Students’ Performance in Science in Three Selected Schools Using Lesson Study : A Pilot Study

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1.Research Background and purpose as an introduction 　　Thedeclinein scienceachievementofthePhilippine secondary schoolsin variousassessmenttoolshaveproven the continued downtrend on the performance of the students（TIMMS,2003 & NAT,2012）.Theschoolbased management conducted is one of the initiatives by the DepartmentofEducation to reinforceteachersto develop theircompetenciesand acquirestrategiesappropriateto the learners.Thisform partoftheeducationalreformson K-12 to effectively teach theleastmastered learning competencies. Practicing effectiveteaching methodstranslateinto greater studentachievement（PublicInformation Network and the FinanceProject,2004）.Teachersrealized thatdeveloping lessonscollaboratively willhelp them grow professionally （Amante,et.al,2012）.Therefore teachers need to use

appropriate teaching strategies and lesson activities to ensure long lasting learning. The results of educational research suggestthatstudentslearn moreifthey areactive

participantsin thelearning process（Ar. ends,1994;Burden and Byrd,1994;McBer,2000）.

　　The Science National Achievement Test-Year Four resultin CamarinesSur,Philippinesforschoolyear 2011-2012 with amean percentagescoreofof36.91% wasso alarming. This low performance necessitates refocusing educational reform efforts. This idea is supported by Stiglee,J.W.and Hieber（1999） t. in theirstudy to refocus educationalreform effortssuch asrestructuring schoolsas placeswhereteacherscan engagein career-long learning and teachers are given appropriate opportunities and supportso asto improveteaching.

　　Theintroduction ofLesson study islooked up asa promising way to strengthen teaching and learning in schools,especially thosethatarelow performing （Easton, 2009）. The least mastered learning competencies in sciencecan beeffectively taughtusing thesameapproach.

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Laynesa,E.,Miraña,A.,Huerno,E.,Ruiz,M.,Nacario,C.

CentralBicolStateUniversity ofAgriculture,CamarinesSur,Philippines,2013

Abstract：The performance of students’ involvement in science, teacher’ s performance and development of the professional health through Lesson Study in the Philippine secondary schools were studied. It made use of the process-lesson planning, classroom observations,post-lession conferencesand feedback mechanismson the delivery ofSciencelessons.Thefindingsasto students’ performance,majority ofthe 240 studentswereableto explain and expresstheirideascritically and creatively aboutthelesson.Therewasamoreactiveinteraction among studentto studentand studentto teacher.Therewasan 87.24% increasein thepre-posttestsperformance.As to teachers’ performance,therewasan improved artofquestioning skills,lesson planning and delivery thatmotivated thestudentsto participatein classrecitation and activities.Teachers’ evolution offeelings:hurtfeelingsatthestarttowardsmany suggestionsand resistanceto abidewith thesuggestions,partialacceptanceand finally submission （acceptance） weremanifested.

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Empowermentofteachersand studentsishighlighted in such intervention for it will build powerful instructional strategies, develop questioning techniques that stimulate studentinterestand learning,develop instructionalmaterials, remediation lessons and student-centered activities for meaningful learning. In turn, the professional health of teachersisintensified.

　　Thepurposeofthisstudy isto assesstheeffectofthe “lesson study” asanew approach to theperformanceof students’ in science while strengthening the teachers’ performancein teaching scienceand developing professional health.Thisstudy isexpected to giveinformation on the new way ofplanning lessonsthrough collaborativeefforts, addressing thelow performanceofthestudentsin Science and improving feedback mechanism in Philippine public schools.

2.Theoreticalframework

　　Lesson study hasstarted in thePhilippinesin 2006 through theUniversity ofthePhilippinesNationalInstitute forScienceand MathematicsDevelopment（UPNISMED） participation in Lesson Study ProjectoftheAsiaPacific EconomicCooperation（APEC）（Ulep S.,ReyesR.,2013）. Theresearch grantaward oftheDepartmentofScienceand Technology（DOST） enabled the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture to conduct the research on

Lesson Study in the three secondary schools in the Division ofCamarinesSur.ThesewereSagradaFamilia High School,DonaBasiliaS.Quilon MemorialHigh School and CBSUA-ComputerScienceHigh SchoolofBicolandia. 　　Individual planning a lesson was also practiced in university level in Denmark before lesson study was introduced （Christiansen et.al,2007）.Theteachersagreed thatitwasamorefruitfullearning to develop thelessonsin group than individualplanning.Theindividualexperiences oftheteachersweredrawn into organizing theclassroom activities and resulted to a more organized lessons. The lesson study doesnotonly benefittheteachersbutalso the students.Thestudents’ evaluationswereimproved and the lesson objectiveswerecarried out.Thedominantway of thinking of teachers about teaching was changed. The lesson study has also increased the knowledge base of teachers.

