Physical Education preservice teachers’ perceptions about using Lesson Studies in initial teachers’ training

Physical Education preservice teachers’ perceptions about using Lesson Studies in initial teachers’ training | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Physical Education preservice teachers’ perceptions about using Lesson Studies in initial teachers’ training Fernanda Marques Santinha, Marcos Onofre, Maria Martins This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5932507/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Purpose – To analyze Physical Education preservice teachers’ perceptions about using Lesson Studies in initial teachers’ training. Methodology – This project was developed by carrying out a Lesson Study, collecting data during the process and studying the perspectives of participating preservice teachers. Findings – Physical Education preservice teachers perceived the participation in Lesson Study as a globally positive experience, valuating collaborative work, competence development, reflection, and diversity in discussion, and proposing the utilization of Lesson Study in initial teachers’ training and in ongoing professional development. Our findings are in line with similar studies results, suggesting that Lesson Studies can be advantageously used also in initial teacher training. Originality – The research reported on the use of Lesson Studies in training of Physical Education teachers is very limited. Educational Philosophy and Theory Lesson Studies Physical Education Preservice Teachers. 1. Introduction The term jugyou kenkyuu (lesson study) covers a set of strategies based on observation of life classroom lessons by a group of teachers who collect data on teaching and learning and collaboratively analyze it. The observed lessons, called “research lessons”, are regarded not as an end in themselves but as a window on the larger vision of education shared by the group of teachers (Lewis, Perry & Murata, 2006 ). Lesson Study is described in the literature as a process that integrates the following steps: (1) collaborative lesson planning; (2) lesson implementation; (3) lesson discussion; (4) review of the lesson plan (optional); (5) implementation of the revised version of the lesson (optional); and (6) discussion of the revised version of the lesson (optional) (Fernandez & Yoshida, 2004 ). Lesson Study has been used successfully to improve teaching techniques and student learning and to develop more comprehensive pedagogical approaches, such as assessment for learning. Lesson Study combines all the components of professional development that contribute most to improving learning and teaching (Cordingley et al., 2004 ). The premise behind lesson study is simple: the most effective place to improve teaching is in the context of a classroom lesson. If it starts with lessons, the problem of how to apply research findings in the classroom disappears. The improvements are devised within the classroom in the first place. The challenge becomes that of identifying the kinds of changes that will improve student learning in the classroom and, once the changes are identified, of sharing this knowledge with other teachers who face similar problems, or share similar goals, in the classroom (Stigler & Hiebert, 1999 ). Lesson Study works because it helps teachers to observe student learning in real time, in much more detail than is normally possible; to analyze the difference between what they assumed happens when students learn and what actually happens; to discover how to plan a learning that best meets students’ needs; to develop all these issues in the context of a supportive teaching and learning community that is strongly committed to helping students learn and the professional learning of group members; and, as a result, to change their teaching to better support student learning (Dudley, 2013 ). The use of Lesson Studies in initial teacher training entails a series of challenges. One of them is related to the dynamization of the study itself, which implies the availability and capacity of the supervisor to do so (Marble, 2006 ; Cajkler & Wood, 2016 ). Another challenge is related to the reduced duration of the in-context experiences that characterize many of the training courses. However, although only a small part of the Lesson Studies described in the literature refer to initial teacher training, results demonstrate that the methodology can be advantageously used in this context, including in simulated teaching situations or in those in which only planning of classes is carried out, without the corresponding implementation (Larssen et al., 2018 ). The benefits and challenges of Lesson Study seems to be similar in initial teacher education and in in-service education. The benefits include development of teachers’ competences and collaborative work. The challenges are related to the temporal and organizational conditions for teachers’ participation (Chassels & Melville, 2009 ). In a review of international literature about Lesson Study in initial teacher education, Baumfield et al. ( 2022 ), define Lesson Study as a “collaborative reflective professional development approach which has its origins in Japan in the late nineteenth century and which has been adopted and adapted internationally especially over the last 20 years. Lesson Study combines practice and theory, with the aim of promoting a deep look into students’ learning, on one hand, and teaching and curricular programs, on the other. It has relevance to practicing and prospective teachers” (pp. 356). These authors concluded that, despite organizational challenges, Lesson Studies and related practices play a crucial role in preparing teachers “to have the capacity, motivation and opportunity to use research-related skills to investigate what is working well and what is not effective in their own practice” (pp. 370), i.e., to adopt a research orientation to their own practice. The use of Lesson Study in initial teacher training provides quality collective professional time and gives pre-service teachers opportunity to collaborate in a situation of situated learning, in a context of trust and safety, not linked to any form of evaluation. The safe environment allows preservice teachers to reveal insecurities and fragilities, lessening their anxiety; to increase knowledge and competencies in teaching, as different members of the Lesson Study team had varied expertise and competencies; to focus on students learning; to be committed and to make contributions to shared experiences; to collectively reflect on practice and to share learning with colleagues; to become lifelong learners throughout their teaching careers (Suh & Fulginiti, 2012). The research reported on the use of Lesson Studies in the training of Physical Education teachers (particularly in the context of initial training, but also in terms of ongoing professional development) is very limited, but due to its characteristics, Lesson Study may be an effective methodology for professional learning in Physical Education (Marques Santinha et al., 2024a ). Globally, all participants in Lesson Studies perceive the experience as positive and beneficial for their professional development, highlighting the practical and contextualized nature; the collaborative work; the feeling of security and sharing; the confidence to express doubts, make mistakes and try out new practices; the reflexive experience; the focus on students learning; the development of teacher knowledge in several dimensions (Dudley, 2014 ; Fonseca & Ponte, 2020). The participants in Lesson Study projects find the experience beneficial also in the context of initial teacher training. Teacher candidates involved in Lesson Studies valued the collaborative experience, the observations of their lessons and the subsequent discussion. They understood the observations and the group discussion as crucial to identify areas for improvement, to develop further reflection and, therefore, to improve teachers and students’ learning. The solutions found in group were perceived as being better than the individual ones, and the capacity to both give and receive feedback/constructive criticism was found as a powerful method to examine and improve practice. The participants were enthusiastic about the concept, and even those who were initially uncomfortable stated that Lesson Study significantly contributed for their professional development (Chassels & Melville, 2009 ). Regarding studies developed in Portugal, Conceição et al. ( 2021 ) suggested that Lesson Study should be carried out during the training programs of the science preservice teachers. Also, Cardoso et al. ( 2023 ) state that prospective primary teachers involved themselves in Lesson Studies in a way that allows them to develop competences that they had not developed before. The research reported on the use of Lesson Studies in training of Physical Education teachers is very limited. It would be interesting to see if the results of the described studies will be similar in the context of this subject. In one research developed by Lamb ( 2015 ) with 17 secondary Physical Education preservice teachers, all participants spoke in positive terms about engaging in Lesson Study, felting that this engagement significatively contributed to their professional and pedagogical knowledge development. In another research carried out by Slingerland et al. ( 2021 ) with 51 secondary Physical Education teachers, in general participants positively appreciated Lesson Study, valuing the collaborative and practice-oriented approach, enabling teachers to transfer new knowledge and ideas into their specific educational contexts. Teachers referred, however, that the methodology demands time and resources difficult to achieve in schools. Future research should enable to evaluate the effectiveness of using Lesson Studies in the initial training of Physical Education teachers, as well as the most appropriate model for its implementation (Marques Santinha et al., 2024b ). So, the aim of this article is to analyze Physical Education preservice teachers’ perceptions about using Lesson Studies in initial teachers’ training. 