for school leaders to facilitate and sustain Lesson Study, but also brings a new research dimension, KM, to the research area.

ICT and sustainable tourism development: an innovative perspective

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alisha Ali ◽  
Andrew J. Frew
Keyword(s):  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Sustainable Tourism ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Tourism Development ◽  
Stakeholder Relationships ◽  
Tourism Product ◽  
Electronic Distribution ◽  
Information And Communication

Purpose – The aim of this research is to foreground information and communication technology (ICT) as an innovative approach for sustainable tourism (ST) development of destinations. ICT is the technology required for information processing which facilitates data processing, information sharing, communication, searching and selection. This paper concentrates on the Abernathy and Clark model and its usefulness in applying ICT as innovative in managing ST. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was administered to destination managers and to eTourism experts. Destination managers were selected as they were identified as the person responsible for the overall management of a Destination Management Organisation. eTourism experts were identified as someone who possesses special expertise, knowledge and skills on ICT applications to tourism and offered expertise on which ranged from such areas as electronic distribution, recommender systems, user-generated content, online communities, mobile technology, technology acceptance, tourism networks and Web 2.0. This was followed by semi-structured interviews. Findings – These ICT tools were found to be innovative for information management and distribution for critical decision-making. Innovation was fostered through the use of ICT for ST by leading to a better understanding of the tourism product, monitoring, measuring and evaluating, forecasting trends, developing partnerships and engaging and supporting stakeholder relationships. ICT would provide novel ways of approaching marketing, energy monitoring, waste management, and communication for destinations. Originality/value – This research is important in demonstrating the value that technology can have to ST and further develops the work on tourism innovation theory.

Of stories that matter

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-101
Author(s):  
Juhn Chris Espia ◽  
Alma Maria Salvador
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Risk ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Central Position ◽  
San Jose ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Management Planning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Proactive Approach ◽  
Socially Constructed ◽  
Risk Discourse

Purpose The recent shift in the Philippine Government’s emphasis from response to a more proactive approach came with the recognition that different stakeholders play important roles in the governance of disaster risk. The purpose of this paper is to look beyond the question as to whether all stakeholders are involved in disaster risk management planning and examines the extent by which the narratives of risk of actors at the margins shape how risk is framed in municipal DRM planning in Antique, Philippines. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a field study carried out in San Jose de Buenavista, Antique Province, Philippines. Data were gathered through key informant interviews and focus group discussions as well as a review of archival records and documents. Findings The narratives of CSOs and communities, which revolve around livelihoods and community life are conspicuously absent from the plans whereas that of government actors occupy a central position in the risk discourse. The study highlights the power-saturated process of defining and addressing risk to disasters, where knowledge is intimately linked to power as some voices shape plans and policies, whereas, others are excluded because their knowledge is socially constructed as less reliable and therefore irrelevant. Originality/value There is a dearth of studies that examine disaster risk as social constructions in the context of planning in the Philippines and in other disaster-prone countries.

Beginning a journey of knowledge management in a secondary school

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 364-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Wing Chu
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Knowledge Base ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Digital Archive ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Despite the fact that schools should be places where learning occurs, most schools have overlooked the importance of knowledge. In contrast, commercial firms have recognized knowledge as a strategic intangible asset and a key resource of the enterprises. Therefore, enterprises have already harnessed knowledge to a great extent with wide practice of knowledge management (KM). The purpose of this paper is to show that KM could be applied to the education sector similar to the practice in the business world for leveraging intellectual assets. This paper examines how schools can kick off the process of KM implementation. This paper also reports what have been done and what should be done in KM implementation better in a school. This can give insights for schools which will try KM in near future. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a case study in a secondary school to explore how KM can be kicked off and sustained in a school setting. A KM system called knowledge base and a document management system called Digital Archive were developed to serve as the infrastructure for knowledge sharing. Lesson study and communities of practice (CoPs) were adopted to be the platforms for knowledge sharing among teachers in the school. A case study of the processes and lesson learned was done in this paper. Multiple sources of data, including observations, questionnaires and interviews, have been collected for evaluation. Findings In this paper, KM implementation was found to be effective through dual approaches: information-based and people-/interaction-based approaches. A knowledge base and a Digital Archive as knowledge repositories and lesson study and CoPs as platforms for knowledge sharing have been successfully established to facilitate sharing information/knowledge and nurturing a sharing culture and trust. Challenges faced and the related coping strategies during the process of implementation were shared and reflected. It was also found that building sharing culture is the critical turning point of the process of KM implementation. Breaking through the barrier of sharing was found to be very essential to KM implementation. Research limitations/implications This paper adopts case study methodology to report the process of KM implementation in a school. Although these results of the study conducted in one school may not be generalized to other school contexts, the lessons learned in the study will be a strong empirical evidence of research of KM implementation, especially in schools. Because of the limited number of prior studies and the importance of the pioneering work of launching KM implementation, this paper tries to address the research gap by using theory building from cases as a research strategy rather than theory testing research, especially in “how”and“why” in the steps of kicking off KM implementation in an unexplored research area. Practical implications This paper shows a case of KM implementation in a school with thoughtful procedures of implementing information-based and people-/interaction-based approaches. The paper is a showcase that will shed light on the processes and lessons learned and also helps to provide a model for schools who are interested in applying KM in their schools. Social implications Most people might think that KM can be applied only in commercial sector. This paper shows that KM can also be adopted in schools as well as other sectors. Originality/value This paper represents one of the pioneering work of implementing KM in a school. It hopes to make contributions for KM implementation also in the public sector within which are non-profit-making organizations.

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