3.Research method

　　Thisqualitativeresearch study underwentprocessesin accordance to the Lesson Study approach from Japan. However,someweremodified to fitin theconditionsof thesecondary schoolsand thecultureoftheFilipinos.The processbelow wastheinnovationsthatwereintroduced in theconductofthisresearch.

　　Thecollaboratorsofthestudy weretheteachersfrom

Figure 1.Process

５５ threesecondary schoolsin theDivision ofCamarinesSur,

Philippinesteaching Sciencein Grade8,principals,division science supervisor in Secondary level and other Science teachersattended theSeminaron Lesson Study.Sincethe lesson study is new to teachers, the need to conduct training on therudimentsoflesson study wasconducted. Memorandum ofAgreementsigning wasputin place. 　　The lesson study was implemented after the preliminary activities to ensure the commitment of the peopleinvolved in theresearch.Theprocess,asshown in thefigure,waslesson planning,firstclassactualteaching, firstpostlesson conference,second classactualteaching, and second postlesson conference.In lesson planning,the teacherwrotethelesson plan which werereviewed by the research team and wasrevised according to thesuggestions priorto thefirstclassteaching.Thesecond revision was madeafterthefirstclassteaching postlesson conference session.Thefinaldraftwasmadeafterthesecond class teaching post lesson conference session. A pre and post testsweregiven priorto and afterthelessonsto gaugethe students’ performancebeforeand afterthelesson adopting the Lesson Study. The whole process was documented using video camerasand observation notesoftheresearch team,otherteachers,principalsand supervisors.The

observationswerefocused on theclassroom interactions, quality ofthequestionsasked by theteachersand students, strategies, classroom management, instructional materials used and assessmentoflearning.

　　In every school,theactualteaching wasdoneto two sectionsofGrade8 with thesameteacherteaching thetwo classes.Thereweretwo postlesson conferencesheld：First postlesson conference.Thiswasdoneafterteaching the first group of students. The research team and knowledgeableothersgavecommentsand suggestionsof theclassperformance,teacherperformanceand delivery of the lesson. Second post lesson conference. This was conducted after teaching the second group of Grade 8 pupils.Thisconferenceispointed outwhattranspired and what changes happened among the second group of studentsfollowing thesuggestionsgiven in thesecond post lesson conference.Thefocusofthepostlesson conference wereartofquestioning,pedagogy in teaching thelesson, managementofthestudents,timemanagement,delivery of

thelesson,behaviorofchildren towardsthesubject/sand reception of the teacher in the suggestions given was observed.

　　Theconclusion oftheresearch lesson observation was thefeedback session through interview and questionnaires of the teachers and students on their realization, experiences,impressionsand feedback on theconductof lesson study.Theinterview with thestudentsvalidated the observationson theteacher’ simprovementin thedelivery ofthelesson.Theinterview with theteacherrevealed the experiencesand feelingson being given suggestionsand theacceptability ofthelesson study.

4.Findings and interpretation

　　Theresearch focused on threedomains.Firstwason the performance of students’ involvement in science related endeavors,which showed an improvementin the preand posttestresultsand activeclassroom interactions. Second wason theteachers’ performance,evidentin the quality of questions asked, lesson plan developed and strategies employed. Third was on the development of professionalhealth （attitude/opennessforcorrection） of teacherswherein acceptancewasobserved.

⑴　Lesson study has improved the performance of students’ involvementin science related endeavors. 　　Theeffectivenessofany approach ismeasured by an increased performanceofthestudentsin testscoresand participation.Thestudy assessed theperformanceofthe students using the pre-post tests results and classroom interactions.Assessmentisviewed asatrustworthy process aiding teaching and learning （Fletcher, R., Mey, L, Anderson H.Johnston,P.,Rees,M.,2012）

　　Theresultwasin thefourth day oflesson study in D 桓 a.BasiliaHigh School,Pili,CamarinesSur.Outofthe 45 studentswho took thepretest（Annex 1）and posttest （Annex 2）,39 studentsgotascorerangesfrom 1-5 in the pre-testand 44 studentsgotascorerangesfrom 5-10 in the posttest.[hi1]

　　Studentsbecamevery participativeasobserved.The objective of the lesson study is to maximize students’ [hi1]　Anasan,thesestudentswho took preand posttestsarethesameordifferent?Inoticed thatyou applied thesametestforpreand post.

