Dotger - Lesson Study Talk and Workshop - May 15 & 16, 2017

Dr. Sharon Dotger is an associate professor in the School of Education at Syracuse University. Her research focuses on how students learn science and how learning is related to teaching. While it seems evident that teaching and learning are related, the exact nature of this relationship, especially as it relates to elementary science, needs much more specification. Sharon collaborates with elementary teachers through a process called lesson study in order to learn how students think about science ideas. She is a member of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching and the Association for Science Teacher Educators.

As the 2017 Tamaratt Visiting Scholar at the University of Calgary, Sharon will be presenting a talk and workshop on May 15 & 16 on the University of Calgary main campus.

Note: You can register for just the talk or the workshop; you do not need to attend both.

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Talk: Lesson Study as a Mechanism for the Improvement of Teaching & Learning

May 15, 1PM-2PM (Taylor Institute, Studio E)

Lesson study, a collaborative practice for engaging in teaching improvement through research, has been refined in Japan since the 1880’s. Researchers in the United States became aware of the practice about 18 years ago. Since then, a global association of researchers has emerged – one source of evidence of lesson study’s applicability in an array of contexts and subject areas. This presentation will discuss the fundamentals of lesson study, describe its usage in public school and higher education, and present evidence of its efficacy.

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Workshop: Beginning Lesson Study in Higher Education Contexts

May 16, 9AM-4PM (EEEL 151)

This workshop will begin by discussing a case of lesson study to help participants understand the arc of the lesson study process. From here, we will explore participants’ goals for instruction. Through analysis of these goals and students’ current skill set, teams will establish a goal for their research cycle. Teams will create instructional hypotheses and begin to develop a research plan. To close the workshop, teams will plan their next steps in preparing for and executing a research lesson.

NOTE: To get the most out of the workshop, we reccommend you organize a "lesson study" group of 3 or 4 people (total) and attend the session together. (Please have each group member register individually). You can still attend the workshop even if you are not in a group. If you have questions about forming a lesson study group, please contact Glenn Dolphin (glenn.dolphin@ucalgary.ca)