“CHINESE LESSON STUDY: CRITICAL ASPECTS OF TRANSFER FROM CHINA TO ITALY”

Structured Abstract Purpose: The aim of this paper is to explore the rationale and findings of the implementation of a Chinese Lesson Study (CLS)-informed model of mathematics teacher education in Italian schools. It focuses on the modifications and invariance when introducing CLS in a different culture. Design/methodology/approach: In a previous work (Bartolini Bussi et al., 2017), we focused on a single case of activity inspired by the CLS in Italy, and identified some conflicts emerging between the cultures of teaching in China and Italy and explored the way to overcome them. In the following years we implemented LS experimentations with dozens of in-service primary school teachers and pre-service teachers who were gradually introduced to the model of CLS. The tensions/constraints occurred prominently when extending the experiments with many dozens of other inservice teachers and pre-service teachers. Theoretical framework: The authors adopted the framework of Cultural Transposition and exploited some related theoretical constructs (e.g., deconstruction, hyperanalisis) for framing this study. Findings: The authors highlighted how the process of deconstruction allowed the participants in the study to either appropriate or reject some features of the CLS, linking this process to the cultural differences. Practical implications: We believe and argue that LS, and CLS in particular, must be modified in the transfer from one culture to another, considering the cultural beliefs of the involved teachers. Originality/value: We claim that the features of CLS compels the Western researchers to adopt local and culturally determined choices and to be aware of the rationale of these choices. Keywords: Chinese Lesson Study, cultural transposition, Italian school system, Primary school mathematics, teachers’ cultural beliefs.