IMPLEMENTATION OF LESSON STUDY FOR IMPROVING THE
QUALITY OF MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION IN MALANG
Muchtar Abdul Karim
Faculty of Mathematics and Science, State University of Malang
The purpose of this paper is to describe some advantages of developing andimplementing lesson study for mathematics instruction in Malang. FMIPA UM has
introduced, developed and implemented lesson study to mathematics instruction inMalang. The advantages that we found as impacts of implementing lesson study are asfollows. Usually in the past teacher and lecturer of mathematics have no relationshipand never have what the so called collaboration. Now, they work together in a group toplan, implement, and observe, as well as reflect their lesson. Lessons implemented areopen to be observed and criticized by others both internally and externally.
Mathematics lecturers are directly involved in mathematics instruction in school sothey get useful experience. Mathematics teacher association is more empowered.
Mathematics teachers and lecturers will be professional.
INTRODUCTION
The Government of Republic Indonesia and Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA) have collaboratively established the Project for Development of Mathematicsand Science Teaching for Primary and Secondary Education. The project has beenformally established since October 1, 1998. The name of the project is “IndonesianMathematics and Science Teacher Education Project – Japan International
Cooperation Agency, (IMSTEP – JICA)”. There are three universities participatedand worked together in the project. The first university is Indonesia University ofEducation [Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI)] – Bandung – West Java. Facultyof Mathematics and Science Education [Fakultas Pendidikan Matematika dan Ilmu
Pengetahuan Alam (FPMIPA)] from this university involves in implemnting theproject. The second university is State University of Yogyakarta [Universitas Negeri
Yogyakarta (UNY)]. Here, Faculty of Mathematics and Science [Fakultas Matematika
dan Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam (FMIPA)] plays a role in implementing the project. The
third is Faculty of Mathematics and Science [Fakultas Matematika dan Ilmu
Pengetahuan Alam (FMIPA)] of State University of Malang [Universitas NegeriMalang (UM)] – Malang – East Java also has taken part in implementing the projectsince October 1, 1998.
Since it is established, it has been completed two phases of implementation. The firstphase is done from October 1, 1998 to September 30, 2003. Basically, the main
purpose of IMSTEP JICA is to enhance the capacities of teachers in mathematics andscience both through pre-service teacher training and in-service teacher training. To
achieve the purpose, during this period, the activities of the project are mainly relatedto providing laboratory facilities, curriculum revision and its subject content, syllabi
revision, teaching method development, teaching materials development, evaluationand communication development for both pre-service and in-service teacher training.
Communication development in FMIPA UM is emphasized on printing and publishing
five journals and one Newsletter of IMSTEP JICA. The journals are Jurnal FMIPA,Matematika, Foton, Media Komunikasi Kimia and Chimera.
In performing activities as I mentioned before, four task teams has been establish tohandle it out. They are (1) Task Team A: responsible for curriculum and subject
contents, (2) Task Team B: responsible for syllabi and teaching method, (3) Task Team
C: responsible for teaching materials, and (4) Task team D: responsible for educational
evaluation and communication for the project. In addition to the task teams, under theframework of technical cooperation, JICA dispatched some experts related tomathematics and science education. They are very useful in conducting and managing
the purpose of the project.
After mid-term evaluation conducted in July 2001, piloting activities and exchange
experience is introduced. In piloting activities, a teacher - in-service teacher training can invite other teachers to observe his or her lesson. Other teachers can be teachers
from the same school (collegial teachers), teachers or people from outside school,and/or academic staffs (lecturers) from FMIPA UM. By doing this, we believe thatprofessional development of a teacher can be achieved. There are four piloting schools
in piloting activities conducted in Malang, i.e Public Junior High School 4 of Malang[Sekolah Menengah Pertama Negeri 4 Malang (SMPN 4 Malang)], Laboratory JuniorHigh School of State University of Malang [Sekolah Menengah Pertama
Laboratorium Universitas Negeri Malang (SMP Lab UM)], Public Senior High 2 ofMalang [Sekolah Menengah Atas Negeri 2 Malang (SMAN 2 Malang)], andLaboratory Senior High School of State University of Malang [Sekolah Menengah
Atas Laboratorium Universitas Negeri Malang (SMA Lab UM)].
