Lesson Study: Research Lessons, Shared Themes, and the PDCA Cycle

All flashcards

What is lesson study?

A collaborative professional development process in which teachers plan a research lesson, observe student learning, and use evidence to improve instruction.

What is a research theme?

A shared focus guiding school-based lesson study across lessons; it may be content-specific, cross-curricular, or affective.

What is a research lesson?

A carefully planned live lesson observed by colleagues to investigate how lesson design affects student learning.

How does lesson study relate to PDCA?

It follows a cycle of planning an approach, trying it, examining results, and using findings to guide future action.

How do district- and national-level lesson study differ?

District-level work often shares learning among schools; national-level work may explore teaching approaches and inform curriculum changes.

Quiz questions

1. What is the primary purpose of lesson study?Answer: To improve instruction by examining student learning collaboratively.
2. What makes a lesson a research lesson in lesson study?Answer: It is taught live to students and observed to investigate learning.
3. Which sequence best represents the core activities of lesson study?Answer: Prepare a lesson, observe it with students, then discuss its impact.
4. Why is revising and reteaching the same lesson not essential to school-based lesson study?Answer: The broader aim is to improve instruction and understanding over time, not just refine one lesson.
5. What may national-level lesson study contribute to?Answer: Changes to the national Course of Study.