Therefore,ifthestudentsarethesame,therewould beabias,sincethestudentstried thesametesttwice.Ifyou applied thetestsforthe2 differentstudentsgroup.You needed to controltheconditionsofthestudentsgroup….

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participation.Thechangein thestudents’participation was evident.Oneobserversaid that：

During the first observation, students didn’ t ask question, they were just seated silently and doing nothing, some were not paying attention, and some wereengaged in otheractivities.An educationalnoise wasmanifested.No unnecessary noisewasobserved, studentsdiscussed among themselvesaboutthelesson only.

　　Lesson study increased thenumberofstudentswho participated in theclass.Thestudentsshowed theirbest when allowed to expresstheirideasin thelanguagethat they werecomfortablewith.A scienceteachershared that：

Majority of the students raised their hands for the answer on the questions that they themselves formulated.Isaw theireagernessand enthusiasm. TheuseofMotherTongueBased Language（MTBL） helped. Before, slow learners do not talk but using MTBL they participated becausethey expressed their ideasfreely withoutlanguagebarrierand fastlearners becamemoreactive 　　Participation is valuable in learning. When the studentsformulated thegeneralization ofthelesson in their own words, this is evident of higher order thinking. As observed by theresearch team and theSciencesupervisor：

Generalizationswereformulated by thestudents.The studentschecked thecorrectnessofthegeneralization with the teacher as facilitator. Students were critic among themselves.Studentsdeveloped self-confidence in asking questionswhich theydidn’ tdo before.

　　Traditionalclassroom in thePhilippinesareteacher -centered （Rogan and Grayson,2003）.Thetraditionalteacher is the one who can express clearly the lesson to the studentswithoutpractically involving them and requiring them to ask questions. This view has been the practice which in turn resulted to ateacherto studentinteraction only.Thelesson study hasgradually shifted thisview.The principalssaid that：

The interactions among student-student, student -teacherwereevident.

During thefirstobservation,teacher-studentinteractions only wereobserved.

Studentsovercometimidityand haveshown high level ofparticipation.

　　Thestudentshaveshared thesameview on theeffects oflesson study on theirparticipation.Thefeedback from thestudents：

Itwasmyfirsttimeto experienceasking questions. When weaskquestions,itbroaden ourknowledge.

　　Interview to theteachers,studentsand theobservations oftheresearch team and otherknowledgeableothershas shown thattherewasan improved students’ performance using lesson study.

⑵　Lesson Study has improved teacher’ s performance along artofquestioning skills,lesson conceptualization and delivery.

　　The teachers who were observed were teaching Sciencefor1-5 years.They werein theearly stageofthe profession. They were seldom sent to trainings. One teacherwassentthriceand theothertwo teacherswere

５７ sentoncein thedivision leveltrainings.They wereyoung,

aged 20-27 yearsold.Oneofthem hasjustfinished the bachelor’ s degree and the other two teachers have not started yettheirmasteralcourse.

　　The K-12 curriculum is in the second year of implementation has brought changes on the learning competenciestaughtin Grade8.Thiswasthereason why it was their first time to teach the subject matter on Earthquake,Typhoon and Comets,Meteorsand Asteroids. Lesson study isfocuson thestudents’ participation,however, teachers’ performancewasalso improved.Theteachers said that：

Theexperiencewasvery rewarding.Iwassatisfied of thestudents’ participation.

I elicited the questioning ability of the students. I motivated majority ofstudentsto participatein class recitation and activities.Thesuggestionshelped alot. The lesson study not only improved the students’ performancebutalso transformed theway Idelivered my lesson.

　　Thelesson plan from 1st_,2nd_{and 3}rd_{draftshowed the}

quality questionsasked by theteacher.A moreimproved teaching strategies and delivery elicited students’ participation as observed by the research team. In the interview,oneteachersaid that：

The essence of lesson study for the students is to discover, the role of the teacher is to push and encourageand serveasfacilitator.Iam happy Iwas able to adjust to the level of the students and I understood that students need to be motivated to develop their reasoning ability and critical thinking forameaningfullearning.

