Lesson Study Research and Practice in Mathematics Education

Lynn C. Hart • Alice S. Alston • Aki MurataEditors

Lesson Study Research and Practice in Mathematics Education

Learning Together

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ISBN 978-90-481-9940-2 e-ISBN 978-90-481-9941-9DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-9941-9Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work.

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Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com).

Editors Lynn C. HartDepartment of Early Childhood EducationGeorgia State University30303 Atlanta, Georgia USAlhart@gsu.edu

Alice S. AlstonRobert B. Davis Institute for LearningRutgers University08901-1183 New Brunswick, New Jersey USAalston@rci.rutgers.edu

Aki MurataSchool of EducationStanford University520 Galvez Mall 94305 Stanford, California USAakimura@stanford.edu

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Prologue

The title of this book intends to communicate two important beliefs. First, the book addresses research and practice in lesson study in 16 different locations. Although research on lesson study is still in its infancy, there are considerable efforts at imple-mentation of lesson study occurring around the globe. In this book, we present these two critical areas, side-by-side, in an effort to gain a greater depth of understanding of the complexity of lesson study along with its benefits and challenges. We believe the two will inform each other.

Second, there is still much to be learned about lesson study outside Japan. For us, as editors of the book, the act of compiling the 16 stories presented in this volume provided us with a richer immersion into lesson study than could have been antici-pated. By pulling together the various work that has been attempted and completed, and providing researchers and educators a tool for understanding lesson study, we are learning together.

The book expands the body of knowledge about lesson study and addresses questions that have been raised about lesson study. Lewis et al. (2009) state that “Efforts…to document the features and impact of lesson study have been mod-est to date” (p. 285). They go on to suggest that there are still questions that need to be addressed. They ask “…what are the features of lesson study; what are the mechanisms by which lesson study is posited to improve instruction; and what is the evidence that lesson study can be used effectively outside of Japan” (p. 286). The research and implementations described in this volume are the beginning of a response to those queries.

Identifying the features of lesson study is not a simple undertaking. As is seen in the chapters of this book, lesson study is a complex professional learning approach. We need to identify what is essential for an experience to be lesson study, rather than merely professional learning that is similar to lesson study. Parts IV and V in this volume explore that question.

In Part IV, Doig, Groves and Fujii use the metaphor of an iceberg to capture the unseen features of lesson study with respect to the task for exposing student thinking and impacting student learning. Their metaphor is useful (beyond the dis-cussion of task) for lesson study. Just as the iceberg has much beneath the surface, many of the features (or essentials) of lesson study are not immediately obvious,

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and exposing them will assure fidelity of implementation of those essential fea-tures. Other essentials include the need for a learner stance (Sack and Vazquez) and teacher dispositions (Kamina and Tinto).

Authors in Part V add to the clarity of our vision of the iceberg. Sjostrom and Ol-son describe how they laid the groundwork for two years to support teacher disposi-tions for lesson study work. Bruce and Ladky provide rich images of the activities between the four stages that are necessary to accomplish the work of a lesson study. And Corcoran exposes how the power held by the outside expert in a traditional set-ting can impact the role of that person in a lesson study community.

Lewis’ et al. (2009) second question “what are the mechanisms by which lesson study is posited to improve instruction” is addressed in the research studies in Part I. All of the studies in this part found that the practicing teachers engaged in lesson study developed new knowledge for teaching. Mechanisms that appear to support development of knowledge include discussing tasks (which exposes content and curricular knowledge through open discussion of (mis)understandings), exposing student thinking (so teachers can base future instructional decisions on that infor-mation), and reflecting on lessons (so the collective knowledge of the group could be brought to bear on revising the lesson).

Finally, Lewis et al. (2009) asked what evidence exists that lesson study can be used effectively outside of Japan. Although Part I is useful here also, Part II and III are particularly useful in thinking about this question. While none of the studies and implementations described in these parts was carried out for a sufficient time to see long-term impact, they all have encouraging results for the short term. Particularly encouraging is the use of lesson study in the preservice setting (Part II) and the university setting (Part III).

This book is another step in building the knowledge base on lesson study outside Japan. It does not answer all the questions. In fact, it raises more questions, but it is a stepping stone in building a solid foundation for our understanding of lesson study.

