lesson study continuous professional development for teachers a case from zambia

Lesson Study Continuous Professional Development

for Teachers

A case from Zambia

Photo: Atsushi Shibuya/JICA

9th Policy Dialogue ForumInternational Taskforce on Teachers

3-7 December 2016

Japan International Cooperation Agency

Lesson Study• Peer-to-peer learning for in-service teachers to support their

professional growth

• A lesson observed by fellow teachers and post-lesson discussion held to reflect/improve these lessons

• Teachers learn how to improve learner-centered teaching methods and develop students’ problem solving and critical thinking skills

• Motivating teachers with systematic peer support, encouraging teamwork, as well as improving supervision of school managers to strengthen school systems


PLAN DO SEE

Defining Problems

Planning a Lesson

Conducting the Lesson

Debriefing the Lesson

Revising the Lesson

Conducting the revised

Lesson

Reviewing the Lesson

Compiling Learning

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

The 8 Step Cycle of Lesson Study in Zambia

Why Lesson Study was Introduced in Zambia• Low learner performance in assessments (eg, National

Examination, SACMEQ)

• Greater demands for a sustainable and cost-effective CPD programme

• Implementation Framework was in place but without systematic, structured practice


Lesson Study for Improving Quality of Education

• Aligned with and introduced under the National Education Policy

• Integrated intoan existing program (SPRINT)

• Government programme assisted by technical cooperation projects of JICA


Scaling Lesson Study

2006 2008 2011 2015

1 province3 provinces

10 provinces

1,989 teachers

20,000 pupils

213 schools

14,035 teachers

560,000 pupils

1,057 schools

46,058 teachers

1,640,000 pupils

3,121 schools

(MGE & JICA, 2015, Completion Report of STEPS Project)

2023

100,000 teachers

3,800,000 pupils

9,500 schools

Effect & ImpactEvaluation of Teachers’ Skills

Examination Pass rate for Science

(MGE & JICA, 2015, Completion Report of STEPS Project)

(MoE & JICA, 2010, Impact Survey of Lesson Study)

R=.70, p<.01

Effect & Impact

Correlation between pass rate & CPD implementation level(MGE & JICA, 2010, Completion Report of STEPS Project)

What is average speed if we move 12km in 3 hours?

Rona walked 12km in 3 hours. Jane walked 9km in 2hours. Who walked faster than the other?

How do birds’ beaks relate to their diet?

Why eagles have different beaks from those of pigeons?

Effect & Impact

Advantages• Flexible: Low cost &

highly scalable• For Long-term:

Continuous growth of teachers

• By Teachers: Empower teachers as main actors & enhancing management skills of INSET managers


Factors motivating/demotivating teachers in Lesson Study

Factors motivating/demotivating teachers in Lesson Study

47%

30%

10%

7%

6%

Learning new knowledge and skillsLearning how to handle difficult topicsInteraction with fellow teachersStudents improvement in performanceOther

24%

14%

19%

14%

14%

15% Lack of teaching and learning materialsLack of financial assistanceHigh load to teach class and conduct school eventsLack of support from School and fellow teachersLearners lose time to learnOther

Challenges

Expansion: Introducing to all schools, at all levels & grades, in all subjects

Quality:Improving school management, implementers’ commitment, quality of practice, facilitation Skills


Way forward• Changing policy makers’ “way of seeing”

on teacher professional growth

• Improving Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)

• Building coordinated linkage betweenin-service & pre-service


Knowledge DisseminationZambia’s experience in Lesson Study has been shared widely:• Millions Learning project of the Brookings Institution• Presented at international conferences (eg, Association for the

Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), World Association of Lesson Studies (WALS)), etc.

References• Banda B., Nakai K. (2016). Overview of the 1st decade for conducting lesson study in

Zambia, Presentation made at ADEA Northern Africa consultative meeting. 13-14 July 2016. Rabat, Morocco.

• Jung H.Y., et al., (2016). Lesson Study: Scaling up peer to peer learning for teachres in Zambia, Center for Universal Education, The Brookings Institution

• Ministry of Education (2010). Report on the impact assessment of the school-based continuing professional development programme in Central province. Oct. 2010. Lusaka, Zambia.

• Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education (2015). Project for improvement of pedagogical content knowledge (IPeCK): Linking pre-service and in-service education. Project document 2016-2019. March 2015. Lusaka, Zambia

• Ministry of General Education & JICA (2015). Completion report on the technical cooperation project for Strengthening Teachers’ Performance and Skills (STEPS) through School-Based Continuing Professional Development. December 2015. Lusaka, Zambia.

• Mumba C., Hama Y. (2014). Assessment of lesson study activities toward quality improvement and teacher motivation in Zambia, Poster presentation at 2014 WALS international conference. Nov. 2014, Bandung, Indonesia

Lesson Study Continuous Professional Development

for Teachers

A case from Zambia


Thank you.

Japan International Cooperation Agency