Lesson StudyA different type of observation……

……..and beyond

Developing a complexity ready model

Complexity and

observation

Lesson Study

• An approach to improving learning and teaching • Focused on the gradual building of ‘teaching’ (Stigler and

Hiebert, 1999)

• Has been used in Japan and China for over 100 years

• A collaborative process – sharing, discussing and building

• Focuses on quality of discussion and the generation of insights – a ‘slow’ process

• Centres on the process of learning

What is Lesson Study?

Lesson Study – thinking about observation • When using Lesson Study for the first time observation of two students

each

• Sit facing the group rather than sitting behind them

• Create notes next to the lesson plan so that learning is related directly to what was planned

• Perhaps note down any answers to questions which strike you as particularly interesting or important

• What is the evidence for student learning?

Observable characteristics such as discussion, reading, etc Thought, often hidden. Perhaps ask a student at some point what

they are doing, why they are doing it and what they have learned from it

The Problem with observing learning

Knud Illeris, How We Learn (2007)

Complexity - A Different Perspective

‘A complex (adaptive) system can be simply described as a system comprised of a large number of entities that display a high level of interactivity. The nature of this interactivity is mostly non-linear, containing manifest feedback loops.’ Richardson et al (2007, 26)

• Assumption that classroom environments are a form of complex adaptive system

• Non-linear system where simple ‘cause-and-effect’ interactions don’t exist. They are instead multiple and non-proportional.

• Difficult to define ‘boundaries’ to the system. What should we research?

‘…if a model of a complex system were to be constructed that captured all the possible behaviours exhibited (both current and subsequent) by the system being represented, then that model must be at least as complex of the system of interest. The reason for this is that there will always be something outside of the boundary (i.e., the boundary inferred by the model) that would affect the system’s behaviour in some way at some time.’

Richardson et al (2007, 27),

• As soon as we try to create an observation framework, or focus on certain aspects of the classroom environment, we collapse the incompressibility of the system

• Leads to potential bias and a ‘partial’ view

‘this much is certain: the quest for comprehensiveness… is not realisable. If we assume that it is realisable, the critical idea underlying the quest will be perverted into its opposite, i.e., into a false pretension to superior knowledge and understanding.’ Ulrich (1993)

The Issue of Incompressibility

Problems with generalisability

Complex adaptive systems are a mixture of:

• Non-local knowledge - that which has value over a broad range of different contexts and gives us the foundation for generalisable statements.

• Local knowledge - that which is highly contextualised and cannot be generalised to create universal statements concerning the system and its elements.

• Difficult to delimit where the boundary between these is located.

• Richardson et al (2007) suggest that if complexity thinking is used as an epistemology then any analysis of complex adaptive systems requires consideration from a number of perspectives.

• Therefore, by using a number of methods for analysis, triangulation and ‘thick description’ can serve as a very useful platform for building understanding.

But…

Activity Planning activity

Lesson Evaluation Meeting

Methods • Audio record

• Save outputs

• Plans• Resources

• Observation notes

• Student work• PowerPoints

• Audio record• Amendments• New plan (if

applicable)

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Final Thoughts

• Observation is an important tool for….

……. diagnostic and professional dialogue

……. capturing an element of classroom activity

……. sharing practice and countering pedagogic solitude (Shulman, 1993)

• But…..

……. is partial

……. shouldn’t become a number

……. should be part of an ongoing/slow process used by teachers to enhance their professional capital (Hargreaves and Fullan, 2012)