why lesson study works: a cultural perspective

Why Lesson Study works:A cultural perspective

Marlon Ebaeguin Dr Max StephensMelbourne Graduate School of Education

I. Nature of Lesson Study

II. Cultural Underpinnings

III. Hofstede’s dimensions of national culture

IV. Methodology

V. Results

VI.Conclusions and Implications

Lesson Study

• Lesson Study (LS) is a school-based collaborative professional development activity for teachers

• Permanent fixture in the school systems of Japan, China and other Asian countries for more than a hundred years especially in primary schools

• Key factor for Asia’s consistent success in international educational surveys (Stigler & Hiebert, 1999)

• Research goal(s) are decided.

• Materials like textbooks are looked at as possible springboard for the LS theme.

• Lessons are designed in detail and with a careful focus on children learning.

• Lessons are trialled within the LS group and final revisions are done.

Nature of Lesson Study

• LS is a cycle of Plan, Do, and See

• Lessons are demonstrated (usually a different teacher demonstrates in every cycle).

• Lessons are observed by other teachers, university professors, and research experts.

• Observers take note of student learning as well as teacher’s decisions

• Post-lesson debriefing is held focusing on observations made in the lesson demonstration.

• All participants discuss and reflect on what transpired in the lesson.

• Lesson revisions are decided, to be incorporated in the planning phase of the next LS cycle (optional)

• LS is a long-term professional development (PD) activity.

• “It is focused on building collective capacity over many cycles—not directed at rapid change of individuals or solving problems in the short term” (Stephens, 2011, p. 119)

• LS is a collaborative activity (Stephens, 2011; Fernandez & Yoshida, 2004; Lewis & Tsuchida, 1998)

• Each teacher brings a unique contribution to the research lesson.

• Everyone is a mentor and a mentee.

Cultural Underpinnings• “[Culture] is the mental programming of the

people in an environment. Culture is not a characteristic of individuals; it encompasses a number of people who were conditioned by the same education and life experiences.” (de Mooij, 2010, p. 48; Hofstede, 2010)

• Culture contributes to the forms of acceptable pedagogy, social conventions governing teacher interactions, classroom practice, and teacher PD programs.

• Looking at cultural orientations enable us to identify culturally-grounded practices of LS that may not necessarily transfer easily to another country.

Hofstede’s Dimensions of National Culture

• Hofstede (2001) focused on comparing work-related values, behaviours, institutions and organisations across nations.

• Hofstede’s landmark research in the 1980s identified differences in national value systems based on extensive samples of employees of a multinational company across countries.

• He came up with five dimensions of national culture and had scores for at least 60 countries according to these five dimensions (Hofstede, Hofstede, & Minkov, 2010)

• Power Distance Index (PDI)

• Individualism vs Collectivism (IDV)

• Masculinity vs Femininity (MAS)

• Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI)

• Long-Term vs Short-Term Orientation (LTO)

“the extent to which less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally” (de Mooij, 2010, p. 48)

“…people looking after themselves and their immediate family only, versus people belonging to in-groups that look after them in exchange for loyalty” (de Mooij, 2010, p. 77)

“The dominant values in a “masculine” society are achievement and success; the dominant values in a “feminine” society are caring for others and quality of life” (de Mooij, 2010, p. 79)

“…the extent to which people feel threatened by uncertainty and ambiguity and try to avoid these situations” (de Mooij, 2010, p. 82)

“…the extent to which a society exhibits pragmatic future-oriented perspective rather than conventional historic or short-term point of view” (de Mooij, 2010, p 85)

Hofstede’s Scores for Japan, China, Vietnam, Australia and

USADimensi

ons Japan China Vietnam Australia USA

PDI 54 80 70 36 40

IDV 46 20 20 90 91

MAS 95 66 40 61 62

UAI 92 30 30 51 46

LTO 80 118 80 31 29

Hofstede’s scores for Japan

Scores show that Japan is:

• moderately hierarchical

• moderately individualistic

• extremely masculine (i.e. focused on achievement and success)

• extremely uncertainty-avoiding

• extremely long-term oriented

PDI IDV FEM UAI LTO0

95 9280

High COL MAS High STOPDI UAI

Key Cultural Assumptionsof Lesson Study

Dimensions of

CultureAssumptions for LS Hofstede’s

Results (Japan)

PDIEveryone is given a chance to play a key role in every cycle.Everyone’s voice is valued and respected.

Moderately hierarchical(likely to favour LS)

IDVLS is done in a collaborative environment. Everyone is able to engage in self-reflection and self-evaluation.

Moderately collective(likely to favour LS)

There is a continuous improvement in teacher capacity.A better lesson is developed at the end of every cycle.

Extremely masculine(may not be favourable to LS)

UAIResearch and planning phase is intended to be thorough and time consuming

Extremelyuncertainty-avoiding(likely to favour LS)

Teachers and schools are committed to continuing cycles.Goal is to build up a collective knowledge over many cycles

Extremelylong-term oriented(likely to favour LS)

95 9280

Implications

• Hofstede’s findings for Japan (IBM) may not be replicable in schools. Additional data from schools is necessary

• Hofstede’s findings suggests certain value orientations that need to be made more explicit.