Lynn C. Hart Alice S. Alston

Aki Murata

Prologue

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Contents

Introduction: Conceptual Overview of Lesson Study ................................. 1Aki Murata

Part I Jumping into Lesson Study: Inservice Mathematics Teacher Education ............................................................................ 13

Lesson Study: The Impact on Teachers’ Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics .............................................................................. 15Rachelle D. Meyer and Trena L. Wilkerson

Developing the Habits of Mind for a Successful Lesson Study Community ........................................................................................... 27Lynn C. Hart and Jane Carriere

Influence of Lesson Study on Teachers’ Mathematics Pedagogy ............... 39Jo Clay Olson, Paul White and Len Sparrow

Examining Change in Teacher Mathematical Knowledge Through Lesson Study .................................................................................... 59Diane Hobenshield Tepylo and Joan Moss

Response to Part I: Jumping into Lesson Study—Inservice Mathematics Teacher Education ................................................................... 79Akihiko Takahashi

Part II Emerging Issues from Lesson Study Approaches in Prospective Mathematics Teacher Education ........................... 83

Investigating Approaches to Lesson Study in Prospective Mathematics Teacher Education ................................................................... 85Maria Lorelei Fernandez and Joseph Zilliox

Lesson Study in Preservice Elementary Mathematics Methods Courses: Connecting Emerging Practice and Understanding .................. 103Aki Murata and Bindu E. Pothen

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Lesson Study as a Framework for Preservice Teachers’ Early Field-Based Experiences ............................................................................... 117Paul W. D. Yu

Response to Part II: Emerging Issues from Lesson Study Approaches in Prospective Mathematics Teacher Education ................... 127Despina Potari

Part III Challenges and Promises of Unchartered Water: Lesson Study and Institutes of Higher Education ............................................ 133

Lesson Study as a Tool for Developing Teachers’ Close Attention to Students’ Mathematical Thinking ........................................................... 135Alice S. Alston, Lou Pedrick, Kimberley P. Morris and Roya Basu

Lesson Study as a Learning Environment for Coaches of Mathematics Teachers .............................................................................. 153Andrea Knapp, Megan Bomer and Cynthia Moore

Walking the Talk: Lessons Learned by University Mathematics Methods Instructors Implementing Lesson Study for Their Own Professional Development ................................................... 165 Michael Kamen, Debra L. Junk, Stephen Marble, Sandra Cooper, Colleen M. Eddy, Trena L. Wilkerson and Cameron Sawyer

Response to Part III: Challenges and Promises of Unchartered Water—Lesson Study and Institutes of Higher Education ....................... 175Tad Watanabe

Part IV Seeing the Whole Iceberg: The Critical Role of Tasks, Inquiry Stance, and Teacher Learning in Lesson Study .......... 179

The Critical Role of Task Development in Lesson Study .......................... 181Brian Doig, Susie Groves and Toshiakira Fujii

The Intersection of Lesson Study and Design Research: A 3-D Visualization Development Project for the Elementary Mathematics Curriculum ........................................................ 201Jacqueline Sack and Irma Vazquez

Lesson Study: A Case of the Investigations Mathematics Curriculum with Practicing Teachers at Fifth Grade ............................... 221Penina Kamina and Patricia Tinto

Response to Part IV: Seeing the Whole Iceberg—The Critical Role of Tasks, Inquiry Stance, and Teacher Learning in Lesson Study ............................................................................................. 235Catherine Lewis

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Part V Ideas for Developing Mathematical Pedagogical Content Knowledge Through Lesson Study .............................................. 241

What’s Going on Backstage? Revealing the Work of Lesson Study with Mathematics Teachers ............................................................... 243Catherine D. Bruce and Mary S. Ladky

Learning from Lesson Study: Power Distribution in a Community of Practice ......................................................................... 251Dolores Corcoran

Preparing for Lesson Study: Tools for Success .......................................... 269Mary Pat Sjostrom and Melfried Olson

Response to Part V: Ideas for Developing Mathematical Pedagogical Content Knowledge Through Lesson Study ............................................... 279Makoto Yoshida and William C. Jackson

Final Thoughts .............................................................................................. 289

Index ............................................................................................................... 291

Contents

Contributors

Alice S. Alston Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USAe-mail: alston@rci.rutgers.edu

Roya Basu Rahway Public Schools, Rahway, NJ, USAe-mail: roya_enayati@yahoo.com

Megan Bomer Illinois Central College, East Peoria, IL, USAe-mail: magoers@gmail.com

