Strengthening Teacher Educator Practice: A Collaborative Inquiry into the Affordances of Lesson Study

Description

he role of teacher educators (TEs) is multifaceted and complex, yet they often face a lack of formal professional development opportunities, leading to a reliance on self-guided learning (McPhail et al., 2019). While Lesson Study (LS) is a recognized model for professional growth, its specific affordances for TEs’ development remain under-explored in existing research (Schipper et al., 2022). This study examines the potential of LS as a professional learning model for four STEM TEs—two mathematics and two science educators—with varying levels of experience.

Conducted in Autumn 2025, the research followed the TEs through a LS cycle consisting of study, plan, implement, and reflect. TEs focused on developing a science education tutorial to support the content and pedagogical knowledge of preservice primary teachers. Data were generated through planning documentation, fieldnotes, individual reflections, recorded group discussions, and focus group interview.

The findings reveal that the affordances of LS for TEs are multifaceted, promoting the development of teaching knowledge and highlighting opportunities for interdisciplinarity. This paper specifically explores the participants' perspectives on the viability of LS as a sustainable means of professional learning within the teacher education sector. By investigating these collaborative practices, the research contributes to understanding how structured, iterative models can support the ongoing growth of TEs.

Period	5 Jun 2026
Event title	Professional Learning Research and Practice Assembly
Event type	Conference
Location	DublinShow on map
Degree of Recognition	National