SCALING LESSON STUDIES FOR EDUCATIONAL REFORM: EXPLORING CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES – A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

LS (LS), originating from Japan, refers to a collaborative professional development practice that has gained worldwide recognition for its effectiveness in enhancing teaching quality and student learning. Despite its proven benefits, scaling LS for systemic educational reform presents significant challenges, particularly in the realms of change management and implementation strategies. This Systematic Literature Review (SLR) seeks to identify and examine the main factors that impact the successful scaling of Lesson Studies within educational systems. Employing a comprehensive search across databases, which include (WoS), and Scopus, we screened 731 articles published between 2020 and 2024. The study’s flow is based on the PRISMA framework. After applying inclusion criteria, 36 peer-reviewed studies were selected for in-depth analysis. The results indicate three themes: (1) change management and scaling strategies, (2) teacher capacity building and professional growth, and (3) cultural, social, and contextual adaptations. The findings indicate that adjusting LS to accommodate cultural, institutional, and social factors strengthens its role in continuous teacher development. While scaling LS poses challenges, particularly in maintaining collaboration virtually, digital platforms offer viable solutions without compromising core elements. Effective leadership and culturally responsive strategies are essential for successful implementation. LS’s flexibility, emphasis on teamwork, digital adaptability, and adaptive leadership make it a robust model for educational reform and teacher development across diverse settings. This review adds to the existing literature by synthesizing current knowledge on implementation strategies and providing practical recommendations for educators and policymakers aiming to leverage Lesson Studies for educational reform. Upcoming research should prioritize longitudinal studies to assess the long-term effects of these strategies on educational outcomes as well as investigate innovative solutions to the challenges identified.