Lesson Study reported in UNESCO-APEID Hiroshima seminar

Dr. Aida I. Yap of the Elementary School Mathematics Group and currently the Deputy Director for Administration attended the 27th UNESCO-APEIDHiroshima Seminar on Innovation and Reform in Teacher Education in the Asia-Pacific Region held at Hiroshima University, Japan on 30 March-1 April 2014. This annual seminar that started in 1987 aims to examine the problems and issues related to teacher education and development in the Asia-Pacific Region and to exchange experiences concerning the efforts to develop teacher competencies and design national and international cooperation frameworks and action plans to improve them. 

Representatives from Asia-Pacific countries during the 27th UNESCO-APEID seminar
held at Hiroshima University, Japan.

This year’s seminar focused on identifying the issues and trends in lesson studies around the world, particularly in nine Asia-Pacific countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Each country representative reported on the current status of lesson study in his or her country. Dr. Yap presented NISMED’s efforts in promoting lesson study in the Philippines. The other representatives were Dr. Sumar Hendayana of Indonesia, Oyunaa Purevdorj of Mongolia, Dr. Christine Kim Eng Lee of Singapore, and Dr. Narumol Inprasitha of Thailand. Prof. Takuya Baba and Prof. Kinya Shimizu presented the current status of lesson study in both Bangladesh and Cambodia respectively. In addition to country reports, a special report on JICA’s programs and projects in Africa was presented by Mr. Atsushi Matachi. 

The Vice President of Hiroshima University Prof. Masaki Sakakoshi, the Dean of the Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation (IDEC), Hiroshima University Prof. Akimasa Fujiwara, the Chairperson of UNESCO-APEID Hiroshima University Project Committee Prof. Hideo Ikeda, and the Program Officer of UNESCO-APEID, Bangkok Dr. Lay Cheng Tan delivered messages during the opening ceremony. Prof. Eiji Kozuka and some foreign students of IDEC also joined the seminar as observers. 

As an output of this project, a book on lesson studies in the Asia-Pacific Region will be published. The expected date of its publication is January 2016. Editors of the book are Takuya Baba, Kinya Shimizu, Christine Kim Eng Lee, and Lay Cheng Tan.