• Additional instruments need to be developed.

Our Research Program

• To investigate the cultural factors that underpin the success of Lesson Study in Japanese schools

• To identify the cultural orientations and different value orientations that exist in two Philippine schools which are preparing to undertake Lesson Study

• How do these differences need to be addressed in implementing LS there?

• To investigate the impact on the Philippine teachers from their experience of Lesson Study

Our Research Methodology

• Two questionnaires:

• Values Survey Module for Teachers 2012 (VSMT12)

• adapted from Hofstede’s VSM08 and administered to 70 junior high school teachers in Japan

• Mathematics Teachers’ Perceptions of a Good Mathematics Lesson

• designed and administered to 16 (from the 70) Japanese mathematics teachers

VSMT12 Results

Scores show that the sample of Japanese teachers is:

• moderately hierarchical

• moderately collective

• moderately feminine (i.e. focused on consensus and harmony)

• moderately uncertainty-avoiding

• moderately long-term oriented

4352 55

High COL MAS High STO PDI UAI

95 9280

Japanese Teachers’ Perceptions of how to prepare a Good Mathematics

LessonUsing/researching on curriculum materials (national curriculum, textbooks, course syllabus, scope and sequence, etc.) in planning out your lesson

NI U I VI E0

NI - Not ImportantU - UndecidedI - ImportantVI - Very ImportantE - Essential

moderately uncertainty-

avoiding

Japanese Teachers’ Perceptions of how to prepare a Good

Mathematics Lesson

Working with other teachers to plan a lesson.

NI U I VI E0

moderately collective and moderately"feminine"

Mathematics Lesson

Having other teachers/colleagues in the classroom to observe my teaching.

NI U I VI E0

moderately collective

Mathematics Lesson

Identifying in advance the range of expected student responses in a problem-solving lesson.

NI U I VI E0

12moderately uncertainty-

avoiding

Mathematics Lesson

Writing a detailed lesson plan incorporating the range of expected student responses.

NI U I VI E0

moderately uncertainty-avoiding and moderatelylong-term oriented

Mathematics Lesson

Talking about and sharing successful mathematics lessons with colleagues.

NI U I VI E0

moderately collective, and

moderatelyfeminine

Mathematics Lesson

Relying on my own opinion whether a lesson has been successful or not.*

NI U I VI E0

moderately collective and moderately

feminine

Mathematics Lesson

Evaluating a lesson through analysing collected samples of students’ solutions and attempted solutions.

NI U I VI E0

moderately uncertainty-avoiding and moderatelylong-term orientation

Mathematics Lesson

Getting involved in school research.

NI U I VI E0

moderately hierarchical and

moderatelylong-term orientation

Mathematics teachers’ perceptions of how to prepare a good mathematics

lesson

Notes: Shading indicates combined percentage of Very Important (VI) and Essential (E)≥50% * Lower values are important for this item

Japan (%) n = 16

Items NI U I VI E Av

1. Using/researching on curriculum materials (national curriculum, textbooks, course syllabus, scope and sequence, etc.) in planning out your lessons.

0 0 13 25 63 4.5

2. Working with other teachers to plan a lesson. 0 19 38 25 19 3.4

3. Having other teachers/colleagues in the classroom to observe my teaching. 0 0 25 38 38 4.1

4. Identifying in advance the range of expected student responses to the task including likely wrong responses in a problem-solving lesson.

0 0 0 25 75 4.8

5. Writing a detailed lesson plan incorporating the range of expected student responses. 0 6 31 31 31 3.9

6. Talking about and sharing successful mathematics lessons with colleagues. 0 0 44 44 13 4.3

7. *Relying on my own opinion as to whether a lesson has been successful or not. 0 44 50 6 0 2.6

8. Evaluating a lesson through analysing collected samples of students’ solutions and attempted solutions. 0 0 19 31 50 4.3

9. Getting involved in school research. 0 6 6 19 69 4.5

Findings SummaryItems Endorsement

Using/researching on curriculum materials (national curriculum, textbooks, course syllabus, scope and sequence, etc.) in planning out your lesson

Strong

Working with other teachers to plan a lesson. Strong

Strong

Writing a detailed lesson plan incorporating the range of expected student responses.

Strong

Talking about and sharing successful mathematics lessons with colleagues.

Strong

Relying on my own opinion whether a lesson has been successful or not.*

Strong

Evaluating a lesson through analysing collected samples of students’ solutions and attempted solutions.

Strong

Getting involved in school research. Strong

Notes: Strong - at least 50% rated at least Important (I) Strong - at least 50% at least Very Important (VI)

Findings: implications

• Some key aspects of LS are culturally grounded.

• Hofstede’s dimensions of national culture allow us to see that LS and its key practices are very characteristic of the Japanese culture

• Looking at cultural orientations points us to practices and values that may not be present outside Japan.

