Development of Reasoning Habits Through Lesson Study and Open Approach Teaching Practices

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the development of reasoning habits after introducing the lesson study and open approach to teaching practices. A total of eight 6th-Grade students from Chumchon Ban Kaeng Khro Nong Phai School, Chaiyaphum province, Thailand were purposively selected to participate in this research. This is because they have attended the mathematics lessons using the innovation of lesson study and open approach. A qualitative research design was employed using five types of research instruments, namely 13 lesson plans, observation records, field notes, interview protocol, and students’ worksheets. Data were analyzed using content analysis and categorizing the students’ reasoning habits according to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ framework. The results revealed that students can analyze a problem situation by making reasoning conjectures, applying previously learned concepts, seeking patterns and relationships as well as making representations. Besides, they can also implement a strategy by using mathematical operations to solve problems. Moreover, students can seek and use connections to discover the linkage between how to solve the problems differently and identify the relationship of the approach used to get the same answer. Finally, the students can reflect on a solution as they can find different ways to solve the problems after considering the reasonableness of a solution, interpret a solution, justifying reasons to support or validate how to solve the problems, as well as generalize a solution. The overall results are successfully contributed to the importance of lesson study and open approach teaching practices in terms of enhancing 6th-Grade students’ reasoning habits.