2. Methodology This project was developed by carrying out a Lesson Study, collecting data during the process and studying the perspectives of participating preservice teachers. The Research Ethics Board of the Faculty of Human Motricity of the Lisbon University issued the necessary ethics approvals (approval number – 17/2022). The study subjects were 7 students from a master's degree course in Physical Education teaching at a Portuguese public university, attending a supervised teacher training internship in two secondary schools. Three are male and 4 are female. They are aged between 23 and 30 years old. Two cooperating teachers, 1 university supervisor and 1 researcher also participated in the study. Participation in the study was voluntary and all participants were duly informed of its objectives and structure. To guarantee the anonymity of the participants, during data presentation fictitious names were used. The project was developed in 11 sessions, each session corresponding to a stage of the process: definition of the project and selection of the class; studying the curriculum and students' understanding of a chosen topic — a topic in which students have difficulty — and establishing student learning goals; discussion of the diagnostic elements and the essential tasks to be carried out based on this diagnosis; development of a lesson plan that anticipates students' possible responses and difficulties, as well as the preservice teacher's appropriate actions in response to students; completion of the preparation of the lesson plan; teaching of the research class by a preservice teacher in the group, while the other preservice teachers collect data on the students' responses and thought processes; discussion of the effectiveness of the class in promoting student learning and possible ways to improve it; development of a new lesson plan; teaching the second research class; discussion of the effectiveness of the class in promoting student learning; reflection on the project and planning its dissemination. All sessions took place in 2022 at the school of one of the internship groups, while the second group gathered on their school and traveled together. All sessions were integrated into the working hours of the two groups, which underwent adjustments in this regard. Among the classes in which the preservice teachers developed their teaching practice, a 10th grade class was selected. The selected subject was Volleyball (Introductory and Elementary levels of the Physical Education program). Data collection during the process involved: audio recordings of planning and discussion sessions; audio and video records of research classes; written report of each of the planning and discussion sessions, by each participant; written analysis of each of the research classes, by each participant; written reflection of the overall project, by each participant. Records and written documentation were placed in a digital folder shared with the different stakeholders. The audio recordings of the planning and discussion sessions were transcribed literally. The analysis of the collected data resulted from: content analysis of the transcribed records of the planning and discussion sessions and the documents produced (session reports, class analyzes and global reflections), in order to identify particularly significant elements; direct and deferred observation of research classes. For content analysis, based on an in-depth first reading of all texts, the following categories were defined: 1. Logistical aspects 2. Collaborative work 3. Skills development 4. Disclosure 3. Findings Regarding logistical aspects, it appears that preservice teachers had a global deep comprehension of the Lesson Study structure and organization. They found this structure adequate to the established goals and to their internship schedule. This conclusion reinforces the importance repeatedly described in the literature of creating logistical conditions, namely times, locations and compatibility with other activities developed, to successfully carry out the Lesson Studies: All the work carried out took place every Monday from 9:30am, lasting approximately 2 hours, where we developed and addressed the objectives proposed for each session. The entire study included a total of 10 sessions, two of which served to apply the class designed by the intern teachers into practice. Taking a general overview of all the sessions, I can say that the positive way of carrying out the sessions and the organized way in which everything was designed meant that the proposed objectives were achieved. In the first sessions we gathered information regarding the class participating in the study... then we proceeded to create the lesson plan where everything was structured in detail so that I could teach the session without doubts or possible constraints. After the first session was taught, an assessment was made in order to understand what had gone well and what had gone less well, so that it would be possible to restructure the groups and exercises again. In this way, we made these same changes and then began creating the new lesson plan. After completing the class, we carried out a final reflection on this second session and the remaining sessions, in order to make a general assessment. Thus, it was unanimous that this was a study with positive gains at various levels for all of us. The study involved a total of 10 sessions. The first session took place on February 7th where we defined the global stages of the process and discussed which class and subject to intervene. The second meeting took place on February 14th, where we analyzed and studied the volleyball subject programs (selected subject) and established learning goals for the students. On February 21st, we met for the third session, in order to analyze the diagnostic elements of each student in the selected class and define as a group the tasks to be used to achieve the objectives based on the results of the initial assessment. Then, at the fourth meeting on February 28th, we planned the first lesson plan, in carrying it out we had some difficulties and, therefore, we scheduled another session that was not planned to resolve small details that are not completed/resolved. Therefore, on March 14th we completed the plan and on March 28th there was the first class to which we applied this same plan. On April 4th, the seventh session took place, in which we discussed the first practical class on the effectiveness of planned exercises/tasks on student learning. We then pointed out a set of solutions to improve in the next class, thus helping to build the second plan. Therefore, on May 2nd we created the second lesson plan based on the April 4th assessment and, on May 9th, we carried out the second practical class. After completing the second class, we held the tenth and final session of class study on May 16th. In this session we analyzed the second research class, focusing on discussing the effectiveness of promoting student learning through changes made throughout the process. We verified that the proposed objectives were met. I think it took some time away, but it wasn't that much, on our life. Regarding collaborative work, it appears that preservice teachers perceived participation in Lesson Study as a globally positive experience, valuating collaborative work and diversity in discussion as essential aspects for improving the quality of their intervention, as well as for their personal and professional development. Initial fears were dispelled throughout the study, as the supervisors sought to create the necessary conditions for a good work environment and group spirit, making everyone co-responsible for the successes and failures of group in the different phases of the study: Taking a general assessment, all of us, despite the hours that were taken away, have already been gaining from this, it was possible to understand each one's perspectives, how each one looks at an exercise differently, even the progressions and the analysis of the two classes, each one always managed to give a different point of view, and maybe it makes sense, maybe we weren't seeing it that way and then it clicked and we were able to