Transforming the Culture of Professional Learning Communities through Lesson Study: An Activity Theory Perspective

• In Event: From financial literacy to professional learning: Transforming educational practices and learning environments

Proposal

This study examines how lesson study (LS) can serve as a lever for cultural transformation within professional learning communities (PLCs) in Chinese primary schools. While the structural dimensions of PLCs—such as formalized groups, mandated meetings, and routine collaboration—are widely implemented in many contexts, their cultural foundations, including authentic inquiry, mutual trust, and collective responsibility, are much harder to sustain (Hargreaves, 2007; Stoll et al., 2006; Turner et al., 2018). Drawing on cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) (Engeström, 1987, 2001), this research conceptualizes PLCs not as static entities but as dynamic activity systems in which contradictions can generate expansive learning. Against this theoretical backdrop, the study explores how themed and sequenced lesson study reconfigures objectives, mediates new forms of collaboration, and redistributes leadership roles, thereby reshaping the cultural foundations of PLCs.

The research adopts a two-year longitudinal qualitative case study at a large urban primary school, referred to as Sunshine School, focusing on its Chinese Language Teaching-Research Group (TRG)—a localized form of PLC institutionalized in China. The TRG consisted of around 70 teachers, alongside principals, subject leaders, and teaching-research group (TRG) leaders. Data collection included 12 in-depth semi-structured interviews across three reform phases, observations of seven LS sessions, and analysis of documents such as lesson plans, meeting records, and evaluation templates. Data were coded systematically (Data Type–Participant–Time) to capture evolving perspectives and practices.

Findings reveal a process of gradual but profound cultural transformation. Prior to reform, the TRG culture was marked by superficial collaboration, distorted objects of activity (teaching research as bureaucratic compliance rather than professional growth), and rigid divisions of labor where younger teachers bore disproportionate burdens. Collaboration often resembled what teachers themselves described as “one big happy family”, avoiding critique to preserve surface harmony. Senior teachers remained disengaged, while younger colleagues prepared lessons and handled competitions alone. These patterns reflected cultural inertia: although structures of collaboration were in place, authentic professional inquiry was absent.

The reform, prompted by the introduction of a nationally standardized unit-based Chinese curriculum, began with a voluntary LS initiative co-launched by the school principal and a municipal teaching researcher. Early participation was limited, as many teachers resisted what they perceived as another top-down reform, citing fatigue from decades of shifting mandates. Nevertheless, a small pilot group began experimenting with unit-based LS. Their efforts initially faltered, revealing the challenges of shifting entrenched practices without deeper cultural supports.

A turning point emerged when one TRG collectively designed a model lesson on The Elephant’s Ears. Through extensive literature review, collaborative planning, and multiple teaching iterations, the group produced a lesson that won external expert praise and, more importantly, convinced colleagues of the value of rigorous, inquiry-driven collaboration. Teachers described this moment as a breakthrough: for the first time, they saw how unit-based instruction could be enacted meaningfully, leading to wider engagement. This episode exemplified expansive learning, where contradictions between new curriculum requirements and old practices catalyzed the formation of new cultural norms.

Building on this momentum, the TRG institutionalized a structured “6 Ones” model: one demonstration lesson, one structured unit analysis, one observation protocol, one feedback session, one comprehensive meeting record, and one set of teaching tools. This toolkit redistributed responsibilities according to expertise: theoretically strong teachers handled research synthesis, experienced practitioners taught demonstration lessons, and younger teachers managed documentation. This new division of labor not only alleviated inequities but also engaged all teachers in meaningful roles. Over time, these practices spread to other subject TRGs within the school, with each group presenting unit-based LS as both a professional standard and a source of collective pride.
After two years, cultural change was evident. Teachers moved from passive compliance to active engagement, from vague rhetoric about “child-centered” pedagogy to concrete enactment of unit coherence and student-centered learning. Senior teachers who were initially resistant reported genuine shifts in their attitudes, describing the reform as both honorable and rewarding. Lesson study became embedded in daily routines, not as an externally imposed mandate but as a collectively valued professional practice. Even after the official reform project ended, TRGs continued the cycles, indicating cultural sustainability.

Three broader insights arise from this study. First, cultural change in PLCs is harder to achieve than structural change, echoing global research on the inertia of professional cultures (Hargreaves, 2007; Fullan, 2006; Stoll et al., 2006). Diagnosing cultural contradictions and tailoring interventions to address them is therefore essential. Second, LS is not inherently transformative; its design matters. Themed and sequenced LS aligned with curriculum reforms can function as a cultural intervention, reorienting objects, reshaping norms, and redistributing responsibilities (Lewis, 2016; Seleznyov, 2019). Third, leadership is crucial but distributed. Rather than relying on a single leader, this study shows that principals, subject heads, and TRG leaders play complementary, stage-specific roles. Principals act as cultural diagnosticians and system enablers, aligning reforms with broader policies and legitimizing experimentation. Subject heads and TRG leaders function as frontline curriculum leaders, modeling practices, scaffolding participation, and orchestrating division of labor. Such distributed, adaptive leadership (Fullan, 2006; Leithwood et al., 2020) is vital to moving PLCs from compliance-driven collaboration to inquiry-driven professionalism.

In conclusion, this case study demonstrates that LS, when strategically designed and supported by multi-level leadership, can be a powerful mediator of cultural change in PLCs. It contributes to the literature by showing how PLC culture is not simply a background condition but an emergent outcome of mediated activity. Practically, it offers guidance for schools seeking to cultivate authentic, sustainable teacher collaboration: reforms must address cultural contradictions, provide structured mediating tools, and mobilize distributed leadership. For contexts beyond China, the study highlights how cultural inertia can be transformed not by mandates but by artifacts and leadership that reorient professional practice toward shared inquiry and student learning.

Author

• Xin ZHENG, Institute of Curriculum & Instruction, East China Normal University