Investigating Lesson Study Model within the Scope of Professional Development in Terms of Pre-Service Teachers

Ahmet Aykan; Fevzi Dursun

Investigating Lesson Study Model within the Scope of Professional Development in Terms of Pre-Service Teachers

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Year-Number: 2021-Volume 13, Issue 5

Yayımlanma Tarihi: 2021-11-08 13:20:37.0

Language : English

Konu : Educational Sciences

Number of pages: 1388-1408

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Abstract

Keywords

Abstract

Training qualified teachers is one of the most important factors the quality of education systems. The process of educating pre-service teachers is sine qua non for training qualified teachers. This study aimed to examine lesson study model within the scope of professional development in terms of pre-service teachers. The research adopted a single case study, one of the qualitative research methods. The sample consisted of senior students in Division of Classroom Education (Muş Alparslan University Faculty of Education) in the 2017-2018 academic year. Criterion sampling was used to recruit volunteer pre-service teachers (four males and four females). A curriculum was developed to introduce lesson study model to pre-service teachers. Data were collected with semi-structured interview forms and teacher diaries. Semi-structured interviews were held at three different intervals and in three different contexts: interviews conducted before the curriculum, interviews conducted after the curriculum, and interviews conducted after the implementation. Pre-service teacher diaries were completed each week after the implementation. Data obtained from semi-structured interviews and teacher trainee diaries were analyzed by two different coders by the help of content analysis method. Findings showed that lesson study model made a significant positive contribution to the professional development of pre-service teachers in various aspects such as lesson plan, teaching methods and techniques, and course evaluation. Lesson study model was found to have some limitations; thus, recommendations were provided regarding how to implement the model better.

Keywords

Kaynakça

Criterion sampling, one of the purposeful sampling methods, was used. Purposeful sampling, which aims to provide in-depth understanding, allows researchers to select participants who can provide rich data. Criterion sampling method makes it possible to select individuals, events or situations with certain qualifications (Merriam, 2009; Yıldırım and Şimşek, 2011). The main criteria were considered when recruiting participant: being senior student in Division of Classroom Education (Muş Alparslan University Faculty of Education) in the 2017-2018 academic year and having a grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 out of 4.00. Academic success criteria were set in order for students to be interested in the courses and to share professional information with their peers. As a matter of fact, it is seen that grade point average is used as a criterion in some studies conducted with pre-service teacher in the literature (Juhler, 2017; Kanauan and Insprasitha, 2013). The study was conducted with eight pre-service classroom teachers (four males and four females). The study was conducted with volunteer participants within the scope of Teaching Practice II course.

In order to increase the quality of qualitative research, different concepts were used instead of validity and reliability concepts. Considering validity, credibility and transferability were used instead of internal validity and external validity respectively; regarding reliability, dependability and confirmability were used in the place of internal reliability and external reliability respectively (Yıldırım and Şimşek, 2013). To increase credibility of data, triangulation and member checking were applied, long-term interaction was established between researchers and participants; and expert opinions were obtained at each stage of the research. To increase the transferability, purposive sampling method was used and detailed description was made. To ensure dependability, the coding of two different encoders were compared based on the formula of Miles and Huberman (1994: 64) and it was found to be 83%. Incompatible codes were re-evaluated and a consensus was reached on these codes. To increase confirmability, the opinions and suggestions of field experts were applied. In addition, for ethics concerns, member checking was utilized, pseudonym (PT1) was used for each participant, and required permissions were obtained from the ethics committee and national education directorate.

in Indonesia. In addition, the studies conducted with the teachers in Thailand (Kanauan and Insprasitha, 2013),

in the United States (Barber, 2018), in Denmark (Skott and Moller, 2017) and in Canada (Chassels and Melville,

2009) acknowledged that LS increased teaching skills. All these studies show that LS contributes positively to

LS was found to improve the knowledge and skills of pre-service teachers regarding making lesson plan and implementing that plan. In their studies conducted with pre-service teachers, Mostofo (2014) and Carroll (2013) concluded that LS increased pre-service teachers' ability to make a better lesson plan and gave them self-confidence. Meiliasari (2013) detected that LS developed knowledge and skills of pre-service teachers regarding making lesson plans. In addition, Taylor et al. (2005) stated that LS contributed to knowledge and skills of teachers in terms of making lesson plans.

In dissertations carried out with teachers (Lyding, 2012) and pre-service teachers (Baki, 2012), LS was found to increase teachers' knowledge and skills of lesson plan. Aykan and Dursun (2020), Fernandez (2010) and Groves et al. (2013) emphasized that LS developed important teaching skills of pre-service teachers such as making and implementing lesson plan. In another study, Doğan and Özgeldi (2018) concluded that LS contributed to math pre-service teachers' skills related to lesson plan. The results coincide with the findings of the current study.