see it that way. I think it was very positive because in these sessions we were able to realize that collaborative work is extremely important. Not only here in terms of intern teachers, but if there were more in schools, if this collaborative work existed, if each teacher gave a little of themselves, of what they are good at in each modality, I think it would be very positive. Not only for the students, but for the practice that teachers give to students. I think everyone wins and it's something that doesn't happen in many schools. And we have already realized this, so it was very positive in that sense. Well, regarding collaboration, I completely agree. I think that even we as interns, but also the teachers within the Physical Education Department, could also work more as a team, perhaps even at a planning level, come up with some ideas, I think this is also fundamental, not only for us, but also for teachers in the workplace. I think the study was quite useful, I think the collective work we had and the way it also helped with planning was noticeable... I think it's always good to have different opinions and this collective work within physical education groups, I think It is very important that we give to each other and work better at our respective school. The importance of this work for all those involved was clear, in the sense that the advantage of collaborative work was clear. Carrying out a general assessment of the entire process, which initially seemed to be a challenge in a year of great complexity, that is, the study was seen as a “waste of time”, however observing now I consider that the process and all the sessions caused a notable appreciation of collaborative work and its importance. Furthermore, it was useful in providing new perspectives on organizing and conducting classes after all the sharing of ideas between the different participants. We were also able to understand that different perspectives can promote a cohesive class suited to the students' goals and that sometimes only one teacher only gets their vision and cannot think outside the box if they are not encouraged to do so. This was a study that initially caused some discomfort in us as we didn't know exactly what to expect, and even more so for me who was in charge of teaching the two proposed sessions, however we realized as the sessions progressed that this study would be an added value for all those involved, due to the existing collaboration, sharing of information, experiences and improvement of our own skills as teachers due to the different notions and perceptions of teaching that exist among everyone. In general, this study encouraged collaborative work, which often does not exist as it should in certain schools and, as this study showed, is important in improving and evolving teaching and student success. Regarding skills development, it appears the perceived competence development, in planning, in the ability to conduct a session and to adapt pre-defined situations to student feedback and in reflection, aiming to improve student learning, according to the defined objectives: It was also possible to understand that the simple fact of planning a lesson, taking into account the students' objectives is something complex, which is constantly adapting and which is considered crucial both for the development of different learning and for the motivation of students. Together with everyone's participation, through each person's point of view, we concluded and suggested that in a third class we should plan practical resource situations, in order to quickly change the exercises that become easier for students and, thus, guarantee motivation. Therefore, we must come up with strategies to readjust at the moment, according to student feedback. Regarding group 1 (greatest learning difficulties), several opinions and future suggestions emerged, such as: Dividing them into subgroups, one of which focused on consolidating the content of the subject and the rest on learning technical gestures; Do not divide into subgroups but rather prepare ease and difficulty variants in advance; Include elements from group 2 (alternately in a short period of time in class) in group 1, in order to boost mutual help between students with different domains, enhance the learning of students in group 1 and increase the level of success in game situations or learning tasks. In general... I found that it clearly brought benefits to my learning as a student and future professional in the field of education and teaching... it provided teamwork, analysis and insight into other perspectives of work and interaction with the teaching context both at the planning level, at the practical level and at the reflective level, always thinking about the students' evolution and the scope of each one's learning to achieve the outlined objectives. Regarding disclosure, it appears that preservice teachers, valuating and perceiving as positive their participation, proposed the utilization of Lesson Study in initial teachers’ training and in ongoing professional development, expressing the concern to articulate its development with the characteristic activities of each phase of training, in order to guarantee its feasibility and the adhesion of master's students, teachers in initial training and in service teachers: And that it would be positive to continue to do so over the years, over the several years of the next interns. But I don't know if I could overload the interns a little. For example, I never heard of this before we started here. Maybe the teachers themselves, in the first year of the internship, could publicize this in some way, speak in a class and they would begin to realize that this exists, because we didn't even know that it existed. Therefore, I proposed that perhaps one Lesson Study per year for each incoming student and for each internship group, perhaps two weeks with intensity, more concentrated, I think would be ideal for the students' progression. It was two weeks where we would probably have more work, but at the same time it would be two weeks where the knowledge, learning and added value we wanted to gain were much greater than in normal weeks. Okay, that's what I think. In terms of dissemination, I think yes, it could be disseminated to supervisors and professors at the college to publicize in a course, for example, I was remembering FIPEF, I don't know if it would make sense, in the identity training of teachers. I remember that we talked a lot about the collaborative part among the group and I think this is a way of promoting this work and sharing, perhaps a presentation session or, we can take this to the supervisors. As for publicity, strategies... I think it's a good idea to involve the first year with the second year, I also liked the idea of involving two or more internship centers, I think it can go down different paths and that it works well. So yes, I think that if there are several Lesson Studies carried out, being able to present each other and compare the others, I think that only our isolated study can be lost a little, for us it is not lost because we were in the process and it went well, but I think if someone else was in the process of another study, they would understand our study much better, how we got there. So I think I reinforce the idea shared ideas. Mix more internship groups, show them to the first year, I think it could even be part of the internship. It would be beneficial for there to be more studies like this and for them to have not only internship centers, but also students in the first year of the master's degree, so that it would be possible to allow these students to have a greater and better idea of this reality, since by the vast majority of intern teachers are reported to “parachute” into schools and teach, something I myself felt at the beginning of the internship, in this sense this would be a good option. In relation to dissemination, I suggested, for example, making our work known to other internship centers and Physical Education groups, reinforcing the positive and negative aspects of the research. We could hold a brief presentation, that is, schedule a meeting, or a presentation session, and this would take a longer time. Another idea would be to hold a presentation in a first-year master's course for students and teachers, in order to gain knowledge about the study. Finally, the supervising teachers could communicate and share the study among themselves and promote research in their internship centers. In summary, the participants perceived participation in Lesson Study as a globally positive experience, valuating collaborative work, competence development, reflection, and diversity in discussion, and proposing the utilization of Lesson Study in initial teachers’ training and in ongoing professional development. 