One step further: advancing lesson study practice through collaborative inquiry school-university partnerships

ABSTRACT

This study offers insights into a professional graduate programme developed at the University of Fukui (Japan) that used the lesson study approach to elevate the application of field-based reflective practise for teachers and school leaders. This paper first details the programme’s structure and its school-university collaborative inquiry partnership model developed to build a sustainable platform where practices and research are integrated as teachers inquire about school-based issues. The impact of the programme and its lesson study approach is then assessed by qualitatively analysing the longitudinal reflection reports written by three graduate students enrolled as: new entrant teachers, in-service teachers, and school leaders. This study concludes by highlighting that the Fukui PGP brings a more significant commitment to HEI and the BoE and extends the application of lesson study for school changes and reforms. Internationally, it demonstrates a new systematic structure that works in institutional environments and settings where lesson study is practised to make changes in the organization. It fosters a more meaningful and critical lens to the traditional practice of lesson study.

KEYWORDS:

• Lesson study
• school-university partnerships
• reflective practice
• teachers’ professional learning
• Japan

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Linfeng Wang

Linfeng Wang, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the United Graduate School of Professional Teacher Education, Osaka Kyoiku University, Japan. Her research interests include teacher education, lesson study and foreign language education.

Yuu Kimura

Yuu Kimura, Ph.D., is a Professor at the United Graduate School of Professional Development of Teachers, University of Fukui, Japan. His research interests include teacher education, emotions of teaching, lesson study, school reform and inquiry-based curriculum development.

Makito Yurita

Makito Yurita, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Fellow at National Institute for School Teachers and Staff Development, Japan. His research interests include teacher education, education policy and critical pedagogy.