Maths education seminar: Rosa Archer on Lesson Study in Higher Education
| Dates: | 2 February 2026 |
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| Times: | 14:00 - 15:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | Department of Mathematics |
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| Who is it for: | University staff |
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| Speaker: | Rosa Acher |
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Speaker: Rosa Archer (University of Manchester)
Title: Adapting Lesson Study for Higher Education: Collaborative Pedagogic Inquiry and Professional Learning
Abstract: Lesson Study is a long?established, research?informed approach to collaborative professional development that originated in Japan and has been used in schools for over 140 years. More recently, Lesson Study has been adapted and developed in Western educational contexts and has gained increasing attention as a model for professional learning beyond compulsory education. This presentation explores Lesson Study as a framework for pedagogic inquiry within Higher Education (HE), drawing on international research and practitioner experience.
The presentation outlines the key features of the Lesson Study cycle, including collaborative planning around a shared research focus, joint observation of a ‘study lesson’, structured post?lesson discussion centred on students’ learning, and the refinement of teaching practice. Particular attention is paid to the shift from evaluating individual teacher performance towards collective examination of how learners think, respond, and develop understanding. The role of the ‘Koshi’ and the importance of pedagogical conversations in developing subject and pedagogical content knowledge are highlighted.
Drawing on examples from Lesson Study adapted for HE contexts, the presentation considers the benefits and challenges of implementing this model in university teaching, including opportunities for deep reflection, collaborative curriculum development, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Participants are invited to consider how Lesson Study might be meaningfully adapted within their own institutional settings to support sustained, research?informed enhancement of teaching and learning in Higher Education.
Speaker
Rosa Acher
Role: Lecturer in Secondary Mathematics
Organisation: University of Manchester
Travel and Contact Information
Find event
G.114
Alan Turing Building
Manchester
