Lesson study in continuing professional teacher development : a South African case study

The implementation of successful continuing professional teacher development (CPTD) programmes has been a challenge in South Africa since the introduction of Curriculum 2005. Lesson study, a CPTD model introduced in Japan and not previously investigated in South Africa, has shown success in bridging the gap between policy at the national level and teaching at the classroom level. A qualitative research study conducted in a rural primary school in the Western Cape province sought to determine the value that a group of teachers would place on the process of lesson study as a model for their own learning and instructional improvement. The findings highlight several areas where lesson study as a dynamic model can be considered an effective CPTD programme within the South African context. Lesstudie in voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling van onderwysers: 'n Suid-Afrikaanse gevallestudie Die implementering van suksesvolle voortgesette professionele ontwikkelings-programme (VPO) is sedert die implementering van Kurrikulum 2005 in 1998 'n uitdaging binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. Lesstudie as VPO-model wat in Japan ontstaan het en nog nie voorheen in Suid-Afrika ondersoek is nie, lewer bewys dat hierdie model of benadering kan bydra om die gaping te oorbrug tussen beleid wat op nasionale vlak ontwerp word en onderrigleer wat op klaskamervlak plaasvind. 'n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsprojek is in 'n landelike primere skool in die Wes-Kaap uitgevoer. Die doel was om die waarde wat 'n groep onderwysers aan lesstudie as 'n model vir hul eie leer en onderrigontwikkeling sou heg, te bepaal. Die bevindinge beklemtoon verskeie aspekte waar lesstudie as dinamiese model 'n bydrae kan lewer tot die voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling van onderwysers.

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