Strengthening of Teacher Professional Development through Lesson Study ： Dissemination in Samoa Education System

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Strengthening of Teacher Professional Development through Lesson Study: Dおseminationin Samoa Education System Education for Specialized Subject Matter& Field International Education Course Seao TAGALOA TAGOAI INTRODUCTION The孔1inistryof Education Sports and Culture in Samoa has long undergone shortage of Science and Mathematics teachers. This problem is linked into the low intake of teacher trainees at the Faculty of Education and especially specializing in these two areas. From this problem， there is intervention from the Government of J apan under JICA project namely: Science and Mathematics Improvement Project for Basic Education (S孔1IPBE) to target teachers of pilot school selected through teacher professional development programs. There is improvement on studentsヲ achievement progression in the pilot schools while shortage of science teachers is still a problem. The question is traced back to classroom teaching for "teacher quality'¥of how teachers are teaching and motivating learners to science subjects. This study is not only targeting pilot schools but also in all schools as the whole contribution to solve the long existing problem. This study addresses the approach of Lesson Study to strengthen the existing teacher professional development program in Samoa and provide clear indication of how teacher collaboration can promote teacher capacity which will have great impact to the implementation process. The major emphasis is assisting teachers in both primary and secondary for practicing of Lesson Study and suggesting possible ways to disseminate Lesson Study into schools. Supervisor: Hiroaki OZA W A METHODOLOGY The study uses questionnairesラ inter円Vlewsラ video-recorded lessonsラ post lesson reflectionラ lesson evaluations to collect data which are analyzed both qualitativelyラ quantitatively and comparatively using the Grounded Theory approach. There were two pilot schools selected as of School A and school B. There were 50 respondents of teachers' questionnaires， 65 respondents of studentsラ interviewラ 44 respondents of studentsラ questionnaire. Both questions on questionnaire and interview of students were the same but conducted differently due to studentsラ preferences. There were two science lessons demonstrations by teachers of both schools. Both lessons were video-recorded together with the Post lesson reflection of the first lesson but lesson evaluation sheets were collected after the second lesson. Principals of both schools were interviewed and four respondents of the Ministry of Education officers in the Curriculum Division who are responsible in organizingラ managing and facilitating teacher professional development programs.

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After intervention of Lesson Studyラ

almost all teachers want to adapt to this new method and assist them through practice. The video-recorded lessons had c1early indicated the deficiencies of c1assroom teaching by using teaching strategiesヲ use of resources and lack of motivation. Post lesson ref1ections as well as comments on evaluation sheets werenot concretely stated to make significance input to the lesson improvements. Students interview and questionnaire both have similarities in their answers by mostly teachers' teaching approaches used are "chalk and talk

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andmostly copying notes on the board as well as 10st interest from the primary education in science subjects. There is 1anguage problem in understanding science terms and completing activities. The studentsラ responses are linked to the video-recorded lesson transcriptions and observation where teacher dominated teachingラexistedin both science lessons and ineffective use of teaching strategies. Both school A and B are in need of science teachers as in school Bラ 3 teachers are volunteering to teach science subjects. New teachersラ volunteering teachers and long service teachers all need continuous support of teacher professional development in science curriculum content and teaching strategies to target curriculum goals and objectives. CONCLUSION To conc1udeラ this study found out that teachers need to upgrade continuously through professional development program collaboratively as a school-based initiation program for moral support to the whole education system. The primary education is very important for a firm basement of knowledge to back learners when moving up to secondary education with the hope of effective engagement of implementation and motivation. Lesson study will engage all teachers to identify c1assroom problems and work together to seek answers to the problem in a team approach from planning， implementing， observing and ref1ecting for their lesson improvement. Working collaboratively to resolve c1assroom problems will be able to bridge teaching gaps and by sharing diverse teaching experiences will have great impact on empowering capacities so as to effectively improve the implementation process. Finally 1 strongly recommend that all schools both primary and secondary should practice Lesson Study as a school-based teacher professional program where there is a Guidebook as a product of this study to guide all school leaders who are wil1ing to start. 1 am sure the adoption of Lesson Study in our Education system wi1l contribute into uplifting the standard of刊 teacher quality" in c1assroom teaching so as to motivate and engage students to love science subjects and draw their interest to the teaching profession to increase the number of teacher trainee in the faculty of education especially in areas of science and mathematics to solve the problems of teacher shortage.