How to introduce sustainable lesson study in schools? What difficulties ? Symposium "What conditions for sustainable Lesson study. A leadership perspective"

Abstract

In the state of Vaud, Switzerland, schools have become a key actor in the regulation of the education system and is now assigned many responsibilities. Education systems increasingly expect directors to influence teaching-learning in their schools in order to contribute to student success and the development of the quality of the system as a whole. For several years, the education system is changing on many points. We are introducing new teaching methods, we are adding digital and the Ministry of Education wishes to develop a more inclusive school.

In this case, lesson study can be a good way to change the school culture. Despite our willingness to introduce the lesson study as a learning management tool with the directors, we have failed. Research is about understanding why. An exploratory research leads us to believe that lesson study is perceived as in-service education on an equal footing with others and not as a professional development process. To know more about it, we analyze comprehensive interviews with school officials. The work is ongoing but the first results show that it is the middle managers (deans) who seem to be carrying leadership for learning and would be most likely to encourage change.