Exchange experience is conducted to let teachers share their experiences. Participantsof the exchange experience activities are districts education officers, subject mattersupervisors, principals, principals association [Musyawarah Kerja Kepala Sekolah(MKKS)], teachers, subject matter teacher association [Musyawarah Guru Mata
Pelajaran (MGMP)], and academic staffs from university. Therefore, exchange
experience is a medium to disseminate the results of piloting activities.
The second phase of the project is the Follow-up Program started from October 1, 2003
and ended in September 30, 2005. Based on the minutes of meeting between Japan
International Agency and Authorities Concerned of the Government of Republic
Indonesia, the goal and purposes of the Follow-up Program are as follows. The goal is
to improve students’ scientific thinking and experimental skills as well as theirunderstanding of science and mathematics in lower secondary education in Indonesia
through institutionalizing disseminating outputs of the project. While the purposes are(1) the quality of in-service teacher training in mathematics and science education willbe improved by the institutionalized participation of university and (2) education toprospective teachers in mathematics and science at the three universities (UPI, UNY,and UM) will be improved.
During Follow-up Program phase, the project introduced and implemented an
approach, a technique, or a method of instruction to piloting school, namely lesson
study. Lesson study is not only introduced to teachers of piloting schools; but also tostudents, subject matters teachers association, principals, principals association, andacademic staff from university.
Lesson study has been implemented for mathematics instruction in piloting schools.
Puspitasari, mathematics teacher from SMPN 4 Malang, implemented it successfully.
Besides, Arsita and Setiawan – mathematics teachers from SMA Lab UM - have also
tried this approach to their classroom instruction.
The purpose of this paper is to describe briefly three things. First, describing goodpractices of lesson study for improving quality of mathematics instruction. Second,describing why lesson study can be good practices for improving quality ofmathematics instruction. Third, describing reforms that can be expected frommathematics teachers by implementing lesson study in their classroom lesson.
DESCRIPTION OF GOOD PRACTICES
Lesson study is a method that can be used in pre-service teacher training, in-service
teacher training, and on-service teacher training. In other words, it can be used toprofessional development endeavours to mathematics teachers and instruction. It istrue because development and implementation of lesson study is based on the realteaching practices, data observed during lessons done by internal teachers (collegialteachers) and other external teachers (lecturers), and reflection. Therefore we chooselesson study to be developed and implemented in FMIPA UM, especially inmathematics instruction.
There are several steps that have been done by FMIPA UM to introduce and implement
lesson study. The first step is conducting workshop and training for piloting school
teachers and academic staffs of FMIPA UM. The purpose of this workshop andtraining is to introduce what, why, and how of lesson study to the participants. Thereare two separated kind of workshops and training, namely FMIPA UM and piloting
school level. The participants of workshop and training for FMIPA UM level arelecturers and students from mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology departmentof FMIPA UM. While the participants of piloting school level are mathematics,
physics, chemistry, and biology teachers of piloting schools as well as subject matterteacher association.
The second step is conducting workshop and training for planning lesson study.
Academic staff from FMIPA UM, student from FMIPA UM, and teacher from piloting
schools for each subject matter worked together in a group. This research lesson
planning group usually consists of 5 – 6 members. They select and decide research
theme, subject area, topic, unit, and research lesson that will be implemented. They

also decide one of the group members to be a teacher or instructor that will implement
the research lesson while others will be observers.
The third step is conducting research lesson. Teacher that has been appointed teaches
the research lesson. Other group members observe and collect data related to researchlesson implemented. At this step, other invitees can attend and observe theimplementation of the research lesson. After completing the research lesson, at thesame day – soon after the research lesson finished, all participants discuss datacollected from research lesson.
Reflection and revision is the final step in implementing lesson study. Member ofresearch lesson planning group identify and consolidate what they have learnt from theresearch lesson as well as write up reflections. Based on the result of reflection, themember of the group revise the research lesson and if decide they re-teach the lessons.
From the above description, there are at least five good practices that can be identified
from the development of lesson study in my institution. They are (1) relationship andcommunication between FMIPA UM and schools run smooth and efficient, (2)partnership among teachers and lecturers is mutually developed, (3) collegiality among
teachers and/or lecturers is developed, (4) mathematics instruction is more effective,and (5) professional development of mathematics teachers is achieved.
WHY I CAN SAY IT AS GOOD PRACTICESThere are several reasons why I said that implementation of lesson study can be goodpractices.
