Utilizing Virtual Lesson Study for Agriculture Teacher Professional Development and Social Support Goals

Lesson study is a form of teacher professional development designed to improve instructional techniques by collaborating with teachers to develop and test a lesson plan and examine its effect on learners. Lesson study is designed for in-person meetings and observation. School-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers often do not have enough same-subject peers in one school to facilitate a lesson study group. This study attempts to determine if lesson study, led in a virtual environment, is an effective professional development technique, leading to increased knowledge related to instructional practices and course content and increased social support for SBAE teachers. Twenty-six SBAE teachers participated in six lesson study groups. A comparison of pretest and posttest surveys, as well as participant interviews, revealed that participants perceived some change in knowledge related to instructional practices and content. Group members added more individual variation to their lesson teaching than is usually found in lesson study. The video-recording process provided a unique opportunity for self-reflection. Social network analysis revealed few additional contacts to support teachers. However, participants specifically mentioned that a benefit of lesson study was engaging with teachers from other areas of the state with whom they might not usually interact, especially those with alternative teaching licenses. Recommendations include further research on how lesson study can provide in-depth professional development experiences and other ways to support relationship building for alternatively licensed teachers.