The next phase of the study

• Two Philippine high schools recruited: Schools A & B

• VSMT12 was administered to all teachers in both schools

• Mathematics Teachers’ Perceptions of a Good Mathematics Lesson Questionnaire was administered to all mathematics teachers in both schools

• Results from both instruments were used to identify strategies to be used for the implementation of LS in the intervention.

The intervention

• In School A, eight mathematics teachers (four Year 7 and four Year 8 teachers) participated.

• The program commenced with a whole day intensive seminar on LS given to all mathematics teachers.

• Over a period of seven months, the researcher met with the eight teachers according to their year level twice a month.

• Typical agenda for each meeting included focussing on a specific LS processes/skills (e.g. writing detailed plans, designing tasks, collecting evidence, critiquing a lesson, etc.), planning and trialling the lessons within the group.

• The author kept in mind the results of VSMT12 and Mathematics Teachers Perception of a Good Mathematics Lesson in facilitating the meetings.

Hofstede’s scores for Japan and the Philippines

PDI IDV MAS UAI LTO0

Japan Philippines

Our VSMT12 scores for Japanese and Filipino

teachers

PDI IDV MAS UAI LTO0

4352 55

Japan Philippines

Japanese and Filipino Teachers’ Perceptions of how to prepare a Good

Mathematics Lesson: pre- and post-Lesson Study – School A

NI U I VI E

-LS Se-

NI U I VI E

-LS Se-

Series1

NI U I VI E

Evaluation of a lesson through analysing collected samples of students’ solutions and attempted solution.

Series1

NI U I VI E

Se-ries1

NI U I VI E

Se-ries1

NI U I VI E

Se-ries1

Evaluation of a lesson through analysing collected samples of students’ solutions and attempted solution.

NI U I VI E

Se-ries1

Conclusions and Implications

• Our research identified conditions for successful implementation of LS outside Japan, particularly in the Philippines

• Knowing the teachers’ orientations and the lesson planning elements that they value enabled us to focus interventions that would build towards a successful implementation of LS

• Data from the Philippines suggests different cultural and value orientations that need to be addressed in implementing LS in the Philippines

• The LS intervention appeared to be successful in shifting teachers’ values in School A. Results from School B still to come.

Referencesde Mooij, M. (2010). Global marketing and advertising: Understanding cultural paradoxes . Los Angeles:

SAGE.Fang, T. (2003). A critique of Hofstede's fifth national culture dimension. International Journal of Cross

Cultural Management, 3(3), 347368.Fernandez, C., & Yoshida, M. (2004). Improving mathematics teaching and learning: The Japanese lesson

study approach (Studies in Mathematical Thinking and Learning Series) . Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Hall, E. (1984). Beyond culture. New York: Doubleday Hart, L. C., Alston, A. S., & Murata, A. (2011). Lesson study research and practice in mathematics

education: Learning together. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.Henseller, J., Horváth, C., Sarstedt, M., & Zimmermann, L. (2010). A cross-cultural comparison of brand

extension success factors: A meta-study. Journal of Brand Management, 18(1), 5–20.Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture's consequences: comparing values, behaviours, institutions, and organizations

across nations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Hofstede, G., Hofstede G. J., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind:

Intercultural cooperation and its importance for survival. New York: McGraw-Hill.Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., Minkov, M., & Vinken, H. (2008). Values survey module 2008. Retrieved

from http://www.geerthofstede.nl/vsm-08Inprasitha, M. (2011). One feature of adaptive lesson study in Thailand: Designing a learning unit. Journal

of Science and Mathematics Education in Southeast Asia, 34(1), 47–66.Isoda, M. (2011). Problem solving approaches in mathematics education as a product of Japanese lesson

study. Journal of Science and Mathematics Education in Southeast Asia, 34(1), 2–25.Isoda, M., & Olfos, R. (2009). El enfoque de resolucion de problemas: En la enseñanza de la matemática .

Valparaíso, Chile: Ediciones Universitarias de Valparaíso.Lewis, C. (2002). What are the essential elements of lesson study? The California Science Project

Connection, 2(6), 1, 4. Lewis, C., & Tsuchida, I. (1998, Winter). A lesson is like a swiftly flowing river: How research lessons

improve Japanese education. American Educator, 12–17; 50–52. McSweeney, B. (2002). Hofstede's model of national cultural differences and consequences: A triumph of

faith—A failure of analysis. Human Relations, 55(1), 89–118.Scollon, R., & Scollon, S. W. (1995). Intercultural communication. Oxford: Blackwell.Stephens, M. (2011). Ensuring instruction changes: Evidence based teaching: How can lesson study inform

coaching, instructional rounds and learning walks? Journal of Science and Mathematics Education in Southeast Asia, 34(1), 111–113.

Stigler, J. W., & Hiebert, J. (1999). The teaching gap. New York, NY: Free Press.

Marlon Ebaeguinm.ebaeguin@student.unimelb.edu.auMelbourne Graduate School of Education

Dr Max Stephensm.stephens@unimelb.edu.auMelbourne Graduate School of Education

Thank you

why lesson study works: a cultural perspective

research lesson

lesson revisions

lesson demonstration

dimensions hofstede

cycle of plan

ls group

ls theme

national value systems

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