THE EFFECT OF LESSON STUDY ON THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION: RESULTS OF RESEARCH ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN GREECE

Authors

  • Eurydice-Maria Kanellopoulou Department of Primary Education, University of the Aegean, Dimokratias 1, 85132 Rhodes, Greece
  • Maria Darra Department of Primary Education, University of the Aegean, Dimokratias 1, 85132 Rhodes, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v11i9.5525

Keywords:

lesson study, differentiated instruction, research lesson, secondary education

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to present the results of the research, which aimed to investigate the effect of lesson study on the way teachers plan, implement, and understand differentiated instruction in the context of teaching the Modern Greek language course of 2nd class of the Lyceum. The research was qualitative and in the context of its implementation, grounded theory data collection and analysis techniques were used. The research was carried out in three schools in two municipalities of Eastern Attica, with the participation of four teachers and eighty students in a lesson study cycle. Data were collected before, during and after the lesson study cycle and included classroom observations, interviews of participating teachers, protocols for planning, observing, revising and reflecting on the research lesson as well as transcripts of teacher meetings and the teaching of the research lesson, diaries, which were kept during the implementation of the lesson study, students' assignments as well as their interviews after the teaching. The results of the research showed that lesson study helped teachers to develop flexibility in planning their teaching, encouraged them to implement new differentiation strategies and techniques, and pushed them to manage differentiation actively and successfully implement it, addressing the needs of students and the challenges of teaching, influencing their existing beliefs and practices. In addition, from the research, it emerged that the teachers' goals for the lesson study were realized, as well as the teachers planned the learning goals of the research lesson and created activities for formative assessment.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter

Author Biographies

  • Eurydice-Maria Kanellopoulou, Department of Primary Education, University of the Aegean, Dimokratias 1, 85132 Rhodes, Greece

    Eurydice-Maria Kanellopoulou is a teacher in secondary education. She has completed postgraduate studies at the Hellenic Open University and is a PhD candidate at the Pedagogical Department of Elementary Education of the University of the Aegean. She has participated with papers in Greek and international scientific conferences and her articles have been published in Greek and foreign magazines. Contact details: evikanell@gmail.com.

  • Maria Darra, Department of Primary Education, University of the Aegean, Dimokratias 1, 85132 Rhodes, Greece

    Dr. Maria Darra is Associate Professor with subject in "School Pedagogy: Educational planning and evaluation of educational work" at the Department of Primary Education of the University of the Aegean. She is graduate of the Pedagogical Department of Primary Education of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and of the Department of Philosophy-Pedagogy-Psychology, of the Faculty of Philosophy of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She has a Thesis Postgraduate Diploma Specialization in the field of Sciences of Education from the Pedagogical Department of Primary Education of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Doctoral Degree from the Pedagogical Department of Primary Education of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Her works have been published in international and Greek scientific journals, collective volumes and proceedings of international and Greek conferences.

References

Angelini, M., & Álvarez, N. (2018). Spreading lesson study in pre-service teacher instruction. International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies, 7(1), 23-36, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLLS-03-2017-0016.

Argyropoulos, B. (2013). Differentiation and differentiated instruction: theoretical background and basic principles. In Differentiated Teaching, theoretical approaches & educational practices. Ed.: S. Padeliadu & D. Filippatou, 27-59. Athens: Pedio.

Ariss, L. (2017). Differentiated Instruction: An Exploratory Study in a Secondary Mathematics Classroom. Doctoral dissertation. University of Toledo.

Bandura, A. (2006). Guide for constructing self-efficacy scales. In F. Pajares & T. Urdan (Eds.). Self-efficacy beliefs of adolescents, 5, 307-337. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.

Birman, B. F., Desimone, L. M., Porter, A. C., & Garet, M. (2000). Designing professional development that works. Educational Leadership, 57(8), 28-33

Carroll, C. (2013). Exploring the Impact of Lesson Study on the Theory-Practice Gap in Pre-service Teacher Education. Doctoral dissertation. University of Limerick.

Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Coe, K. (2010). The process of lesson study as a strategy for the development of teaching in primary schools: a case study in the Western Cape province, South Africa. Doctoral dissertation. Stellenbosch University.

Collins, T. (2017). Lesson study as professional development within secondary physics teacher professional learning communities. Doctoral Dissertation. University of Alabama, USA. Retrieved from: https://ir.ua.edu/bitstream/handle/123456789/3219/file_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Darra, M., & Kanellopoulou, E. (2016). Improving the teaching of the high school literature course: the case of the Lesson Study approach. 10th Panhellenic Conference of the Pedagogical Society of Greece. Ioannina, November 4 – 6, 2016.

De Jesus, O. N. (2012). Differentiated Instruction: Can Differentiated Instruction Provide Success for All Learners? National Teacher Education Journal, 5(3), 5-11.

Desimone, L.M. (2009) Improving impact studies of teachers' professional development: Toward better conceptualizations and measures. [Electronic version]. Educational Researcher, 38 (3), 181-199. doi.org/10.3102/0013189X08331140

Dixon, F. A., Yssel, Ν., McConnell, J. M., & Hardin, T. (2014). Differentiated Instruction, Professional Development, and Teacher Efficacy. Journal for the Education of the Gifted 2014, 37(2), 111 –127. DOI: 10.1177/0162353214529042

Fernandez, C. (2002). Learning from Japanese approaches to professional development: the case of lesson study. Journal of Teachers Education, 53 (5), 393–405. DOI:10.1177/002248702237394

Fykaris, I., & Mitsi, P. (2012). Approaching Differentiated Instruction via the Attitudes and the Opinions of Greek Primary School Teachers: An Empirical Investigation. Sociology Study, 2 (12), 918‐926. DOI: 10.17265/2159-5526/2012.12.004

Hamzeh, F. (2014). Lesson Study-Building Communities of Learning Among Pre-Service Science Teachers. Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5114. https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/5114.

Harsono, Μ. (2016). The Impact of Lesson Study on Primary School Teachers’ Knowledge and Skills in Differentiating Primary School Mathematics Instruction: A Digital Mixed Methods Approach. Doctoral Dissertation, Curtin University.

Hix, S. (2008). Learning in lesson study: a professional development model

for middle school mathematics teachers. Doctoral dissertation. University of Georgia.

Hockett, J. (2010). Τhe influence of lesson study on how teachers plan for, implement, and understand differentiated instruction. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Virginia.

Hogan, M. R. (2014). Differentiated Instruction in a Standards-Based Middle School Science Classroom. Doctoral Dissertation, Walden University.

Howell, J. (2014). Using Lesson Study to Develop Professional Teaching Knowledge for Problem-based Historical Inquiry Among 4th Grade Social Studies Teachers. Doctoral dissertation. Auburn, Alabama.

Jackson, N., & Evans, L. (2017). Self-Reflections on Differentiation: Understanding How We Teach in Higher Education. Networks, 19(1), 1-19. doi.org/10.4148/2470-6353.1012

Koutselini, M., & Persianis, P. (2000). Theory Practice Divide in Teacher Education and the Role of the Traditional Values. Teaching in Higher Education, 5 (4), 501-520. DOI:10.1080/713699172

Lagadinou, A. (2014). Investigation of the opinions of secondary school philology teachers, regarding differentiated teaching. Master's thesis, University of Ioannina, School of Education Sciences, Pedagogical Department of Primary Education.

Levy, H. M. (2008). Meeting the needs of all students through differentiated instruction: Helping every child reach and exceed standards. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 81(4), 161– 164. doi:10.3200/TCHS. 81.4.161-164

Lewis, C. (2002). Lesson study: A handbook of teacher-led instructional change. Philadelphia, PA: Research for Better Schools.

Lewis, C., & Hurd, J. (2011). Lesson Study step by step. How Teacher Learning Communities Improve Instruction. Portsmouth, NH, USA.

Loose, C. (2014). Japanese lesson study sustaining teacher learning in the classroom context. Doctoral dissertation. The Pennsylvania University.