4. Discussion Generally, participants in Lesson Studies perceive the experience as positive and beneficial for their professional development, also in the context of initial teacher training, including in Physical Education. They value the collaborative and sharing experience; the practical and contextualized nature; the confidence to express doubts and try out new practices; the reflexive experience; the focus on students learning; the development of teacher knowledge in several dimensions (Chassels & Melville, 2009; Dudley, 2014; Fonseca & Ponte, 2020; Lamb, 2015; Slingerland et al., 2021). In line with other studies addressing teachers’ perceptions about using Lesson Studies, our results highlight that participating preservice Physical Education teachers also perceived the involvement in Lesson Study as a globally positive experience, valuating collaborative work, competence development (in planning, in the ability to conduct a session and to adapt pre-defined situations to student feedback, aiming to improve student learning, according to the defined objectives), reflection, and diversity in discussion, and proposing the utilization of Lesson Study in initial teachers’ training and in ongoing professional development. The mentioned characteristics correspond to those described in the literature: contextualized and collaborative (Stigler & Hiebert, 1999; Dudley, 2013); allowing to observe student learning in real time, to discover how to plan a learning that best meets students’ needs, and to change teaching to better support student learning (Dudley, 2013); adaptable to the context of initial teacher training (Chassels & Melville, 2009; Suh & Fulginiti, 2012; Larssen et al., 2018; Baumfield et al. 2022); combining all the components of professional development that most contribute to improve learning and teaching (Cordingley et al., 2004). The availability and capacity of the supervisor to the dynamization of Lesson Studies (Marble, 2006; Cajkler e Wood, 2016) are also highlighted, as participants referred that Initial fears were dispelled throughout the study, with the development of a good work environment and group spirit, as everyone was co-responsible for all the successes and failures. Preservice teachers had a global comprehension of the Lesson Study structure and organization, clearly identifying the steps described by Fernandez and Yoshida (2004): collaborative lesson planning; lesson implementation; lesson discussion; review of the lesson plan; implementation of the revised version of the lesson; discussion of the revised version of the lesson. They found the structure suitable for the purposes and compatible with their schedule. This concern is in line with literature, since many authors state the need to create temporal and organizational conditions for teachers’ participation in Lesson Studies (Chassels & Melville, 2009; Baumfield et al., 2022; Slingerland et al., 2021). Finally, as also suggested Conceição et al (2021) and Cardoso et al. (2023), the utilization of Lesson Study in initial teachers’ training and in ongoing professional development in Portugal was proposed by the participants. 5. Conclusions The aim of this text is to analyze Physical Education preservice teachers’ perceptions about using Lesson Studies in initial teachers’ training. According to literature, globally all participants in Lesson Studies perceive the experience as positive and beneficial for their professional development, also in initial teacher training, valuing practical and contextualized nature, collaborative work, and development of teacher knowledge in several dimensions. Our findings are in line with these results, once the participants perceived the participation in Lesson Study as a globally positive experience, valuating collaborative work, competence development, reflection, and diversity in discussion, and proposing the utilization of Lesson Study in initial teachers’ training and in ongoing professional development. Future research is needed to in-depth our conclusions. 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Int J Lesson Learn Stud 13(3):176–189 Marques Santinha F, Onofre M, Martins M (2024b) Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Physical Education Preservice Teachers in view of researching on Lesson Studies. Int J Lesson Learn Stud 0(0):0–0 Slingerland M, Borghouts L, Laurijssens S, van Dijk-van Eijck B, Remmers T, Weeldengurg G (2021) Teachers’ perceptions of a lesson study intervention as professional development in physical education. Eur Phys Educ Rev 27(4):817–836 Stigler J, Hiebert J (1999) The Teaching Gap. Free, New York, NY Sush J, Fulginiti K (2012) Situating the learning of teaching: implementing lesson study at a professional development school. School-University Partnerships 5(2):24–37 Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. 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Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe term jugyou kenkyuu (lesson study) covers a set of strategies based on observation of life classroom lessons by a group of teachers who collect data on teaching and learning and collaboratively analyze it. The observed lessons, called \u0026ldquo;research lessons\u0026rdquo;, are regarded not as an end in themselves but as a window on the larger vision of education shared by the group of teachers (Lewis, Perry \u0026amp; Murata, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e). Lesson Study is described in the literature as a process that integrates the following steps: (1) collaborative lesson planning; (2) lesson implementation; (3) lesson discussion; (4) review of the lesson plan (optional); (5) implementation of the revised version of the lesson (optional); and (6) discussion of the revised version of the lesson (optional) (Fernandez \u0026amp; Yoshida, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLesson Study has been used successfully to improve teaching techniques and student learning and to develop more comprehensive pedagogical approaches, such as assessment for learning. Lesson Study combines all the components of professional development that contribute most to improving learning and teaching (Cordingley et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e). The premise behind lesson study is simple: the most effective place to improve teaching is in the context of a classroom lesson. If it starts with lessons, the problem of how to apply research findings in the classroom disappears. The improvements are devised within the classroom in the first place. The challenge becomes that of identifying the kinds of changes that will improve student learning in the classroom and, once the changes are identified, of sharing this knowledge with other teachers who face similar problems, or share similar goals, in the classroom (Stigler \u0026amp; Hiebert, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1999\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLesson Study works because it helps teachers to observe student learning in real time, in much more detail than is normally possible; to analyze the difference between what they assumed happens when students learn and what actually happens; to discover how to plan a learning that best meets students\u0026rsquo; needs; to develop all these issues in the context of a supportive teaching and learning community that is strongly committed to helping students learn and the professional learning of group members; and, as a result, to change their teaching to better support student learning (Dudley, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe use of Lesson Studies in initial teacher training entails a series of challenges. One of them is related to the dynamization of the study itself, which implies the availability and capacity of the supervisor to do so (Marble, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e; Cajkler \u0026amp; Wood, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). Another challenge is related to the reduced duration of the in-context experiences that characterize many of the training courses. However, although only a small part of the Lesson Studies described in the literature refer to initial teacher training, results demonstrate that the methodology can be advantageously used in this context, including in simulated teaching situations or in those in which only planning of classes is carried out, without the corresponding implementation (Larssen et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe benefits and challenges of Lesson Study seems to be similar in initial teacher education and in in-service education. The benefits include development of teachers\u0026rsquo; competences and collaborative work. The challenges are related to the temporal and organizational conditions for teachers\u0026rsquo; participation (Chassels \u0026amp; Melville, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn a review of international literature about Lesson Study in initial teacher education, Baumfield et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e), define Lesson Study as a \u0026ldquo;collaborative reflective professional development approach which has its origins in Japan in the late nineteenth century and which has been adopted and adapted internationally especially over the last 20 years. Lesson Study combines practice and theory, with the aim of promoting a deep look into students\u0026rsquo; learning, on one hand, and teaching and curricular programs, on the other. It has relevance to practicing and prospective teachers\u0026rdquo; (pp. 356). These authors concluded that, despite organizational challenges, Lesson Studies and related practices play a crucial role in preparing teachers \u0026ldquo;to have the capacity, motivation and opportunity to use research-related skills to investigate what is working well and what is not effective in their own practice\u0026rdquo; (pp. 370), i.e., to adopt a research orientation to their own practice.