Teacher Learning Through Lesson Study: Core Components and Classroom Impacts From a Research‐Practice Partnership

ABSTRACT

This study identifies core components teachers and leaders view as essential for supporting their professional learning during lesson study (LS) and examines how teachers describe the impact of LS on their instructional practices. Situated within a research practice partnership (RPP) between a university mathematics education research team and an urban school district implementing LS focused on elementary mathematics, this work addresses district priorities for scaling and sustaining LS across schools. Through qualitative analyses of semi‐structured interviews, including video‐stimulated recall segments, with teachers and leaders from three schools, we identified the following core components: collaborative structures and trust, empowerment and autonomy, instructional practices and continuous learning, and distributed leadership and shared vision. Teachers attributed specific instructional changes to their LS participation. The collaborative nature of the RPP enabled researchers and practitioners to co‐design research questions and data collection methods that addressed local needs while contributing to broader understanding of effective professional learning. Findings inform implementation of LS and similar collaborative professional learning models, particularly regarding sustainability and scalability.