Lesson Study in Course Completion Works in Mathematics Teaching in Northeast Brazil
Lesson Study; Mathematics Education; Collaborative Planning; Northeast Brazil.
The formative process of professional development through Lesson Study (LS) has been widely used in Mathematics education in Brazil, which motivated the present investigation into its academic production in the Northeast region, where we work as Mathematics teachers. Accordingly, we defined the following research question: What do the academic works found in the consulted databases reveal about the formative process of LS in the practices of current and future Mathematics teachers, as presented in undergraduate, master's, and doctoral final papers (TCC) in the Brazilian Northeast? The general objective was to analyze how the Lesson Study approach has been employed in undergraduate, master's, and doctoral TCCs in this region. A total of 180 works were identified, and, after applying rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria, 12 TCCs were selected for analysis. The study adopted the framework of Content Analysis, and partial results from the interpretation of two TCCs reveal that one of the main challenges lies in time management, since the LS cycle demands detailed planning and adequate time for the execution of all its stages—something not always feasible due to curricular constraints. Additionally, difficulties were observed regarding time organization, teacher qualification, and the initial resistance of students to methodologies that differ from traditional teaching approaches. The findings also showed that LS can significantly foster the development of a culture of collaborative planning among teachers—an essential aspect for improving pedagogical practices in Mathematics education. This collaboration has been enhanced through the use of digital tools, which promote more dynamic, reflective, and accessible planning, contributing to a teaching practice that is more aligned with current educational demands and pointing toward a hybrid and innovative model, in which LS serves as a bridge between traditional approaches and new pedagogical practices.