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe use of Lesson Study in initial teacher training provides quality collective professional time and gives pre-service teachers opportunity to collaborate in a situation of situated learning, in a context of trust and safety, not linked to any form of evaluation. The safe environment allows preservice teachers to reveal insecurities and fragilities, lessening their anxiety; to increase knowledge and competencies in teaching, as different members of the Lesson Study team had varied expertise and competencies; to focus on students learning; to be committed and to make contributions to shared experiences; to collectively reflect on practice and to share learning with colleagues; to become lifelong learners throughout their teaching careers (Suh \u0026amp; Fulginiti, 2012).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe research reported on the use of Lesson Studies in the training of Physical Education teachers (particularly in the context of initial training, but also in terms of ongoing professional development) is very limited, but due to its characteristics, Lesson Study may be an effective methodology for professional learning in Physical Education (Marques Santinha et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024a\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGlobally, all participants in Lesson Studies perceive the experience as positive and beneficial for their professional development, highlighting the practical and contextualized nature; the collaborative work; the feeling of security and sharing; the confidence to express doubts, make mistakes and try out new practices; the reflexive experience; the focus on students learning; the development of teacher knowledge in several dimensions (Dudley, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e; Fonseca \u0026amp; Ponte, 2020).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe participants in Lesson Study projects find the experience beneficial also in the context of initial teacher training. Teacher candidates involved in Lesson Studies valued the collaborative experience, the observations of their lessons and the subsequent discussion. They understood the observations and the group discussion as crucial to identify areas for improvement, to develop further reflection and, therefore, to improve teachers and students\u0026rsquo; learning. The solutions found in group were perceived as being better than the individual ones, and the capacity to both give and receive feedback/constructive criticism was found as a powerful method to examine and improve practice. The participants were enthusiastic about the concept, and even those who were initially uncomfortable stated that Lesson Study significantly contributed for their professional development (Chassels \u0026amp; Melville, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRegarding studies developed in Portugal, Concei\u0026ccedil;\u0026atilde;o et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) suggested that Lesson Study should be carried out during the training programs of the science preservice teachers. Also, Cardoso et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) state that prospective primary teachers involved themselves in Lesson Studies in a way that allows them to develop competences that they had not developed before.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe research reported on the use of Lesson Studies in training of Physical Education teachers is very limited. It would be interesting to see if the results of the described studies will be similar in the context of this subject. In one research developed by Lamb (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) with 17 secondary Physical Education preservice teachers, all participants spoke in positive terms about engaging in Lesson Study, felting that this engagement significatively contributed to their professional and pedagogical knowledge development. In another research carried out by Slingerland et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) with 51 secondary Physical Education teachers, in general participants positively appreciated Lesson Study, valuing the collaborative and practice-oriented approach, enabling teachers to transfer new knowledge and ideas into their specific educational contexts. Teachers referred, however, that the methodology demands time and resources difficult to achieve in schools.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFuture research should enable to evaluate the effectiveness of using Lesson Studies in the initial training of Physical Education teachers, as well as the most appropriate model for its implementation (Marques Santinha et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024b\u003c/span\u003e). So, the aim of this article is to analyze Physical Education preservice teachers\u0026rsquo; perceptions about using Lesson Studies in initial teachers\u0026rsquo; training.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Methodology","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis project was developed by carrying out a Lesson Study, collecting data during the process and studying the perspectives of participating preservice teachers. The Research Ethics Board of the Faculty of Human Motricity of the Lisbon University issued the necessary ethics approvals (approval number \u0026ndash; 17/2022).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study subjects were 7 students from a master\u0026apos;s degree course in Physical Education teaching at a Portuguese public university, attending a supervised teacher training internship in two secondary schools. Three are male and 4 are female. They are aged between 23 and 30 years old. Two cooperating teachers, 1 university supervisor and 1 researcher also participated in the study. Participation in the study was voluntary and all participants were duly informed of its objectives and structure. To guarantee the anonymity of the participants, during data presentation fictitious names were used.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe project was developed in 11 sessions, each session corresponding to a stage of the process: definition of the project and selection of the class; studying the curriculum and students\u0026apos; understanding of a chosen topic \u0026mdash; a topic in which students have difficulty \u0026mdash; and establishing student learning goals; discussion of the diagnostic elements and the essential tasks to be carried out based on this diagnosis; development of a lesson plan that anticipates students\u0026apos; possible responses and difficulties, as well as the preservice teacher\u0026apos;s appropriate actions in response to students; completion of the preparation of the lesson plan; teaching of the research class by a preservice teacher in the group, while the other preservice teachers collect data on the students\u0026apos; responses and thought processes; discussion of the effectiveness of the class in promoting student learning and possible ways to improve it; development of a new lesson plan; teaching the second research class; discussion of the effectiveness of the class in promoting student learning; reflection on the project and planning its dissemination.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll sessions took place in 2022 at the school of one of the internship groups, while the second group gathered on their school and traveled together. All sessions were integrated into the working hours of the two groups, which underwent adjustments in this regard.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmong the classes in which the preservice teachers developed their teaching practice, a 10th grade class was selected. The selected subject was Volleyball (Introductory and Elementary levels of the Physical Education program).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData collection during the process involved: audio recordings of planning and discussion sessions; audio and video records of research classes; written report of each of the planning and discussion sessions, by each participant; written analysis of each of the research classes, by each participant; written reflection of the overall project, by each participant. Records and written documentation were placed in a digital folder shared with the different stakeholders. The audio recordings of the planning and discussion sessions were transcribed literally.