Boundary actions for collaborative learning: a practical perspective of adapting lesson study in a Singapore primary school

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study seeks to establish a deeper understanding of how and what teachers and teacher educators learn collaboratively during the lesson study process in a Singapore primary school. We used the boundary theories to conceptualize this learning process and delineate the learning mechanisms to foster mutual learning between the teacher educators and teachers in the case school. It was found that the teachers’ practical concerns and the improvement proposals from the teacher educators were constantly being negotiated considering the perceived and received consequences, which drove the boundary actions that include both boundary making and boundary crossing to form a learning space for the participants. Findings from this study provide a practical perspective that explains the complexities, challenges, and possibilities of implementing lesson study and working with boundaries to support teacher professional learning.

KEYWORDS:

• Boundary action
• lesson study
• teacher professional learning
• practical

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1. Singapore primary school teachers usually teach two subjects. Some of them may teach three subjects. In this study, quite a few participants taught both English and mathematics. Some teachers only joined for a few lesson study discussion sessions due to changes in their work schedules, and the number of teachers varied for different discussion settings.

2. One research lesson usually required several sessions of discussions before and after the lesson.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) under the Education Research Funding Programme (OER 18/15 JH) and administered by National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Singapore MOE and NIE.

Notes on contributors

Heng Jiang

Heng Jiang is an associate professor in the Policy, Curriculum, and Leadership Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University. Her research focuses on teacher professional learning, curriculum implementations, and comparative education.

Ban Heng Choy

Ban Heng Choy is an assistant professor in the Mathematics and Mathematics Education Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University. His research focuses on mathematics education, teacher noticing, and lesson study.

Christine Lee Kim Eng

Christine Lee Kim Eng is an adjunct senior fellow in the Policy, Curriculum, and Leadership Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University. Her research interests are in the areas of Lesson Study and Teacher Learning; Listening Pedagogy and Collaborative Learning; Curriculum and School Reforms; School-based Curriculum Development and Implementation.