　　Theresponsesofthestudentsduring thefeed backing mechanism were：

Maslalong gumaling magturo simadam.（Theteacher becameskillfulin teaching）.Datihindiako seryoso sa Science,ngayon curiousna ako.Nag-enjoyna ako ngayon.Iyong damdamin po nag-iba-ngayon nasanay na ako. magtanong.（Before I was not serious in learning Science,butthistimeIwascuriousand want to know more. I enjoyed learning and my other classmates changed. They participated now as compared before.）

⑶　Lesson study has developed the professional health（attitude/openness forcorrection） ofteachers. 　　Collaborativeplanning ofthelesson,observationsofa group ofteachers,postlesson conferencesessionsand feed backing mechanism is not practiced in the school. The principal and supervisors were the only accepted higher authoritiesto observetheclasses.Theobservation used a pre-made observation checklist. The attitude towards acceptanceon thesuggestionsfrom otherteachersespecially colleagues and putting it into practice is difficult. The seminarheld in thestartofthelesson study hasexplained to theteachersthatthefeedback ispurely constructiveone. Theinterview said that：

During the first implementation, I was hurt of the suggestionsgiven becauseIknew thatIdid my best butasifitwasn’ tenough.Astimegoesby,Iprocessed the feelings and overcome it when my students performed well.

　　Teachers’ evolution offeelingsfrom disappointment, contentment and satisfaction towards the changes in behavior of students as the Lesson Study process was manifested. There was a partial acceptance and finally submission to thepracticesofLesson Study which in turn aimed formorelesson study notonly in Sciencebutin othersubjectsforExcellencein Teaching.

5.Problems metduring the projectimplementation. 　　Teachers teaching for more than three years in the secondary schoolsin thePhilippineswereexempted from preparing lesson plansand teacherswho wereteaching less than threeyearsprepareabrieflesson plan.Lesson study required teachersto makedetailed lesson plan which wasa burden to them.In smallschools,teacherswereteaching othersubjectsasidefrom theirmajorand haveplenty of extra-assignmentsand limittheirpreparation timeofthe lesson. The teachers teaching the same discipline have different free time, thus, hinder in the mentoring and collaborativeplanning ofthelesson.Thelimited instructional materials,insufficientlearning moduleand physicalfacilities in theclassroom also ahinderin theimplementation. 　　Theallotted onehourtimeslotforScienceand the difficulty ofstudentsin expressing theirideasin English werealso theproblemsmet.

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6.Conclusion

　　Thestudy resultshowsthatlesson study hasimproved theperformanceofthestudents’ involvementin science related endeavors. The collaborative planning of the teachershasimproved thestrategies,approachesand artof questioning. The involvement of other teachers during classroom observation focusing on thestudents’ participation, post-lesson discussion and feedback mechanism has contributed to the enhanced delivery of the lesson. The existing practices in the Department of Education high schools are far different from this. The planning of the lesson,learning processand feedback mechanism doesnot necessitate other teachers’ participation. The idea of planning togetherand learning togetherisnew.Thepilot study in threeschoolsisprecedenceto otherschoolsto adopttheapproach.Itisbutnecessary to practicelesson study to addressthelong-timeproblem oftheDepartment. 　　Lesson study hasimproved thelesson planning,artof questioning and delivery ofthelesson oftheteachers.The post-lesson discussion and feedback mechanism scheme involving moreteacherswiden thefocusoftheobservation. Theirteaching experiencesand differentviewscontribute to this improvement. Although observation of classes is being undertaken by the principal in the schools, their involvementdoesnotstartfrom conceptualization ofthe lesson.Lesson study involvesmany teachersfrom lesson conceptualization to the post-lesson discussion. The improved teacher performance is the work of many teachersnotby asoleteacher.Thesharing ofideasamong them provesto beacontributorto thischange.Itisnot widely practicein thePhilippines,butthismay beastartto integratein thesystem.

　　Theopennessto correctionsand suggestionsamong Filipino teachershasstarted to freewith aproperorientation on the mechanics and purpose. The lesson study enable them acceptthatthepurposeisonly to increasestudents’ performancewhich every teacheracknowledgesthisasthe centralfocusforteaching.Thenegativefeelingstoward the suggestionsareevidentatfirstbutsoon wereovercome and lead to acceptance. The positive response of the teachersunderstudy signifiesthattheapproach ispossible in the Philippines. Eventually, teachers will regard the practiceasanormalorordinary occurrence.Itwould open theaccessforfreeexchangeofideas,peertutoring that would overcometimidity,inferiority complex and build a

good relationship among teachers. The wide scope of lesson study implementation is good to research on the feelingsofteacherson thispractice.

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５９ Annex 1.Pre-test