Teacher collaboration and social-emotional learning (SEL) are extant school improvement strategies intended to have a positive effect on student learning outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative, "ex post facto" study was to examine possible correlations between degree of teacher collaboration and use of instructional practices that…

Purpose: This study explores the perceptions of the leadership team on knowledge creation in lesson study (LS) using P. Gronn's concept of hybrid leadership. Design/methodology/approach: This study included teachers from a public elementary school in Japan that has been engaged in autonomous LS for several years. Teachers (n = 8) from the…

Purpose: Collaborative workgroups can be particularly fruitful sites for teachers to learn and improve. Prior research has illustrated how teachers' engagement in collaboration differs across school contexts. However, this research offers little guidance for leaders hoping to encourage collaborative learning among teachers in their school.…

From a teacher's perspective, teacher learning happens through a complex web of learning experiences. However, research on teacher professional development (PD) typically focuses on the direct influence of single activities or programs. PD researchers less often acknowledge the interactive impacts on teacher learning of the multiple experiences…

Lesson Study is a rapidly growing and increasingly popular teacher professional development approach and is valued for its cyclical, classroom-based and collaborative nature. Mostly used in primary and secondary education, Lesson Study has only recently been applied to the context of initial teacher education focussing on pre-service teachers'…

This chapter discusses the origins and historical development of lesson study in Japan. Lesson study began around 150 years ago as a way to disseminate classroom teaching from the West. However, lesson study is not a uniform model. The practice has transformed to serve different purposes and educational ideals. It has been used as both a top-down…

In this collaborative autoethnography, we, two early career academics used arts-based methods to explore and transform our understanding of scholarly impact. We began by narrating the disorienting dilemma we experienced while preparing our review, tenure, and promotion portfolios. After a brief review of Mezirow's transformative learning theory,…

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education is a high priority in many countries, seen to enable future economic growth and competitiveness. An integrated STEM approach seeks to combine these disciplines to solve real-world problems. Teachers play a central role in this endeavour. This paper reports on a research project which…

Lesson study has received significant attention as a model of professional development among mathematics teachers. Evidence highlights its effectiveness in improving pedagogical practices and student learning, however, less is known about the predispositions which may encourage teachers' participation in Lesson Study or the impact of participation…

Visual schedules use a series of images and text to visually illustrate a sequence of events, prepare the individual for the following action or step within an activity or chain of activities, and prompt them to follow a series of activities or tasks independently. As an evidence-based practice, visual schedules can be effectively used in…

Increasingly, social media spaces have become places for teachers to exchange ideas and acquire new information in support of their professional learning. The popular app, TikTok, has become one of the social media spaces that teachers are using for that purpose. Teachers' use of online social media spaces to support their learning may have…

Since early 2020, COVID-19 has had a substantial impact on teacher education. We consider novel aspects of how pre-service teachers have collaboratively developed their professional identities during the pandemic. Drawing on findings from forty-five interviews with pre-service high school teachers working in England during September 2020-June…

In this qualitative study, we sought to identify the best practices emerging from professional learning communities (PLCs) in New Brunswick, Canada with regard to teacher collaboration. Established over a decade ago, PLCs are now a common practice in this province. The results of interviews conducted with teachers and principals (N = 13) show a…

The South African Department of Basic Education has launched a phased initiative to transform ordinary mainstream schools into full-service schools (FSS) as part of its strategy for inclusive education. To ensure the success of this initiative, it is crucial to select schools that can equitably address the diverse learning needs of all students…

Background: Collaborative lesson planning is a crucial practice in teacher education, supporting pre-service teachers in lesson design and fostering professional development. While generative AI (GenAI) is increasingly integrated into education, its role in collaborative lesson planning remains unclear. Objectives: This study aims to explore how…