In Japan, “knowledgeable others” or “outside examiners” are a common presence in a lesson study. Who are they? What do they add to lesson study? Is it necessary to have a knowledgeable other? This paper explores these questions and considers ways in which potential knowledgeable others can be identified and developed within the United States educational system.
As the title of this conference suggests, lesson study is a teacher-led, student-focused professional development activity. The main players in this form of professional development are the teachers, whether they are from a single school or multiple schools. They are the central figures in lesson study; they plan, observe, and reflect together on a research lesson. The focus of their work is to collaboratively improve their own teaching through close examination of student thinking and learning. Lesson study truly is a teacher-led and teacher-driven professional development activity.
However, at some lesson study meetings, you may also see a person from outside the lesson study group. This person has become known as a “knowledgeable other.” In Japan, knowledgeable others are a common presence in a lesson study, but what role do they play? What do they add to lesson study? Is it a must to have a knowledgeable other participate in a lesson study, particularly for those who are just starting?
According to the Lesson Study Research Group (LSRG) of Teachers College, Columbia University, a knowledgeable other in Japan also is known as the outside examiner, invited advisor, or reactor to the lesson. This person, according to LSRG, serves the following three functions for the lesson study group (Fernandez, 2001):
In addition to these formal responsibilities, knowledgeable others often serve other roles in support of lesson study groups. Sometimes they act as cheerleaders to encourage teachers to persist in the process. Knowledgeable others can be the guinea pig by volunteering to teach the research lesson first. Some knowledgeable others have been invited to speak as guest lecturers as part of the school staff’s professional development. These roles and others indicate the range of purposes a knowledgeable other may fulfill.
In Japan, knowledgeable others usually are one of the following:
In the U.S., college/university faculty members are also possible knowledgeable others because of their deep knowledge of content and research. However, tapping into this resource will require establishing closer collegial working relationships between higher education and K-12 educators. In fact, lesson study itself could be a mechanism to begin bridging this gap between U.S. higher education and K-12 education.
Content area supervisors may also serve in the capacity of knowledgeable others in their own district or state. It may be useful if these content supervisors come from outside the particular district or state so that teachers do not feel that they are being evaluated by supervisors in their own district. The relationship between knowledgeable others and participating teachers is meant to be collegial, supportive, and collaborative rather than evaluative.
Within the school systems, content coaches, peer coaches, content coordinators, and staff development coordinators may serve as knowledgeable others. Because they identify, plan, and develop professional development activities for teachers, their responsibilities fit in well with those of a knowledgeable other. However, under the aegis of lesson study, these individuals need to rethink their own roles in supporting teachers’ professional development. They no longer can view professional development as something “delivered” to teachers. Rather, teachers’ professional development needs should be identified collaboratively, and these coaches/coordinators should explore ways to support teachers over the long term.
Outside the school system, there are organizations whose main function is to provide technical assistance (Russell, 2001) to schools, districts, and state education agencies. These organizations include federally funded regional laboratories, regional Eisenhower consortia, comprehensive technical assistance centers, and numerous private organizations. Appropriate staff members from these organizations can serve as knowledgeable others by contributing guidance on content and research.
While the infrastructure for knowledgeable others may exist within the current American educational system, the challenge remains that many staff of the groups mentioned above are not educated on lesson study itself and not educated on how to become effective knowledgeable others. To meet this challenge, other solutions can be considered, such as partnering with an organization that is versed in lesson study in addition to partnering with a content specialist. Some organizations that provide assistance in implementing lesson study are included on the RBS Lesson Study Readings and Resources page.
What do lesson study participants say about the roles of knowledgeable others in their study groups? A number of teachers from Japan and the U.S. have been surveyed about their experiences with knowledgeable others in their lesson study. An American teacher who has participated in a school-based lesson study commented, “I think that the role of a knowledgeable other is to observe and offer comments relative to their area of expertise.” Another American teacher who participated in a volunteer teachers circle noted that the knowledgeable other offered support during the various stages of the lesson study cycle. Prior to the lesson, the knowledgeable other offered encouragement, support, and guidance with content learning and developmental theory. During the research lesson, the knowledgeable other modeled the observation process for others. After the research lesson, the knowledgeable other provided feedback, questioning, commentary, and next steps.
