V5 wals and lesson study 2016

+World Association of Lesson Study3 September, 2016

@DrGaryJonesJones.gary@gmail.comhttp://evidencebasededucationalleadership.blogspot.com

+My argument is …. Education is plagued by both fads and zombie ideas When introducing new or old ideas and practices to schools

and classrooms, school leaders and teachers should use some form of disciplined inquiry, for example, evidence-based practice (EBP)

EBP involves making a decision through a conscientious, explicit and judicious use of the best available evidence from a multiple of sources – so as to increase the likelihood of a favourable outcome

If such a process is applied to Lesson Study (LS) within a school, although the adoption of LS has the potential to provide benefits – a small-scale pilot might be appropriate.

Nevertheless, – it is a judgment call – which depends upon on the phronesis of school leaders and the particular needs of the school.

+

…. educational innovation is famous for its cycle of early enthusiasm, widespread dissemination, subsequent disappointment, and eventual decline - the classic swing of the pendulum. (p752)

SLAVIN, R. E. 1989. PET and the pendulum: Faddism in education and how to stop it. Phi Delta Kappan, 70, 752-58.

+Zombie ideas Graded lesson observations

can be used for the purpose of high-stakes teacher accountability

A 0.4 effect size represents a year’s worth of progress for pupils of any age

One-day workshops will bring about changes in teachers’ behaviours and attitudes

Grammar schools will increase social mobility

+Evidence-based practice

+Evidence-based medicine : a definition … the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of

current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. The practice of evidence based medicine means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research. By individual clinical expertise we mean the proficiency and judgment that individual clinicians acquire through clinical experience and clinical practice. Increased expertise is reflected in many ways, but especially in more effective and efficient diagnosis and in the more thoughtful identification and compassionate use of individual patients' predicaments, rights, and preferences in making clinical decisions about their care DAVID L SACKETT, W. M. C. R., J A MUIR GRAY, R BRIAN HAYNES, W

SCOTT & RICHARDSON 1996. Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isn't. British Medical Journal, 312, 71-72.

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+Evidence-based practice and four sources of evidence

+Misconceptions associated with evidence-based practice  

Evidence-based practice ignores the expertise and knowledge of teachers and head-teachers.

Evidence-based practice is the same as research-informed practice.

Evidence-based practice involves teachers undertaking research

Evidence-based practice is all about numbers and statistics.

+Misconceptions associated with evidence-based practice  

School Leaders need to make decisions quickly and don’t have time for evidence-based practice.

Each school is unique, so the usefulness of scientific evidence is limited.

If you do not have high-quality evidence, you cannot do anything

Good-quality evidence gives you the answer to the problem.

+Lesson Study and four sources of evidence

+The Four Sources of Evidence and Lesson Study

+Scientific Research Findings

Duration Rhythm Designed for participants’ needs Alignment Sense of purpose Content External facilitators Specialists Collaboration and peer learning Leadership around professional

learning

+Scientific research findings Potential benefits of LS

Teacher collaboration and development of a professional learning community

Development of professional knowledge, practice and professionalism

More explicit focus on pupil learning

Improved quality of classroom teaching and learning

XU, H. & PEDDER, D. 2014. Lesson Study. Lesson Study, 29.

+Causal evidence

There is some evidence that Lesson Study could have a positive impact in English schools, but not yet enough to justify scaling it up.

An evaluation of the UK’s National Strategies’ Leading Teachers Programme, which involved Lesson Study, showed that those schools using this approach (among others) out-performed a comparison group in both English and Mathematics.

Lesson Study also shares many of the key characteristics of effective CPD that were identified in a systematic review produced by the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre.

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The lesson study approach had broad appeal with headteachers and staff but was adapted widely by leading teachers and, in some instances, was not well understood as a process by supported teachers.

This raises issues as to the quality of the lesson study approach that is developing in some schools. The preference for mainly in‐house approaches to lesson study is also likely considerably to reduce its effectiveness as a professional development tool.