Maddox, C. (2015). Elementary (K-5) Teachers' Perceptions of Differentiated Instruction. Doctoral dissertation. Walden University.

McLean, V.M. (2010). Teacher attitude toward differentiated instruction in third-grade language arts. Doctoral dissertation. University of Southern Mississippi.

Mavroudi, A. (2017). Implementing differentiated instruction in the Greek state primary school: Teachers’ attitudes and preferred differentiated strategies. 22nd International Symposium on Theoretical and Applied Linguistics. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 372-385. ISSN 2529-1114.

Mon, C. (2009). Implementation of lesson study as an innovative professional development model among mathematics teachers. Doctoral dissertation. University Sains Malaysia.

Nauerth, D. (2015). The impact of lesson study professional development on teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. (Doctoral Dissertation). Kansas State University. Retrieved from https://krex.kstate.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2097/19048/DeborahNauerth2015.pdf;sequence=1

Padeliadu, S. (2008). Differentiated teaching. In: S. Padeliadu & F. Antoniou (Eds.), Teaching approaches and practices for students with learning disabilities. Volos, 7-17.

Padeliadu, S. (2020). Training in student support practices in the context of differentiated teaching. Institute of Educational Policy, Operational Program Human Resource Development, Education and Lifelong Learning (ESPA 2014-2020).

Panoutsos, X. (2015). Collaborative lesson planning (Lesson Study): The case of ratios and ratios. Thesis in the Pedagogical Department of Elementary Education. Patras.

Penderi, E., Karadimitriou, K., & Rekalidou, G. (2013). Engaging prospective and current teachers in an advanced model of teacher education. Conference of the Practical Exercises Network of Preschool Education Departments, with the theme "Improving the Education of future teachers in a period of institutional crisis: proposals, applications". Alexandroupolis, September 26-28.

Shouffler, J. (2018). Teacher learning within United States lesson study: a study of a middle school mathematics lesson study team. Doctoral dissertation. University of Pennsylvania.

Sirotic, N. (2015). Knowledge growth through lesson study: A case of secondary Mathematics teachers’ collaborative learning. Doctoral Dissertation. Simon Fraser University. Retrieved from http://www.peterliljedahl.com/wp-content/uploads/Thesis-Natasa-Sirotic.pdf

Smith, J. (2011). Differentiated instruction: exploring implementation at the middle level. Doctoral dissertation. University of Colorado.

Stepanek, J., Appel, G., Leong, M., Turner Mangan, M., & Mitchell, M. (2007). Leading Lesson Study. A practical guide for teachers and facilitators. California, USA.

Stigler, J., & Hiebert, J. (1999). The teaching gap: Best ideas from the world’s teacher’s for improving education in the classroom. New York, NY: The Free Press.

Stone, L. (2012). The Impact of Professional Development on Classroom Teachers’ Use of Differentiated Instruction Strategies. Doctoral dissertation. University of Rochester.

Sfyroera, M. (2004). Differentiated Pedagogy. In the collective project Education of Muslim Children entitled: Keys and Anti-Keys. Athens: Ministry of Health, University of Athens. Available at: http://www.kleidiakaiantikleidia.net/book18/book18.pdf

Tomlinson, C.A. (2001). How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Tomlinson, C. A., & Imbeau, M. B. (2010). Leading and managing a differentiated classroom. Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD.

Valiandes, S. & Neophytou, L. (2017). Differentiated teaching, functional and effective application. Field.

Van Sickle, J. (2011). Lesson Study's impacts on teacher perception of efficacy in teaching. A Thesis of Humboldt State University.

Wenzel, Μ. (2017). Middle School Teacher Beliefs about Classroom Diversity and their Influence on Differentiated Instructional Practices. Doctoral dissertation. Portland State University.

Wright, T. (2009). Investigating Teachers' Perspectives on the Impact of the Lesson Study Process on Their Mathematical Content Knowledge, Pedagogical Knowledge, and the Potential for Student Achievement. Doctoral Dissertation, University of New Orleans.

Downloads

Published

2024-08-13

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 9 (2024)

Section

Articles

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).