ABSTRACT
Teachers everywhere are being asked to improve their practice through professional development. In the West, a number of suggestions have been proposed for enhancing the professional development of teachers beyond the ubiquitous one-day workshop, such as peer coaching or studying teaching cases (Anderson & Pellicer, 2001; Shulman, 1986, 1987). Since The Teaching Gap’ s showcasing of videotaped Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) lessons (from Japan, the US, and Germany), Japanese lesson study has been highlighted as a key factor that contributes to more effective Japanese classroom instruction (Stigler & Hiebert, 1999). Many international educational researchers have subsequently experimented with various forms of lesson study as a supportive way to improve in-service teachers’ classroom instruction (Matoba, Crawford, & Mohammad, 2006; Ricks, 2011). Unknown to many Western scholars, the Chinese also conduct a form of lesson study called Teaching Research Group (TRG) activity.
