Lesson Study is a structured, collaborative professional development approach that gives instructors a framework for actively investigating how to improve student learning in their classrooms. Despite evidence of Lesson Study improving teacher practice and student learning in K-12 settings, there have been few documented examples of its use among instructors in higher education. The Adapting Lesson Study for Community College Mathematics Instruction project is investigating whether the model can be feasibly implemented by community college mathematics faculty. It will eventually document whether and how it influences instructors’ pedagogical practices and student outcomes.
In this short report, the authors describe Lesson Study and provide a rationale for its implementation in the community college context. They then report on activities from the first year of the project and share some early observations about Lesson Study implementation that could have implications for the effectiveness and sustainability of Lesson Study in community colleges.