A Japanese teacher found knowledgeable others to be helpful in other areas. The knowledgeable other understood the teacher’s perspective and role in lesson study; imparted content knowledge; and shared teaching techniques such as posing questions, managing time, and blackboard use. (For more information on blackboard use, see the conference paper Developing Effective Use of the Blackboard through Lesson Study.) Another Japanese teacher said, “Knowledgeable others often help us dig deeper into our research theme. It is very helpful when they can share with us the ideas from other lesson study groups or from academic research related to the research theme.” When asked about what they expected from knowledgeable others, Japanese teachers often stated that they want knowledgeable others to help them understand more deeply the content in the lesson as well as how children learn this particular content. Then, based on that knowledge, they want to learn how a lesson can be organized so it flows naturally.
The survey also indicated that teachers appreciate the broader knowledge base knowledgeable others may bring to the group. This broad knowledge includes lessons learned by other lesson study groups, knowledge from research, and content knowledge. In the U.S., where lesson study is not a common practice, teachers may also look to the knowledgeable other to learn about the process of lesson study itself. From this knowledge base, the knowledgeable other can support teachers by facilitating deep discussion, posing questions, and guiding reflection.
One important idea that needs to be kept in mind is that knowledgeable others must be useful for the study group. They are there to support the group. Thus, it is important for the study group to identify the areas where it needs support. A group can identify the areas where it needs support by beginning with a clear lesson study research theme that will drive the entire process. With a concrete goal for the lesson study, the group can invite an appropriate knowledgeable other and can communicate the areas of need where the knowledgeable other can offer the most support. For instance, if the research theme is "for students to use visualization in mathematics problem-solving," the study group might identify "visualization" or "imagery" as an area where their own comfort level could be higher. As a result, the study group would look for a knowledgeable other who has expertise in the use of visualization/imagery in teaching and learning. (See the conference paper Reflections on Implementing Lesson Study in the United States: “Incidental” versus “Purposeful” Learning for more about the need for a research theme that drives the entire lesson study process.)
When asked about the essential characteristics of effective knowledgeable others, an American teacher listed the following traits:
This list and other teachers’ comments point to three important characteristics that seem to be shared among effective knowledgeable others. First, effective knowledgeable others must possess a “learning” mind set. They must understand that lesson study is a process through which everyone, including themselves, can learn. Knowledgeable others should not go into a lesson study group with an attitude that they are there to teach teachers. Rather, they must respect teachers and students, and they must be open to their own learning that occurs through their interaction with other lesson study participants. Knowledgeable others may possess certain expertise, but they must respect the other participants as their equals. They must model the process of lesson study, which has as a key feature an egalitarian philosophy toward improvement. The most seasoned teacher can learn from a novice teacher who brings a fresh perspective; unburdened by past experiences, a novice teacher can help reveal new approaches to old problems. Through their questions, they can help make the “familiar strange” to the veterans.
Another important characteristic of effective knowledgeable others is their ability to read the audience, in this case, teachers participating in lesson study. They must determine where the teachers are with respect to the research theme of the study group. Finally, knowledgeable others must have the ability to select a few key ideas on which to focus their discussion. A Japanese professor known for his excellence as a knowledgeable other once commented that he tries to “praise ten and critique one.” Effective knowledgeable others must carefully focus participating teachers’ attention on a few key ideas. An effective knowledgeable other must be like a master teacher, knowing where the students (lesson study participants) are in terms of their understanding of teaching and learning, and making comments that will help learners move forward in their thinking and practice.
