Lesson study in historical inquiry: Teachers working across rural communities

Abstract This study focuses on the experiences of teachers in rural settings who participated in a professional development (PD) program centered on teaching historical inquiry of one’s local community. The PD approaches included lesson study using communities of practice. Participants’ study lessons reflected principles of historical inquiry; however, of the dimensions assessed, lessons were relatively weak in developing compelling questions. Participants found lesson study to be effective and appreciated being part of communities of practice across different school sites but found the school contextual differences and geographical distances sites logistically challenging. We conclude by discussing implications for policy and teacher education.