The impact of video‐based lesson analysis on teachers' thinking and practice

Abstract

This paper describes how elementary teachers' thinking and practice developed as a result of video‐based professional development designed to promote reflection on the decision making involved in planning for and implementing mathematics lessons. Of the 189 teachers who attended the video‐based sessions, 180 completed post‐session questionnaires and a subset were interviewed and observed teaching after the sessions. The video‐based sessions were designed to embody many of the characteristics of lesson study, but scaled up to involve a large number of teachers. The majority of teachers believed that their ability to question their students and probe their thinking was extended as a result of the sessions. The teachers who were observed were also able to alter their practice in ways that supported student thinking. The results suggest that these video‐based sessions have the potential to impact a large number of teachers across diverse districts.