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe analysis of the collected data resulted from: content analysis of the transcribed records of the planning and discussion sessions and the documents produced (session reports, class analyzes and global reflections), in order to identify particularly significant elements; direct and deferred observation of research classes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor content analysis, based on an in-depth first reading of all texts, the following categories were defined:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. Logistical aspects\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2. Collaborative work\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3. Skills development\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4. Disclosure\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"3. Findings","content":"\u003cp\u003eRegarding logistical aspects, it appears that preservice teachers had a global deep comprehension of the Lesson Study structure and organization. They found this structure adequate to the established goals and to their internship schedule. This conclusion reinforces the importance repeatedly described in the literature of creating logistical conditions, namely times, locations and compatibility with other activities developed, to successfully carry out the Lesson Studies:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll the work carried out took place every Monday from 9:30am, lasting approximately 2 hours, where we developed and addressed the objectives proposed for each session.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe entire study included a total of 10 sessions, two of which served to apply the class designed by the intern teachers into practice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTaking a general overview of all the sessions, I can say that the positive way of carrying out the sessions and the organized way in which everything was designed meant that the proposed objectives were achieved.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the first sessions we gathered information regarding the class participating in the study... then we proceeded to create the lesson plan where everything was structured in detail so that I could teach the session without doubts or possible constraints. After the first session was taught, an assessment was made in order to understand what had gone well and what had gone less well, so that it would be possible to restructure the groups and exercises again. In this way, we made these same changes and then began creating the new lesson plan. After completing the class, we carried out a final reflection on this second session and the remaining sessions, in order to make a general assessment. Thus, it was unanimous that this was a study with positive gains at various levels for all of us.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study involved a total of 10 sessions. The first session took place on February 7th where we defined the global stages of the process and discussed which class and subject to intervene. The second meeting took place on February 14th, where we analyzed and studied the volleyball subject programs (selected subject) and established learning goals for the students. On February 21st, we met for the third session, in order to analyze the diagnostic elements of each student in the selected class and define as a group the tasks to be used to achieve the objectives based on the results of the initial assessment. Then, at the fourth meeting on February 28th, we planned the first lesson plan, in carrying it out we had some difficulties and, therefore, we scheduled another session that was not planned to resolve small details that are not completed/resolved. Therefore, on March 14th we completed the plan and on March 28th there was the first class to which we applied this same plan. On April 4th, the seventh session took place, in which we discussed the first practical class on the effectiveness of planned exercises/tasks on student learning. We then pointed out a set of solutions to improve in the next class, thus helping to build the second plan. Therefore, on May 2nd we created the second lesson plan based on the April 4th assessment and, on May 9th, we carried out the second practical class. After completing the second class, we held the tenth and final session of class study on May 16th. In this session we analyzed the second research class, focusing on discussing the effectiveness of promoting student learning through changes made throughout the process. We verified that the proposed objectives were met.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI think it took some time away, but it wasn\u0026apos;t that much, on our life.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRegarding collaborative work, it appears that preservice teachers perceived participation in Lesson Study as a globally positive experience, valuating collaborative work and diversity in discussion as essential aspects for improving the quality of their intervention, as well as for their personal and professional development. Initial fears were dispelled throughout the study, as the supervisors sought to create the necessary conditions for a good work environment and group spirit, making everyone co-responsible for the successes and failures of group in the different phases of the study:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTaking a general assessment, all of us, despite the hours that were taken away, have already been gaining from this, it was possible to understand each one\u0026apos;s perspectives, how each one looks at an exercise differently, even the progressions and the analysis of the two classes, each one always managed to give a different point of view, and maybe it makes sense, maybe we weren\u0026apos;t seeing it that way and then it clicked and we were able to see it that way.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI think it was very positive because in these sessions we were able to realize that collaborative work is extremely important. Not only here in terms of intern teachers, but if there were more in schools, if this collaborative work existed, if each teacher gave a little of themselves, of what they are good at in each modality, I think it would be very positive. Not only for the students, but for the practice that teachers give to students. I think everyone wins and it\u0026apos;s something that doesn\u0026apos;t happen in many schools. And we have already realized this, so it was very positive in that sense.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell, regarding collaboration, I completely agree. I think that even we as interns, but also the teachers within the Physical Education Department, could also work more as a team, perhaps even at a planning level, come up with some ideas, I think this is also fundamental, not only for us, but also for teachers in the workplace.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI think the study was quite useful, I think the collective work we had and the way it also helped with planning was noticeable... I think it\u0026apos;s always good to have different opinions and this collective work within physical education groups, I think It is very important that we give to each other and work better at our respective school.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe importance of this work for all those involved was clear, in the sense that the advantage of collaborative work was clear.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCarrying out a general assessment of the entire process, which initially seemed to be a challenge in a year of great complexity, that is, the study was seen as a \u0026ldquo;waste of time\u0026rdquo;, however observing now I consider that the process and all the sessions caused a notable appreciation of collaborative work and its importance. Furthermore, it was useful in providing new perspectives on organizing and conducting classes after all the sharing of ideas between the different participants. We were also able to understand that different perspectives can promote a cohesive class suited to the students\u0026apos; goals and that sometimes only one teacher only gets their vision and cannot think outside the box if they are not encouraged to do so.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was a study that initially caused some discomfort in us as we didn\u0026apos;t know exactly what to expect, and even more so for me who was in charge of teaching the two proposed sessions, however we realized as the sessions progressed that this study would be an added value for all those involved, due to the existing collaboration, sharing of information, experiences and improvement of our own skills as teachers due to the different notions and perceptions of teaching that exist among everyone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn general, this study encouraged collaborative work, which often does not exist as it should in certain schools and, as this study showed, is important in improving and evolving teaching and student success.