Analyses of US mathematics lessons have revealed a lack of engagement of US secondary students in reasoning mathematically in ways recommended in recent reforms (Jacobs, et al., 2006). This suggests the need for research on pedagogical approaches to support prospective teachers’ learning to teach in ways that fosters students’ mathematics reasoning. Microteaching Lesson Study [MLS], an adaptation of lesson study (Stigler & Hiebert,1999), is one such approach (Fernandez, 2005). Lesson study has a long history of practice in Japan; however, it has only recently begun to be practiced in other countries and merits investigation in varied settings and adaptations (Lewis, Perry, Murrata, 2006). Presently, MLS was investigated for the how and what of prospective secondary mathematics teachers learning to develop and teach lessons that engage students in reasoning mathematically.
A situative perspective (Brown, Collins & Duguid, 1989; Putnam and Borko, 2000) was used to investigate prospective teacher learning through MLS in a university course on learning to teach secondary school mathematics. An interpretive case study (Stake, 1995) was employed involving the triangulation of various data sources. Data collection included pre- and post MLS individual lesson plans, field observation notes of group planning, implementing, and analysis of MLS lessons, group written reflective reports of the three cycles of the three MLS cycles, video-tapes of the lessons, and participants’ MLS feedback surveys.
Initially the prospective teachers struggled to develop and teach lessons aligned with the overarching process-learning goal of mathematical reasoning. Beliefs and knowledge of teaching practices from their years of apprenticeship of observation were revealed as lures toward telling the relationships to their students rather than engaging the students in constructing these through analysis, exploration and justification. As the MLS groups collaborated in the planning, analyses and revision cycles and met with the instructor as a knowledgeable advisor, they grew in their awareness of the students’ role in the lessons and the effort and critical thinking required in designing lessons and developing examples and non-examples that prompted students’ mathematics reasoning in constructing mathematics ideas. Comparison across the group MLS lessons and individual pre- and post-lesson plans revealed growth in the teachers’ alignment of lessons with the overarching process-learning goal. MLS provided a context for the prospective teachers to engage in active learning, characterized by meaningful discussion, planning and practice.
REFERENCES
Brown, J. S., Collins, A. & Duguid, P. (1989). Situated cognition and the culture of learning. Educational Researcher, 18, 32-42.
Fernández, M. L. (2005). Learning through Microteaching Lesson Study in Teacher Preparation. Action in Teacher Education, Vol. 26,37-47.
Lewis, C., Perry, R., Murata, A. (2006). How should research contribute to instructional improvement? The case of Lesson Study. Educational Researcher, 35(3), 3-14.
Putnam, R. T. & Borko, H. (2000). What do new views of knowledge and thinking have to say about research on teacher learning. Educational Researcher, 29(1), 4-15.
Stake, R. E. (1995). The art of case study research. Thousand Oakes, CA: Sage.
Stigler, J. W., & Hiebert, J. (1999). The Teaching Gap. New York: The Free Press.
