Mapping Lesson Study as a research field: a bibliometric review

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to share a bibliometric review of Lesson Study research to map growth, productivity, dominant actors, research themes and institutions within the field. Design/methodology/approach A dataset has been developed, aiming to cover all English language peer-reviewed articles about Lesson Study indexed in ISI Web of Science. The dataset has been analysed with different bibliometric methods and compared with a dataset covering the general field of educational research for the same time period. Findings We identified 446 articles, covering the years 2002 through 2023. Research concerning Lesson Study has grown substantially in number, scope and geographical spread, especially during the last five years, as these represent as much as 76% of all indexed articles. Findings suggest that there is a change in geographical dominance, from the USA towards Europe, where especially the UK and the Netherlands seem to have developed active research communities. Originality/value This bibliometric review in the Lesson Study research field provides insights into the growth and development of the field during the more than 20 years it has been part of the international research community.