The College of Education of the Isabela State University in Cabagan (ISU Cabagan) offers a 5-module diploma course on research in education. Lesson study as classroom research is the fourth of the five modules. The diploma course is offered to teachers in different teacher education institutions (TEIs) across the Cagayan Valley Region. Around sixty educators are currently enrolled in this course, funded by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). On 14-16 March 2019, four NISMED specialists conducted a 3-day seminar on lesson study at Valley Hotel, Peñablanca, Cagayan.
In the earlier part of the training, Dr. Soledad Ulep introduced the teacher participants to lesson study as a form of professional development. Dr. Ulep talked about the nature and processes of lesson study and how it can help improve their own teaching. The participants then engaged in the different stages of the lesson study process that include formulation of research goals, development and implementation of the research lesson, and post lesson discussion and analysis. The implementation of the research lessons was conducted at the ISU Cabagan Campus with the students from the College of Education.
The latter part of the training focused on conducting research through lesson study. Dr. Erlina Ronda explained lesson study through the lens of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory and discussed the difference between the research lesson outputs of teachers in a lesson study and the academic research that the participants are expected to do as requirement for the course. To give the participants ideas on possible research they can work on, Dr. Ronda presented examples of local and international studies on lesson study, including studies and reports written by teachers. In addition, Dr. Monalisa Sasing and Ms. Cerilina Maramag presented samples of research conducted by NISMED staff who had served as facilitators or knowledgeable others in lesson study. As a culminating activity, the participants were asked to identify potential research problems and possible research design and present these to the group.
