Lesson study in a time of change : working towards a new pedagogy in the digital age

Abstract

The design of an educational model that reflects the rapid technological developments taking place is not easy. The dilemma is, whether we should equip teachers for the continuously evolving EdTech of today or prepare them with the technologies of today to adapt to those of tomorrow. Thus, as we migrate within the uncharted territory of the 4th Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) and a fast changing digitally mediated reality, teachers need to be furnished with insightful traits that can enable them to decide how best to adopt and adapt to this rapid change. In all probability, this is likely to be disruptive and will require them to think out of the box. Accordingly, this chapter will converge on the ‘why’ and ‘how’ teachers need to conform and align their skills to the demands of digitally induced changes. Teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic was difficult for both students and teachers alike. The modality of teaching and learning had to literally shift from in person to the screen. However, it also yielded opportunities to observe and understand in what ways teachers' attitudes towards EdTech had to circumstantially change. Our approach, therefore, converges on the qualities of lesson study and how they can be harnessed and developed further, enabling teachers to acquire competencies and qualities that reflect the needs in changing times. We discuss how the research-based approach within lesson study methods may facilitate and allow teachers to immerse themselves in an ongoing collaborative process of research, planning, teaching, and evaluation. Ultimately, as we move forward in a post Covid-19 era, experiences learned through and about lesson studies will help us cater better to the (un)expected disruptions that autonomous intelligent machines and artificial intelligence (AI) will bring forth.