As lesson study is based on combining a broad approach to improving children’s learning with a specific focus on a group of children in a particular curriculum area, there is a danger that adapting the approach in schools could become reductionist and technicist, merely offering teaching tips and strategies.

HADFIELD, M., JOPLING, M. & EMIRA, M. 2011. Evaluation of the National Strategies’ Primary Leading Teachers Programme. London, Department for Education.

+Expert opinion

Lesson study is an extremely time-consuming exercise

There is little agreement about what lesson study actually is

May not be viable given teacher workloads

There is insufficient evidence for its utility for it to be a priority for schools

+School data, facts and figures What are the current challenges facing the school ? What is the existing approach to professional learning

Lesson observations Teachers as researchers/inquirers Professional learning community

How strong is pupil voice within the school? How is the school located within networks – internal and external What curriculum and qualifications changes are being implemented? How stable is the senior team What resources are available?

Financial Time Expertise

+Views of stakeholders How do staff feel about the use of Lesson Study or other

approaches? Do they see downsides or unintended negative consequences? How do senior leaders and HODs feel about Lesson Study? How practical or workable do those responsible for

implementing the interventions feel? What do pupils feel about involvement in Lesson Study What alternative explanations and proposed solutions do

others have? Eg micro-teaching, peer-coaching, instructional rounds, strategic inquiry

+Personal experience Have I seen Lesson Study in use before? What happened? What are my beliefs about the successful teacher

learning ? What’s worked in the past and why? What are my hunches? How relevant and applicable is my experience? Who do I know in similar circumstances who has used

Lesson Study or similar alternatives – did it work?

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+Making a decision

+Making a decision to proceed

Justified by researchNo Yes

Pragmatic

Yes

No

Framework for analysis of context

Participants’ will

Sizing up a contextNo Commitment

Some Commitment

Strong Commitment

Extant know-how

limited

Limited capacity

Very small-scale test

Very small-scale test

Very small-scale test

Good capacity

Very small-scale test

Very small-scale test

Small-scale test

Substantial know-how exists

Limited capacity

Very small-scale test

Small-scale test

Large-scale test

Good capacity

Small-scale test

Large-scale test

Implement

BRYK, A. S., GOMEZ, L. M., GRUNOW, A. & LEMAHIEU, P. G. 2015. Learning to improve: How America's schools can get better at getting better. p120

+XU, H. & PEDDER, D. 2014. Lesson Study. Lesson Study, 29.

Majority of studies neglected to address the processes through which the impact of LS on teacher learning and students outcomes is achieved

The majority of studies relied on teachers’ accounts – need to focus on different kinds of talk and language

Lack of attention to: micro-politics, building trust, norms of collegiality

Framework for analysis of context

Participants’ will

Sizing up a contextNo Commitment

Some Commitment

Strong Commitment

Extant know-how

limited

Limited capacity

Very small-scale test

Very small-scale test

Very small-scale test

Good capacity

Very small-scale test

Very small-scale test

Small-scale test

Substantial know-how exists

Limited capacity

Very small-scale test

Small-scale test

Large-scale test

Good capacity

Small-scale test

Large-scale test

Implement

BRYK, A. S., GOMEZ, L. M., GRUNOW, A. & LEMAHIEU, P. G. 2015. Learning to improve: How America's schools can get better at getting better. p120

+

+

What are the net, net consequences of all my options?

What are my core obligations? What will work in the world as it is? Who are we? What can I live with?

+To recap – my argument is ….. Education is plagued by both fads and zombie ideas When introducing new ideas and practices to schools and

classrooms, school leaders and teachers should some form disciplined inquiry to investigate its feasibility

EBP involves making a decision through a conscientious, explicit and judicious use of the best available evidence from a multiple of sources – so as to increase the likelihood of a favourable outcome

If such a process is applied within a school to the adoption of Lesson Study (LS), although LS has the potential to provide benefits - at best only a small-scale pilot could be justified.

Nevertheless, – it is a judgement call – which depends upon on the phronesis of school leaders and the particular needs of the school

+

@DrGaryJonesjones.gary@gmail.comhttp://evidencebasededucationalleadership.blogspot.com