Lesson Study: Team Curriculum Design and Reflection

What is Lesson Study?

• What is Lesson Study?Lesson Study is a team of three to five faculty members within or across disciplines that gather together circa once a month to design specific lessons for a particular set of courses (e.g., gateway courses or courses within multiple sections), attend each others’ classes to test and observe these lessons from multiple points of view, measure learning outcomes, and/or regroup several times as a team to revise a particular lesson and generate further dialogue around course, program, and institutional outcomes.

  The team leader produces a brief report that details exactly what lessons were created and revised/what curriculum design changes were made as a result of Lesson Study, and potentially how learning outcomes contributed to the design cycle. Ideally, this material is archived online for future instructors in the field to access.

  All participate in the yearly TLC Spring Symposium to share details of their project.

  Purpose

  The purpose of this proposal is to encourage faculty to take what they already do in smaller, makeshift groups within their departments, and create a solid institutional structure for team curriculum design and learning outcomes. As it stands, curriculum design and learning outcomes are often left to individuals to create or measure without meaningful community support. This proposal would essentially build an institutional process of curriculum design where faculty and staff are provided the time and space to do focused, meaningful work on what they do best. Finally, it has the potential of inspiring cross-disciplinary or cross-campus conversations around learning processes on an ongoing basis.

  What are the required activities for team members?

  • Each person submits their own time sheet and other paper work as requested by the TLC Coordinator or BCC staff
  • Meet at least two times over the year to complete all parts of the project together:
  1. An initial meeting where you will refine your question, develop a research plan, and take a look at previously published research on the issue
  2. Participate in the TLC Spring Symposium where you will present your project and receive feedback from other audience members
  3. Meet at least one other time whenever works for your group, to discuss existing data, plan and conduct research, evaluate the findings, and make recommendations.

  What else does the leader need to do?

  • Ensure that the project is moving along on schedule
  • Ensure that all team members are included in the collaboration
  • Maintain contact with TLC coordinator and ask for support when needed
  • Submit communications on time to bcctlc@peralta.edu  (all through email)

  How much time will this take?

  Estimated total time input is about 8+ hours for Lesson Study participants. While we appreciate enthusiastic participants who do thorough projects, this project is intended to be small enough to complete in a few months with a few meetings and a few hours of outside work. They should inform and improve your teaching or other work experience, not interfere with it.

  What about pay?

  Stipends are available. Participants who are approved will receive a stipend: generally it is $100 per participant and $200 for the group leader but the amount may change year to year based on the funding allocation. Stipends are received usually after the end of the academic year and the final reports have been received.