Microteaching Lesson Study: Its Impact on the Development of Self-Efficacy with Teachers-in-Training in a Community-Based Outreach Program

Abstract

Lesson study is a collaborative inquiry method that bridges pre-service and in-service teacher training. It encourages teachers to plan, execute, and reflect on lessons delivered to students in a supportive and collaborative environment. Microteaching during a lesson provides the layering of strategies into the lesson. Lesson study and microteaching can be combined into a microteaching lesson study (MLS) to create a cyclical process of planning, executing, reviewing, and reflecting on a lesson. MLS has been shown to be effective in teacher training programs. Teacher self-efficacy, a belief that their skills can impact student success, may be enhanced by MLS. This study examines the impact of MLS on teacher self-efficacy in a graduate education course at a private college in the suburbs of New York City. The MLS was embedded as part of an authentic course requirement that provided an enrichment program to elementary school students in a local school district via an online platform. Fifty-four graduate students completed a pre and post survey assessing their self-efficacy in engaging students in the learning process and the implementation of instructional strategies. The results showed that MLS significantly increased their teacher self-efficacy in these areas. MLS helped the graduate students prepare for authentic teaching experiences and may better prepare them for their full-time student teaching requirements.