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRegarding skills development, it appears the perceived competence development, in planning, in the ability to conduct a session and to adapt pre-defined situations to student feedback and in reflection, aiming to improve student learning, according to the defined objectives:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was also possible to understand that the simple fact of planning a lesson, taking into account the students\u0026apos; objectives is something complex, which is constantly adapting and which is considered crucial both for the development of different learning and for the motivation of students.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTogether with everyone\u0026apos;s participation, through each person\u0026apos;s point of view, we concluded and suggested that in a third class we should plan practical resource situations, in order to quickly change the exercises that become easier for students and, thus, guarantee motivation. Therefore, we must come up with strategies to readjust at the moment, according to student feedback.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRegarding group 1 (greatest learning difficulties), several opinions and future suggestions emerged, such as: Dividing them into subgroups, one of which focused on consolidating the content of the subject and the rest on learning technical gestures; Do not divide into subgroups but rather prepare ease and difficulty variants in advance; Include elements from group 2 (alternately in a short period of time in class) in group 1, in order to boost mutual help between students with different domains, enhance the learning of students in group 1 and increase the level of success in game situations or learning tasks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn general... I found that it clearly brought benefits to my learning as a student and future professional in the field of education and teaching... it provided teamwork, analysis and insight into other perspectives of work and interaction with the teaching context both at the planning level, at the practical level and at the reflective level, always thinking about the students\u0026apos; evolution and the scope of each one\u0026apos;s learning to achieve the outlined objectives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRegarding disclosure, it appears that preservice teachers, valuating and perceiving as positive their participation, proposed the utilization of Lesson Study in initial teachers\u0026rsquo; training and in ongoing professional development, expressing the concern to articulate its development with the characteristic activities of each phase of training, in order to guarantee its feasibility and the adhesion of master\u0026apos;s students, teachers in initial training and in service teachers:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd that it would be positive to continue to do so over the years, over the several years of the next interns. But I don\u0026apos;t know if I could overload the interns a little. For example, I never heard of this before we started here. Maybe the teachers themselves, in the first year of the internship, could publicize this in some way, speak in a class and they would begin to realize that this exists, because we didn\u0026apos;t even know that it existed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTherefore, I proposed that perhaps one Lesson Study per year for each incoming student and for each internship group, perhaps two weeks with intensity, more concentrated, I think would be ideal for the students\u0026apos; progression. It was two weeks where we would probably have more work, but at the same time it would be two weeks where the knowledge, learning and added value we wanted to gain were much greater than in normal weeks. Okay, that\u0026apos;s what I think.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn terms of dissemination, I think yes, it could be disseminated to supervisors and professors at the college to publicize in a course, for example, I was remembering FIPEF, I don\u0026apos;t know if it would make sense, in the identity training of teachers. I remember that we talked a lot about the collaborative part among the group and I think this is a way of promoting this work and sharing, perhaps a presentation session or, we can take this to the supervisors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs for publicity, strategies... I think it\u0026apos;s a good idea to involve the first year with the second year, I also liked the idea of involving two or more internship centers, I think it can go down different paths and that it works well. So yes, I think that if there are several Lesson Studies carried out, being able to present each other and compare the others, I think that only our isolated study can be lost a little, for us it is not lost because we were in the process and it went well, but I think if someone else was in the process of another study, they would understand our study much better, how we got there. So I think I reinforce the idea shared ideas. Mix more internship groups, show them to the first year, I think it could even be part of the internship.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt would be beneficial for there to be more studies like this and for them to have not only internship centers, but also students in the first year of the master\u0026apos;s degree, so that it would be possible to allow these students to have a greater and better idea of this reality, since by the vast majority of intern teachers are reported to \u0026ldquo;parachute\u0026rdquo; into schools and teach, something I myself felt at the beginning of the internship, in this sense this would be a good option.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn relation to dissemination, I suggested, for example, making our work known to other internship centers and Physical Education groups, reinforcing the positive and negative aspects of the research. We could hold a brief presentation, that is, schedule a meeting, or a presentation session, and this would take a longer time. Another idea would be to hold a presentation in a first-year master\u0026apos;s course for students and teachers, in order to gain knowledge about the study. Finally, the supervising teachers could communicate and share the study among themselves and promote research in their internship centers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn summary, the participants perceived participation in Lesson Study as a globally positive experience, valuating collaborative work, competence development, reflection, and diversity in discussion, and proposing the utilization of Lesson Study in initial teachers\u0026rsquo; training and in ongoing professional development.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"4. Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eGenerally, participants in Lesson Studies perceive the experience as positive and beneficial for their professional development, also in the context of initial teacher training, including in Physical Education. They value the collaborative and sharing experience; the practical and contextualized nature; the confidence to express doubts and try out new practices; the reflexive experience; the focus on students learning; the development of teacher knowledge in several dimensions (Chassels \u0026amp; Melville, 2009; Dudley, 2014; Fonseca \u0026amp; Ponte, 2020; Lamb, 2015; Slingerland et al., 2021).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn line with other studies addressing teachers\u0026rsquo; perceptions about using Lesson Studies, our results highlight that participating preservice Physical Education teachers also perceived the involvement in Lesson Study as a globally positive experience, valuating collaborative work, competence development (in planning, in the ability to conduct a session and to adapt pre-defined situations to student feedback, aiming to improve student learning, according to the defined objectives), reflection, and diversity in discussion, and proposing the utilization of Lesson Study in initial teachers\u0026rsquo; training and in ongoing professional development.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mentioned characteristics correspond to those described in the literature: contextualized and collaborative (Stigler \u0026amp; Hiebert, 1999; Dudley, 2013); allowing to observe student learning in real time, to discover how to plan a learning that best meets students\u0026rsquo; needs, and to change teaching to better support student learning (Dudley, 2013); adaptable to the context of initial teacher training (Chassels \u0026amp; Melville, 2009; Suh \u0026amp; Fulginiti, 2012; Larssen et al., 2018; Baumfield et al. 2022); combining all the components of professional development that most contribute to improve learning and teaching (Cordingley et al., 2004).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe availability and capacity of the supervisor to the dynamization of Lesson Studies (Marble, 2006; Cajkler e Wood, 2016) are also highlighted, as participants referred that Initial fears were dispelled throughout the study, with the development of a good work environment and group spirit, as everyone was co-responsible for all the successes and failures.