Lesson study and the development of teacher’s competences

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show, from a theoretical point of view, the promising relationship between the processes generated by Lesson Studies (LS) and the development of practical thinking in in-service teacher training, derived from two pieces of research. Design/methodology/approach – The authors propose broadening the focus of LS in order to not only improve the “lesson” or “teaching” – in short, practice – but also to reconstruct and improve the practical knowledge of teachers. The core issue of the paper is the discussion about the relationship between the practical knowledge, the knowledge that every teacher uses in his or her daily practice, theories-in-use, mostly unconscious, and the conscious and explicit knowledge, practical thinking, explicit theory, they use to describe and justify their practice. Findings – Knowing our practical knowledge intuitive Gestalt, and building a new conscious and informed way of thinking is not enough, we need to build through systematic new practice a new way of doing, a new way of perceiving, interpreting, taking decisions and acting, coherent with our new theories. LS reinforces these two complementary movements: the practical theorizing movement, the reflexion on action to discover the implicit believes, habits, attitudes and emotions underlying the practice, and the experimentation of the new theory to form the new habits, beliefs, attitudes and emotions that support the development of a new form of teaching. This second movement needs more time and adequate teaching context, confirming the long spiral cycle of LS. Originality/value – With emphasis on the dialectical relationship between practical theorizing and the experimentation of theory, this paper could set out a new approach for LSs as a method of teacher training which can improve practice through the reconstruction of the practical thinking of those involved.

Teachers' knowledge creation through “learning keeping” and reflective writing in lesson study: a case study in a Basque country school

“…The data from this study revealed that the EFL teachers in the Basque Country appreciated LS's iterative dynamic, its focus on collaborative inquiry, professional dialogue and reflection in an authentic classroom. Overall, the data corroborate with the literature on the affordances of LS methodology for teacher professional development in Spain, enhancing teachers' professional competences and practical thinking (Peña Trapero, 2013;Soto G omez et al, 2015). Thus, we suggest that LS could be considered an effective framework for building professional learning communities in the schools of the Basque Country, which might stir positive changes in teaching practice, increase the quality of teaching and thus, positively impact students' achievements and well-being.…”

“…In Spain, the employment of the LS methodology for enhancing teachers' professional competencies and practical thinking has a long tradition in Malaga and the region of Andaluc ıa (Peña Trapero, 2013;Soto G omez et al, 2015). Nevertheless, there is no literature available in the context of the Basque Autonomous Community (BAC), where this study is set.…”

Criteria for Sustainable Curriculum of TVET Teacher Education Programme in Malaysia

“…It is also essential for the curriculum to specialize in pedagogical areas according to the technical skills. Gómez, Núñez, & Gómez (2015) suggested that a specific design in-service programme would lead to the reconstruction of components that results in unaffected to unwanted practical knowledge. By being specialized, TVET Teacher Education programme will produce TVET teacher who is an expert in the related skill.…”

“…Not only that, the curriculum must also be embedded with values to produce TVET teachers that are in line with the National Education Framework. Values may provide guidelines in formulating personal as well as collective goals or aims (Gómez et al, 2015). Several experts mentioned the dynamics of curriculum as a criterion as seen in the quotations from interview transcripts below:…”

Aprender Juntos a Vivir y Explorar la Complejidad. Nuevos Marcos Pedagógicos de Interpretación y Acción

“…Se requiere desarrollar cualidades cognitivas y socioemocionales de nivel superior, un pensamiento práctico informado, autónomo y creativo. Es decir, el desarrollo singular y holístico en cada individuo de las dimensiones sustanciales de su personalidad, las cualidades, capacidades o competencias como sistemas complejos de comprensión, autoorganización y actuación, que incluyen al mismo nivel y con la misma relevancia, conocimientos, habilidades, emociones, actitudes y valores como sus componentes esenciales (Korthagen, 2017;Pérez Gómez, 2012Soto et al, 2015).…”