The ASQC Koalaty Kid Training Initiative

       Course Summary

 

 

Description:  The course provides instruction in the quality improvement / scientific problem-solving methodology to any participants or stakeholders in the education community.  The course integrates the Theory (why would we want to do things differently), the Process (what should we do), and the Tools (how do we make the process work).  As teachers, administrators, and others in the school community implement the process in their problem solving (system improvement), theory transfer the understanding and philosophy of quality / continuous improvement to students that they will need in future job markets.  Specific strategies to transfer applications to the classroom environment are part of the training process.  Specifically, the course provides:

 

- a description of the theory and principles of total quality management (TQM) in public education.

- hands-on experience to school personnel as they apply the tools and methodology to a process improvement effort in their environment.

- training to teachers in the use of problem-solving, communication, and data reporting tools (brainstorming, flow charts, run / control charts, Pareto diagrams, cause and effect analysis, force field analysis, and others).

- connection with business and industry concepts in educational terms.

- development of communication, group dynamics, and team building skills.

- facilitation and feedback to the team as they work through the improvement process.

- development of a communication board to tell the story of their process improvement and demonstrate the results of the process to colleagues and stakeholders.

 

Format:  Training is delivered to school teachers, administrators, staff, parents, and/or students assembled into teams of five to eight people who have a stake in the system being studied for improvement.  Conducted during six full day sessions over time (two to five months), the training takes the approach of presenting the theory that drives the improvement process, showing the process, training the tools for a see-learn-do-receive feedback cycle.  Participants work on an actual project which they choose over the time of training and receive facilitation and feedback from the trainers, as well as instruction on the process. 

 

Materials:  Koalaty Kid Workbook, Total Quality Transformation (TQT) Improvement Guide for Education, TQT Improvement Tools for Education, all published by PQ Systems, Dayton, OH.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                     

KOALATY KID TRAINING OUTLINE

                     

 

 

Day 1

 

Introductions and welcome (identification of partnerships acknowledgment of roles)

Icebreaker

Purpose and format of Training

            KK Background - Spirit and substance

            Theory, Process, and Tools

            Theory, practice, application to Team improvement process

Groundrules

Team consensus skills

            How teams decide - consensus

            Consensus building exercise and debrief

            Consensus assist tools - affinity diagram, NGT, and Multivoting

            Application - Before I finish this training, I want to know, do, see, . . .

Theory - 6 Principles  Drives the activities that follow.  Briefly, will be covered now and             expanded upon as they apply to Process later.

            Discussion of each.  Questions and concerns / barriers in language.  Summary.

Process - Introduce 7 Step Improvement Process (within PDSA context)

            Build base for a communication board.

Use case study to integrate brief application of tools within PDSA context.  Use hard copy to post, talk through the steps.  Explain that tools are interwoven and will be taught as they apply to team's work in their project.

            Encourage group to look at and talk about the communication board.

 

 

Day 2

 

Welcome back!

"Since yesterday, I thought about, I wondered about, . . ." in small groups or pairs.

Using understanding of "systems", create an affinity diagram on Opportunities for Improvement, no solutions.  Ask group to process to several choices.

Philosophy - Customer Principle (begin Improvement Guide)

            Team works on project related system, refers to Communications Board as needed

Define the System

            System Definition Form

            Flow Chart

Assignment for Day 3 - complete work in progress, communicate with faculty if appropriate

 

 

 

 

Day 3

 

Team Status Report(s) - update on process, answer questions

Define the System

            Project Statement

            Measurement - Sampling

            Operational Definition

            Data Gathering Form

            Check Sheet

 

Day 4

 

Team Status Report(s) - update on process, answer questions

Assess the Current Situation - Data Reporting

            Run Chart / Control Chart

            Pareto Diagram

            Histogram (revisit Variation Principle - normal distribution, predictability, etc.)

Analyze Cause

            Cause & Effect Diagram

            Relations Diagram

 

Day 5

 

Team Status Report(s) - update on process, answer questions

Control Chart Interpretation

Analyze Cause

            Improvement Theory

Try Out improvement Theory

            Force Field Analysis

            Systematic Diagram

 

Day 6

 

Team Status Report(s) - update on process, answer questions

Standardize Improvement

Plan for Continuous Improvement