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePreservice teachers had a global comprehension of the Lesson Study structure and organization, clearly identifying the steps described by Fernandez and Yoshida (2004): collaborative lesson planning; lesson implementation; lesson discussion; review of the lesson plan; implementation of the revised version of the lesson; discussion of the revised version of the lesson. They found the structure suitable for the purposes and compatible with their schedule. This concern is in line with literature, since many authors state the need to create temporal and organizational conditions for teachers\u0026rsquo; participation in Lesson Studies (Chassels \u0026amp; Melville, 2009; Baumfield et al., 2022; Slingerland et al., 2021). Finally, as also suggested Concei\u0026ccedil;\u0026atilde;o et al (2021) and Cardoso et al. (2023), the utilization of Lesson Study in initial teachers\u0026rsquo; training and in ongoing professional development in Portugal was proposed by the participants.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"5. Conclusions","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe aim of this text is to analyze Physical Education preservice teachers\u0026rsquo; perceptions about using Lesson Studies in initial teachers\u0026rsquo; training.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to literature, globally all participants in Lesson Studies perceive the experience as positive and beneficial for their professional development, also in initial teacher training, valuing practical and contextualized nature, collaborative work, and development of teacher knowledge in several dimensions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur findings are in line with these results, once the participants perceived the participation in Lesson Study as a globally positive experience, valuating collaborative work, competence development, reflection, and diversity in discussion, and proposing the utilization of Lesson Study in initial teachers\u0026rsquo; training and in ongoing professional development. Future research is needed to in-depth our conclusions.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBaumfield V, Bethel A, Boyle C, Katene W, Knowler H, Koutsouris G, Norwich B (2022) How lesson study is used in initial teacher education: an international review of literature. Teacher Dev 26(3):356\u0026ndash;372\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCajkler W, Wood P (2016) Adapting \u0026lsquo;lesson study\u0026rsquo; to investigate classroom pedagogy in initial teacher education: what student-teachers think. Camb J Educ 46(1):1\u0026ndash;18\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCardoso L, da Ponte JP, Quaresma M (2023) The development of PCK of prospective primary teachers in a lesson study. Int J Lesson Learn Stud 12(2):152\u0026ndash;165\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChassels C, Melville W (2009) Collaborative, reflective, and iterative Japanese lesson study in an initial teacher education program: benefits and challenges. Can J Educ 32(4):734\u0026ndash;763\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eConcei\u0026ccedil;\u0026atilde;o T, Baptista M, da Ponte J (2021) Examining Preservice Science Teachers\u0026rsquo; PCK Through Lesson Study. \u003cem\u003eEurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education\u003c/em\u003e, 18(1), em2060\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCordingley P, Bell M, Rundell B, Evans D, Curtis A (2004) How do collaborative and sustained CPD and sustained but not collaborative CPD affect teaching and learning? EPPI-Centre, Institute of Education, London\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDudley P (2013) Teacher Learning in Lesson Study: what interaction-level discourse analysis revealed about how teachers utilized imagination, tacit knowledge of teaching and freshly gathered evidence of pupils learning, to develop their practice knowledge and so enhance their pupils\u0026rsquo; learning. Teach Teacher Educ 34(1):107\u0026ndash;121\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDudley P (2014) Lesson Study: a handbook. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttp://lessonstudy.co.uk\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"http://lessonstudy.co.uk\" targettype=\"URL\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFernandez C, Yoshida M (2004) Lesson study: A Japanese approach to improving mathematics teaching and learning. Routledge, New York, NY\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFonseca G, Ponte J (2022) O estudo de aula no desenvolvimento do conhecimento sobre o ensino da matem\u0026aacute;tica de professores do 1.\u0026ordm; ciclo. Revista Latinoam de Investigaci\u0026oacute;n en Matem\u0026aacute;tica Educativa 25(2):223\u0026ndash;246\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLamb P (2015) Peer-learning between pre-service teachers: Embracing Lesson Study. Int J Lesson Learn Stud 4(4):343\u0026ndash;361\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLarssen D, Cajkler W, Mosvold R, Bjuland R, Helgevold N, Fauskanger J, Wood P, Baldry F, Jakobsen A, Bugge H, N\u0026aelig;sheim-Bj\u0026oslash;rkvik G, Norton J (2018) A literature review of lesson study in initial teacher education: Perspectives about learning and observation. Int J Lesson Learn Stud 7(1):8\u0026ndash;22\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLewis C, Perry R, Murata A (2006) How Should Research Contribute Instructional Improvement? The Case of Lesson Study. Educational Researcher 35(3):3\u0026ndash;14\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMarble S (2006) Learning to teach through lesson study. Action Teacher Educ 28(3):86\u0026ndash;96\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMarques Santinha F, Onofre M, Martins M (2024a) Lesson studies in physical education \u0026ndash; a scoping narrative. Int J Lesson Learn Stud 13(3):176\u0026ndash;189\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMarques Santinha F, Onofre M, Martins M (2024b) Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Physical Education Preservice Teachers in view of researching on Lesson Studies. Int J Lesson Learn Stud 0(0):0\u0026ndash;0\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSlingerland M, Borghouts L, Laurijssens S, van Dijk-van Eijck B, Remmers T, Weeldengurg G (2021) Teachers\u0026rsquo; perceptions of a lesson study intervention as professional development in physical education. Eur Phys Educ Rev 27(4):817\u0026ndash;836\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStigler J, Hiebert J (1999) The Teaching Gap. Free, New York, NY\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSush J, Fulginiti K (2012) Situating the learning of teaching: implementing lesson study at a professional development school. School-University Partnerships 5(2):24\u0026ndash;37\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"Universidade de Lisboa","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Lesson Studies, Physical Education, Preservice Teachers.","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5932507/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5932507/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003ePurpose – To analyze Physical Education preservice teachers’ perceptions about using Lesson Studies in initial teachers’ training.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMethodology – This project was developed by carrying out a Lesson Study, collecting data during the process and studying the perspectives of participating preservice teachers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFindings – Physical Education preservice teachers perceived the participation in Lesson Study as a globally positive experience, valuating collaborative work, competence development, reflection, and diversity in discussion, and proposing the utilization of Lesson Study in initial teachers’ training and in ongoing professional development. Our findings are in line with similar studies results, suggesting that Lesson Studies can be advantageously used also in initial teacher training.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginality – The research reported on the use of Lesson Studies in training of Physical Education teachers is very limited.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Physical Education preservice teachers’ perceptions about using Lesson Studies in initial teachers’ training","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-02-03 02:27:12","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5932507/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"64da3e52-c22b-4be9-b136-77c29bda36a0","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 3rd, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":43643730,"name":"Educational Philosophy and Theory"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-02-03T02:27:12+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-02-03 02:27:12","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-5932507","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-5932507","identity":"rs-5932507","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}