Continuous improvement system
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A continuous improvement system, here referred to as CIS, is a method of increasing the effectiveness of a given system on a regular basis. More popular in the manufacturing, business, or healthcare fields, continuous improvement systems and programs usually work towards long-term goals. In education, consistent demands for excellence in the short-term tend to push continuous improvement into the background in favor of faster, "quick-fix" approaches. Even so, continuous improvement has shown great results in several case studies and is regarded highly among education researchers.[1]
Overview
A CIS can take the form of nearly any long-term improvement program. However, there are popular approaches and those that address specific issues, topics or areas. For instance, often a school will partner with a third-party organization that is devoted to research, analysis, and training faculty specifically with that school's particular strengths and weaknesses in mind. If a school is notorious for its ineffectiveness at handling students with disabilities, or, inversely, may want to specialize in that area, experts will create a CIS that addresses weaknesses and improves current strengths. Michigan's Department of Education has a statewide program specifically designed to provide top-level education and services for students with disabilities using continuous improvement and monitoring.[2][3]
As mentioned above, there are no real limits to the form a CIS can take. There are popular approaches though, such as the "classroom-level instructional improvement" method. As the name implies, improvement is aimed towards increasing the effectiveness of teachers in the classroom. This involves educating teachers on new techniques, improving assessment literacy, or a general re-evaluation of teaching strategy.
A perhaps less obvious approach is the "system-wide improvement" organization. This method involves refining the upper levels of a district or system's leadership practices to provide a stronger infrastructure for the entire district. The end result is an administration that operates more efficiently, with more transparency and less wasteful or inefficient practices.[1]
Continuous improvement systems come in many forms and can affect any given area of the education system. However, they are unified by a shared goal of bettering schools and enhancing the abilities of those who educate.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Carnegie Foundation White Paper, "Continuous improvement in education," accessed September 5, 2014
- ↑ Michigan Department of Education, "Continuing education and monitoring systems," accessed September 5, 2014
- ↑ Institute of Education Sciences, "Program announcement: Continuous improvement in education," accessed September 5, 2014