The experiences of both Japanese and American lesson study groups seem to suggest that knowledgeable others make significant contributions to lesson study. In Japan, a knowledgeable other may not be present as often, but may make valuable contributions through strategic participation in a few key events. For American lesson study groups that are just getting started, it may be critical to include the long-term participation of knowledgeable others, particularly those who are familiar with the process of lesson study. Especially for emerging lesson study groups, a knowledgeable other may need to assume the role of a technical assistance provider who meets with the study group on a weekly basis.
Does a study group still need an external knowledgeable other if it already has content experts as members? In-school experts are indeed valuable because they can provide regular ongoing content knowledge and support. However, outside knowledgeable others, through their interactions with a number of different schools, and by virtue of not being part of the system, can bring fresh and broader perspectives that can illuminate new ideas and directions.
If lesson study efforts grow in the U.S., the need for knowledgeable others will also grow. By looking at the existing infrastructure in the U.S., we can begin to see ways in which a network of knowledgeable others could develop.
An important remaining question is how to help various experts become effective knowledgeable others. Content expertise alone does not make for effective knowledgeable others. One place to start may be to examine the learning mindset of our current professional development system. Is our system one in which professional developers and higher education faculty treat K-12 teachers as their peers? Is there true collaboration that results in learning for everyone? Or does our system assume that knowledge flows in only one direction—from the “experts” to the K-12 teachers? These questions are to stimulate reflection on the ways in which we approach professional development.
For lesson study to be implemented in the egalitarian fashion in which it is conducted in Japan, current technical assistance providers, professional developers, and higher education faculty may need to rethink their own roles in the professional development of teachers. To become effective knowledgeable others, potential candidates need to develop a learning mindset in which they recognize that they, too, have a great deal to learn from engaging in lesson study with K-12 teachers as their peers. With this mindset, lesson study can serve as a bridge between the K-12 system and external organizations, catalyzing a deeper and more meaningful ongoing relationship, where both sides hold themselves mutually accountable for student learning and achievement.
A paper by Sabelli and Dede (2001) discusses some of the challenges of bridging the divide between the K-12 system and external research organizations. Many of its assertions are consistent with the teacher-driven approach of lesson study. They write that the educational research community too often views teachers as “tools to implement improvements in students’ learning using models that were designed by others” (p.10). The authors advocate instead the development of partnerships with teachers as co-experts. Educators in the field are more likely to incorporate and sustain research-based improvements if they are part of a “supportive relationship in which the educational research community acknowledges and helps build the capacity of teachers and administrators as professionals with insights to offer” (p. 10). With this approach, Sabelli and Dede seek to alter the work of the educational research community from “scholarship on practice” to “scholarship of practice” (p. 1). Lesson study, with its teacher-led, student-focused approach, can be the vehicle for helping researchers and other external providers—in the role of knowledgeable others—integrate educational research more effectively with practice.
Making a shift to this collaborative mindset is the first step in developing effective knowledgeable others, and it may require professional development. In spite of the long history of lesson study in Japan, there is no clearly defined professional development system for knowledgeable others there. Professional development for potential knowledgeable others may be an area where the American education community can assume a pioneering role.
Fernandez, C., Yoshida, M., Chokshi, S., & Cannon, J. (2001). An overview of Lesson Study: Lesson Study Research Group. Retrieved June 26, 2003, from http://www.teacherscollege.edu/lessonstudy/presentations_slides.html.
Russell, W. (2002). High-Quality Technical Assistance. Benchmarks: The Quarterly Newsletter of the National Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform, 3:2, 1–10. Retrieved June 26, 2003, from http://www.goodschools.gwu.edu/pubs/bench/benchsp02.pdf.
Sabelli, N. & Dede, C. (2001). Integrating Educational Research and Practice—Reconceptualizing Goals and Policies: How to Make What Works, Work for Us? Retrieved June 26, 2003, from http://www.virtual.gmu.edu/SS_research/cdpapers/policy.pdf.
This paper was originally published online in August 2003.
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