Project Activities
Structured Abstract
Setting
Sample
Research design and methods
Control condition
Key measures
Data analytic strategy
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Products and publications
Products: Products from this study include a lesson study toolkit for the teaching of elementary school mathematics; instruments to measure teacher and student knowledge of selected mathematical representations; teachers' discussion of criterion mathematical ideas and toolkit items, and the content and processes of lesson study meetings; and published papers.
Book chapter
Lewis, C., and Perry, R. (2015). A Randomized Trial of Lesson Study With Mathematical Resource Kits: Analysis of Impact on Teachers' Beliefs and Learning Community. In J.A. Middleton, J. Cai, and S. Hwang (Eds.), Design, Results, and Implications of Large-Scale Studies in Mathematics Education (pp. 133-158). New York: Springer.
Journal article, monograph, or newsletter
Lewis, C. (2015). What is Improvement Science? Do we Need it in Education?. Educational Researcher, 44(1), 54-61.
Lewis, C., and Perry, R. (2014). Lesson Study With Mathematical Resources: A Sustainable Model for Locally-Led Teacher Professional Learning. Mathematics Teacher Education and Development, 16(1): 1-15.
Lewis, C., and Perry, R. (2017). Lesson Study to Scale up Research-Based Knowledge: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Fractions Learning. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 48(3), 261-299.
Lewis, C., Perry, R., Friedkin, S., and Roth, J. (2012). Improving Teaching Does Improve Teachers: Evidence From Lesson Study. Journal of Teacher Education, 63(5): 368-375.
** This project was submitted to and funded under Teacher Quality: Mathematics and Science Education in FY 2007.
Supplemental information
Purpose: This project will gather preliminary data on whether professional development using the lesson study approach, which originated in Japan, is more or less effective than usual professional development in elementary mathematics, and whether lesson study with the developed toolkit is more or less effective than lesson study without the toolkit resources. The project will develop and test a research-based toolkit intended to help mathematics lesson study groups access and use content knowledge effectively. The toolkit focuses on one important area of mathematical knowledge that is problematic for U.S. students (mathematical representations), and includes resources designed to help lesson study groups learn about the teaching and learning of the topic.
Phase 1 includes developing, pilot testing, and refining the toolkit, drawing on systematic input from a panel of expert advisors who will meet to recommend materials for the toolkit. The toolkit will be developed and field-tested by four groups of lesson study practitioners (two experienced and two novice). The lesson study cycles will be videotaped, observed, and documented by the research team. A second advisory panel meeting will be held to analyze the data from the pilot and determine the extent to which the toolkit is providing sufficient support for the teachers and what revisions need to be made. The toolkit will be revised accordingly.
In Phase 2, 39 volunteering lesson study groups will be stratified into trios based on demographic variables including the socioeconomic status of students served, the dominant grade level of participating teachers, and the level of prior lesson study experience. One group from each trio will be randomly assigned to receive lesson study with the toolkit, lesson study with generic professional development materials, and usual professional development provided by the school system. This will result in 13 lesson study groups for each condition. One lesson per study group will be observed and student data gathered. The project data will include video and audio recording of lesson study meetings, meeting reports from participants and observers, artifacts from lessons (e.g., lesson plans, mathematical tasks, worksheets, and student work), and pre- and post-teacher and student assessments.
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
