Abstract
This study examines the development of research-oriented teaching practice and research culture in the preparation of future history teachers within the framework of contemporary research-based teacher education. The research addresses the persistence of reproductive and teacher-centered models of pedagogical training that often emphasize lesson delivery rather than inquiry into students’ learning, historical reasoning, and disciplinary thinking. In this context, Lesson Study is considered not as an end, but as a pedagogical and research tool supporting the formation of reflective, inquiry-oriented, and evidence-informed professionalcompetencies among pre-service history teachers.The study employed a qualitative practitioner-research design involving future history teachers participating in Lesson Study cycles during their pedagogical practicum. Data were collected through reflective journals, lesson observations, interviews, lesson plans, students’ written responses, and collaborative reflection transcripts. Thematic analysis was used to identify changes in pedagogical thinking, reflective practice, inquiry-oriented instruction, andapproaches to historical thinking.The findings demonstrate that participation in collaborative lesson inquiry contributed to the transition from descriptive reflection toward analytical and evidence-informed pedagogical reasoning. Future history teachersincreasingly focused on students’ interpretation of historical evidence, argumentation, source analysis, and inquiry-based learning processes. The study also revealed that Lesson Study supported the development of collaborative professional learning, practitioner inquiry, and research culture within teacher preparation. Particular significance of the research lies in the integration of Lesson Study into graduation research projects of final-year students, which enabled the connection between academic research, pedagogical reflection, and classroom practice.