Lesson study in a blended approach to support isolated teachers in teaching with technology

Abstract

Lesson study (LS) is a form of professional development, with a strong foundation in mathematics education, based on teachers collaborating to design lessons. This collaboration, however, can be challenging for isolated teachers. In 2017, a course was presented at the university to train 52 teachers from all over South Africa as well as Botswana in the use of technology in teaching. These teachers represented all subject fields, including mathematics. The purpose of this course was to develop teachers’ knowledge and skills in the use and integration of mobile technology in their teaching. The course was presented in a blended mode. Participants attended a 3-day face-to-face session, followed by 2-months online. The blended learning course had teachers working in subject specific groups in a LS format to plan, present and perfect lessons that can be taught using the technology available to them. In this study we investigate how LS can be adapted into a blended format to support isolated teachers who cannot meet face-to-face on a regular basis. We identified eleven aspects playing an important role in this process, namely technology; group; learning management system; online facilitation; technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK); (mobile) learning strategies; a lesson planning form; backward design; time; photos, videos and reports; and reflection questions. The eleven aspects that emerged, lead to the development of a framework consisting of three dimensions of LS namely Collaboration, Instructional Development and the Iterative Improvement Process, supported by the identified aspects.