Catherine D. Bruce Trent University, Peterborough, Canadae-mail: cathybruce@trentu.ca

Jane Carriere City Schools of Decatur, Decatur, GA, USAe-mail: jane.carriere@comcast.com

Sandra Cooper Baylor University, Waco, TX, USAe-mail: sandra_cooper@baylor.edu

Dolores Corcoran St Patrick’s College, Dublin City University, Dublin, Irelande-mail: dolores.corcoran@spd.dcu.ie

Brian Doig Deakin University, Melbourne, Australiae-mail: badoig@deakin.edu.au

Colleen M. Eddy University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USAe-mail: Colleen.Eddy@unt.edu

Maria Lorelei Fernandez Florida International University, Miami, USAe-mail: mfernan@fiu.edu

Toshiakira Fujii Tokyo Gakugei University, Tokyo, Japane-mail: tfujii@u-gakugei.ac.jp

Susie Groves Deakin University, Melbourne, Australiae-mail: grovesac@deakin.edu.au

Lynn C. Hart Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USAe-mail: lhart@gsu.edu

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William C. Jackson Scarsdale Public Schools, Scarsdale, NJ, USAe-mail: bjackson@scarsdaleschools.org

Debra L. Junk The University of Texas-Austin, Austin, TX, USAe-mail: junkdeb@mail.utexas.edu

Michael Kamen Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX, USAe-mail: kamenm@southwestern.edu

Penina Kamina SUNY College at Oneonta, Oneonta, NY, USAe-mail: kaminapa@oneonta.edu

Andrea Knapp The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI, USAe-mail: andrea.knapp@uwsp.edu

Mary S. Ladky Trent University, Peterborough, Canadae-mail: maryladky@trentu.ca

Catherine Lewis Mills College, Oakland, CA, USAe-mail: clewis@mills.edu

Stephen Marble Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX, USAe-mail: marble@southwestern.edu

Rachelle D. Meyer Baylor University, Waco, TX, USAe-mail: rachelle_meyer@baylor.edu

Cynthia Moore Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USAe-mail: cjmoor1@ilstu.edu

Kimberley P. Morris Plainfield Public Schools, South Plainfield, NJ, USAe-mail: kmorris@plainfield.k12.nj.us

Joan Moss University of Toronto, Toronto, Canadae-mail: jmoss@oise.utoronto.ca

Aki Murata Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USAe-mail: akimura@stanford.edu

Jo Clay Olson Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USAe-mail: jcolson@wsu.edu

Melfried Olson University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, USAe-mail: melfried@hawaii.edu

Lou Pedrick Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USAe-mail: l_pedrick@yahoo.com

Despina Potari University of Athens, Athens, Greecee-mail: dpotari@math.uoa.gr

Contributors

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Bindu E. Pothen Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USAe-mail: bpothen@stanford.edu

Jacqueline Sack University of Houston Downtown, Houston, TX, USAe-mail: sackj@uhd.edu

Cameron Sawyer Awatapu College, Palmerston North, New Zealande-mail: csawyer@rocketmail.com

Mary Pat Sjostrom Chaminade University of Honolulu, Honolulu, USAe-mail: msjostro@chaminade.edu

Len Sparrow Curtin University, Perth, Australiae-mail: l.sparrow@curtin.edu.au

Akihiko Takahashi DePaul University, Chicago, USAe-mail: atakahas@depaul.edu

Diane Hobenshield Tepylo University of Toronto, Toronto, Canadae-mail: diane.tepylo@utoronto.ca

Patricia Tinto Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USAe-mail: pptinto@syr.edu

Irma Vazquez Houston Independent School District, Houston, TX, USAe-mail: irmavazquez@sbcglobal.net

Tad Watanabe Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USAe-mail: twatanab@kennesaw.edu

Paul White Australian Catholic University, Sydney, Australiae-mail: paul.white@acu.edu.au

Trena L. Wilkerson Baylor University, Waco, TX, USAe-mail: trena_wilkerson@baylor.edu

Makoto Yoshida Center for Lesson Study, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ, USAe-mail: yoshidam@wpunj.edu

Paul Woo-Dong Yu Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, USAe-mail: yupaul@gvsu.edu

Joseph Zilliox University of Hawaii, Honolulu, USAe-mail: zilliox@hawaii.edu

Contributors