The purpose of this paper is to clarify the conditions and constraints on cross-border lessons (CBLs). In related international classroom research thus far, the focus has mainly been on exploring the possibility of cooperative distance learning or fostering knowledge and attitudes via cross-cultural communications. Additionally, in the international comparative study of lessons, the cultural characteristics of the specific teaching and learning activities of each country have been considered; hence, the focus has been on the implemented lessons. In contrast, this paper characterizes topics discussed and agreements reached through collaborative task design for CBLs between Japan and Russia.
First, we describe the proposals being discussed between the two countries with the developed coding system. Then, we analyze the task design process as networking these codes. Through this analysis, we identify the conflicts manifested in the discussions between the two countries as follows: how to relate the correlation of data (graph), how the trend in data (graph) can be interpreted in terms of energy and environmental issues, what is necessary for the classroom setting(s), and how to distribute lesson materials to students.
By considering the causes of these conflicts and strategies for solving them, the following conclusions are presented.
Regarding the constraints on lesson design for CBLs, since discussions between the two countries usually involve time differences, it is inevitable that they occur via e-mail. As a result, discussions about lesson design have been intermittent rather than instantaneous. Further, in designing tasks for CBLs, cultural differences inevitably arise with respect to the teaching objective. Especially in the case of Japan and Russia, the following cultural differences are pointed out: Japanese teachers emphasize students’ activities for obtaining mathematical conclusions using mathematically modeled graphs, whereas Russian teachers expect to have students develop interpretations and evaluations on mathematical conclusions according to social contexts. Constraints in the classroom setting and customary teaching strategies are also pointed out as differences; in Japan, the learning process is recorded on the blackboard, and in Russia, the focus is on accessing learning resources with a single monitor.
When considering these constraints, it is necessary to state clearly the following in the lesson plan to resolve these conflicts as conditions of CBLs: subordinate items to make the teaching objective(s) more specific and ensure that classroom settings and classroom culture (e.g., teaching strategies) can be shared between the two countries.
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