2012 Volume 35 Issue 1-2 Pages 43-52
This study investigated how to support teachers who tried to conduct "lesson study" in the field of international educational development. The authors applied activity theory as a framework of interpretation on school based professional development in order to intervene in the process of lesson study. This study was conducted at Palestinian refugee basic schools in Syria. The research utilized interviews and participant observation for data collection. In the process of lesson study, teachers encountered conflicts and tried to resolve them. The authors identified two conflicts, which were "conflict on the power relationship among teachers and school supervisors" and "conflict on changing learning attitude from passive to active." The respective conflicts come under "subject-rules" and "subject-division of labor". To resolve these conflicts, the authors intervened (A) by using a role model to illustrate how to collaboratively teach during lesson study against the first conflict, and (B) to utilize active members as facilitators in lesson study to resolve second conflict. These interventions helped resolve conflicts and advance lesson study.