LS is a professional development model that involves teacher’s planning lesson in collaboration, implementing it in the classroom, observing and then rearranging the plan through discussion (Alvine et al., 2007). LS is considered to be important for teachers to share their knowledge and skills with each other in terms of their professional development during LS process, which is carried out by bringing together teachers or pre-service teachers with different perspectives and different experiences. The process of applying the model provides pre-service teachers the opportunity to see and correct both the theoretical and practical aspects of the lesson plan. In this study, findings showed that LS was a model that develops knowledge and skills related to lesson plan. When all these studies are considered on the basis; LS, which enables many preservice teachers to express different points of view while developing a lesson plan, contributes to pre-service teachers' skills to develop qualified lesson plans.

When study findings were examined, LS was observed to make significant contributions to pre-service teachers' knowledge and skills of teaching methods and techniques. It was thought that the collaborative work environment enabled different methods and techniques to be shared with different knowledge and experiences. Literature supports the finding which advocated that making lesson plan in collaboration, observing the implementation, and then discussing and reorganizing lesson plan contributed to knowledge and skills of teaching methods and techniques. Alvine et al. (2007), Angelini and Alvarez (2018) and Meiliasari (2013) stated that LS made significant contributions to pre-service teachers' knowledge and skills of teaching methods and techniques both in theory and practice. Becker et al. (2008) and Fernandez (2010) also found LS improved teachers' competences in teaching methods.

Considering the research findings, LS improved the knowledge and skills of pre-service teachers within the scope of course evaluation practices. Studies supporting these findings are avaliable in the literature. In their study conducted in the UK and Norway Larssen, Cajkler, Mosvold, Bjuland, et al. (2018) concluded that LS provided teachers with different evaluation practices. Angelini and Alvarez (2018), Barber (2018), Copriady (2013) and Fernandez (2010) noted that LS improved teachers' ability to evaluate both the course and the students. Aykan and Dursun (2020), Bozkurt and Yetkin-Özdemir (2018) also emphasized that LS brought diversity to teachers' evaluation practices. In addition, Sims and Walsh (2009) stated that LS positively contributed to pre-service teachers' knowledge and skills of course evaluation. As a result, the findings obtained from all these studies coincide with the findings of the research.

The data exhibited that collaboration in LS process made significant contributions to the professional development and personality structures of pre-service teachers. This confirms various studies. Chen (2017), Kanuan and Inprasitha (2014), Taylor et al. (2005) stated that collaboration within LS provided the opportunity to share and learn best professional practices. Chong and Kong (2012) found that the collaboration LS process improved teachers professionally. Dudley (2011) stated that collaboration LS developed teachers' professional knowledge and practices while Mitchell (2017) emphasized that this collaboration brought continuity to the professional development of teachers. In addition, Scott and Moller (2017) concluded that collaboration in LS process increased teachers' tendency towards cooperation.

Kotelawala (2012) underlined that collaborative practices of LS let teachers and experts with different experience to benefit from each other in a professional sense. Demir, Czerniak and Hart (2013) and Kanauan and Insprasitha (2014) stated that the collaboration in the implementation of the model provided teachers with many professional gains. In addition, Dudley (2013) emphasized that, thanks to the collaborative lesson study practices, teachers' ability to recognize hidden activities during the course developed.

The cyclical implementation process of LS may also cause problems such as extra time, cost and workload. Various studies underline the difficulties encountered when implementing LS (Chokshi and Fernandez, 2004; Lewis, 2009; Maitree, Masami and Ban-Har, 2015). Lampley, Gardner and Barlow (2018), who conducted a study with prospective teachers, stated that LS had some limitations in terms of time and the inexperience of the participants. Chassels and Melville (2009) studied with pre-service teachers in Canada and complained about time related difficulties. Similarly, Lampley et al. (2018), Demir, Czemiak and Hart (2013) stated that LS had some time related limitations.

The study conducted by Lee (2008) underlined the occurrence of extra workload for teachers due to LS. Aykan and Dursun (2020), Chen (2017) and Bozkurt (2015) emphasized that some teachers were reluctant to participate in the implementation of the model. Cheng and Lee (2011) warned that support from educational politicians and school administrators and the loyalty of teachers are vital for overcoming time and cost limitations. Demir, Czerniak and Hart (2013) emphasized the importance of showing successful practice examples and providing expert participation in order to minimize teachers' concerns about new practices such as LS. In addition, Günay et al. (2016) suggested the implementation of LS into courses such as school experience and teaching practice in undergraduate education and highlighted the necessity of gaining experience in this sense.

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