What does Lesson Study or Learning Study look like in different contexts? This series brings together educators, researchers, and practitioners who have worked with Lesson Study and Learning Study across diverse institutions, settings, and conditions. Through open conversations about their experiences, challenges, adaptations, and learning, we will explore how these approaches can take shape in practice—and what we can learn from one another along the way. The goal is to support graduate students in thinking about ways they might continue working with Lesson Study/Learning Study after graduation throughout their future academic or non-academic careers.

Our first speaker: Tom McDougal from Lesson Study Alliance

Tom McDougal is the Executive Director of Lesson Study Alliance, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the effective use of Lesson Study, particularly in mathematics education. He has a background in mathematics education, having taught middle and high school mathematics and worked as an elementary mathematics specialist.

Lesson Study Alliance grew out of a group of Chicago teachers who began working with Takahashi and organizing the Chicago Lesson Study Conference in 2002. The organization was formally incorporated as a nonprofit in 2010. Its work includes supporting schools and teachers through Lesson Study, facilitating research lessons, providing professional development, organizing conferences and workshops, and making Lesson Study resources available to educators.

Date: October 21, 2026 

Time: 1 to 2pm (Pacific Time)

Where: Zoom (We will send you the link by the end of September)

Interested in learning more about Tom McDougal and the work of the Lesson Study Alliance? Register here