Before the implementation of lesson study, it was hard and difficult to build
relationship and communication between teachers in schools and lecturers in FMIPA
UM. After implementing lesson study, relationship and communication run smoothand efficient. Teachers and lecturers realize that they need each other to perform lesson
study effectively.
In line with the second good practice, partnership among teachers and lecturers is alsomutually developed. Teachers and lecturers collaboratively design, develop, andimplement their lesson plan, research lesson, observation, discussion, reflection, andrevision. On the one hand, mathematics teachers need to collaborate with mathematics
lecturers in terms of getting verifications of mathematics instruction they implement.
On the other hand, mathematics lecturers can learn how teaching learning mathematics
practiced in school. It is useful for both mathematics teacher and lecturer. They can dosome reflection to themselves by seeing others in doing this practice.
The third good practice is promoting mathematics teachers and/or lecturer collegiality.
Usually collegiality is formed through initiative collaborative works. There is nofeeling superior and inferior among them. Teachers can come and see their partners forhelp at campus without difficulty. They just make a call to make appointment and get
their self-fulfilment. Mathematics teachers and lecturers should be opened for otherscritics. This is the way how they can learn each other. They have to evaluate and givesome critics to their colleagues that performed their lesson in class.
The fourth good practice is the effectiveness of mathematics instruction. The
effectiveness of mathematics instruction can be guaranteed due to (1) lesson plan andresearch lesson prepared by a group of mathematics teachers, (2) one group member
teaches research lesson while others observe and collect data, (3) team member discuss
data collected, and (4) they do reflection and revise the lesson.
Professional development of mathematics teachers is achieved. It is reasonable due toplan, do (implement), and see (observe and reflect) of lesson study cycle. This is done
repeatedly during the implementation of research lesson. Knowledge and skill ofteacher will be improved. Consequently, he or she who teaches research lesson can bea professional mathematics teacher.
WHAT KIND OF REFORM IS EXPECTED BY SUCH KIND OF PRACTICES
After several periods of implementations, finally there are found some reformations.
Usually in the past, mathematics teachers in school did not collaborate withmathematics lecturers in FMIPA UM. Teacher – lecturer collaboration existed only
when students of FMIPA UM conducted teaching practices at particular school. Due tothe implementation of lesson study, collaboration among them is needed.
Automatically collegiality among teachers is formed through it. Group of mathematics
teachers consult lesson theme, discuss teaching strategies and methodology, decideteaching materials, produce worksheets to be used, and arrange time schedule together
with colleagues. The result of this activity is communication among them has been run
smoothly.
Now, they work together to plan research lesson. Research lesson implemented areopened to be observed by others. It was rarely happened in instructional atmosphere in
my country before. Mathematics teachers did not like to be observed when they
performed their teaching in class. Now, teachers are welcome to be observed because
they realize that suggestion and critics from colleagues or others are very useful inimproving the quality of their instruction.
Mathematics lecturer are directly involved in mathematics instruction in school so theyget useful experience to enrich their knowledge and skill. They directly observed theresearch lesson implemented in classroom instruction. By doing this, mathematics
lecturers get a clear insight of how mathematics curriculum and program isimplemented. They can use it to prepare qualified prospective mathematics teachers.
Mathematics teachers association (MGMP Matematika) is more empowered. They
involved in workshop and training on lesson study held by FMIPA UM. They haveactively and fully participated which started from preparing, implementing, discussing,reflecting, and revising the lesson. Now, lesson study is a part of their program andactivities and they like it very much.

CONCLUSION
Lesson study is a method that can be used to improve the quality of mathematics
instruction. Lesson study has been chosen, developed, and implemented inmathematics instruction. In developing and implementing lesson study, we use several
steps as follows (1) We held workshop and training related to lesson study attended byteachers, lecturers, principals, supervisors, mathematics teachers association, andmathematics education student to introduce the what, why, and how of lesson study,(2) We held workshop and training to make lesson plan and research lesson, (3)Research lesson is implemented, observed, discussed, reflected, and revised in pilotingschool.
The implementation of lesson study has some impacts as follows (1) collaboration,collegiality, and communication among teachers and lecturers are formed, (2)Implementation of research lesson is opened to be observed by others, (3) Mathematics
lecturers directly involved in mathematics instruction in school, (4) Mathematics
teachers association is more empowered.
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