'Learning study' in initial teacher education: The Hong Kong experience

The Learning Study module developed in one of the teacher training institutes in Hong Kong, the HKIED, is an attempt to enable student teachers to improve their lesson preparation skills through engaging in action research in the form of Learning Study. This 30 hour taught module, introduced in 2006 to all Bed Year Two students (about 400 in total), is designed to integrate with the practicum component of the programme to allow students to learn the related theoretical framework and then work in subject groups to conduct Learning Study projects in schools during their School Attachment. This paper will examine the implementation of the module after its first year of operation, with a focus on the difficulties encountered and the resolutions that have been sought. The paper will also evaluate, through questionnaires and interviews, the impact of the module on developing students’ understanding and skills in doing Learning Study and their collaborative group planning skills. Finally, the potential for using Learning Study as a model for collaborative practice in initial teacher education will be discussed.