Towards a comprehensive pedagogical theory to inform lesson study: an editorial review

Purpose: This editorial review takes its agenda from issues about the meaning and use of variation theory in the context of Lesson Study, which have already been raised in previous issues of the journal. Its main purpose is to suggest a way of resolving such issues by locating variation theory in a broader framework of pedagogical theory. Runesson’s editorial commentary on articles in the special issue on the uses of pedagogical and learning theories in the context of Lesson Study suggest that they challenge the presumption that variation theory can be used as a basis for pre-specifying learning objectives in advance of teaching. This raises the issue of which approach to teaching the theory can be matched with; namely, teaching viewed as a technology or teaching viewed as an interactive process with students in which ends cannot be specified independently of the process. Also Hogan’s review of two recent books about Lesson and Learning Study in Issue 4.2 raises the issue about the extent to which the examples supplied abstract the experience of learning from questions about students’ motivation and attitudes in classrooms. Hogan suggests that the widespread use of learning theories, such as variation theory tends to distort the concept of learning employed in Learning Study by emphasizing its cognitive rather than emotional/attitudinal aspects. Approach: Elliott’s approach to the above issue is to pick up on Posch’s comments in the current issue, which suggest that variation theory has implications for student motivation that need to be made more conceptually explicit in the context of Lesson and Learning Study. He argues that this can be done by integrating it into Alexanders dialogic model of teaching and Stenhouse’s process model of curriculum development, and linking it with two related pedagogical theories that underpin these models; namely, ‘democratic pedagogy’ (Dewey) and ‘accelerated learning’ (Vygotsky). Research Implications: Such a conceptual integration of variation theory within a dialogic model of teaching throws light, Elliott argues, on Learning Study viewed as a form of educational action research. Practical Implications: This review article goes on to examine how the Lesson Studies depicted in issue 4.4 can be located in the light of the pedagogical framework and perspectives proposed

Systematic case study research : a practice-oriented introduction to building an evidence base for counselling and psychotherapy

Background: Historically, clinical case studies have played a central role in counselling and psychotherapy training and practice, by allowing practitioners to learn about ideas and interventions being developed by colleagues. In recent years, the development of methods for systematic collection and analysis of case data has made it possible for case study research to begin to make a contribution to the evidence base for therapy policy and practice. Aim: This paper provides an overview of the characteristics of rigorous case study research, introduces a set of studies that exemplify these principles, and reviews the relevance of systematic case study inquiry for policy, practice and training. Conclusions: If case study research is to fulfil its potential as a source of research-based knowledge, it is essential for practitioners to publish more systematic case studies that document the range and scope of everyday therapeutic practice. It is also necessary to carry out further research into a variety of methodological issues associated with single-case inquiry, as a means of further developing this approach to practice-based research

Is Less Better? Greater Efficiency With Fewer Resources Expended

Summarizes an analysis of Medicare spending to assess the relative efficiency of healthcare providers in managing patients with severe chronic illnesses in California. Highlights the need to redesign the payment system to improve healthcare efficiency

Lesson y learning Study y la idea del docente como investigador

En: Revista Interuniversitaria de Formación del Profesorado, Vol. 29, No. 3En este artículo se recoge, define y reivindica la idea del docente como investigador, como eje de la construcción del conocimiento pedagógico sobre la enseñanza y el aprendizaje. Relacionando esta propuesta original de Stenhouse con el movimiento surgido en Hong Kong denominado como Lesson and Learning Studies, que entiende al docente como investigador del curriculum, de su práctica, un movimiento que reivindica la autonomía de los docentes frente a la imposición de los curricula nacionales estandarizados

Quality Criteria for Lesson and Learning Studies as forms of Action Research

The purpose of this paper is to articulate criteria for assessing the quality of lesson and learning studies as forms of practice-based educational action research, that are grounded in the practical experience of those engaged in such research. The paper explores the implications of Stake and Schwandt’s distinction between quality as measured and quality as experienced for assessing lesson and learning studies in higher education contexts, where ‘standards templates’ are increasingly used to measure ‘quality’. Such templates it is claimed distance research from the action context of teachers’ work. Previous published work, in which the author distils criteria for good educational action research from his own narratives of experience, is then summarised as a basis for conceptualising lesson study as good action research. This poses the issue of whether the use of learning theories to inform lesson study distorts their quality by distancing them from action. The author argues that this does not apply to lesson studies that are informed by Marton and Booth’s theory of variation. In doing so he distils a set of experience-based quality criteria for assessing learning studies, and demonstrates a high degree of congruence between the pedagogical implications of variation theory and Stenhouse’s idea of ‘teachers as researchers’. A set of experience–based quality criteria are distilled for assessing what counts as a high quality learning study report. The paper creates an alternative view of the relationship between educational research and practice to that which currently dominates academic discourse

Letter to Pearl Von Allmen regarding the SEAALL Annual Meeting, July 22, 1970

A letter from John Elliott to Pearl Von Allmen expressing Elliott\u27s regret at being unable to attend the SEAALL Annual Meeting