Creating a CPED Networked Improvement Community to Enhance EdD Practice-Based Inquiry, Community Connections and Partnerships
Presenters: Debby Zambo and Betsy Kean
Objectives: In this Exchange CPED members will:• Consider the tools and
processes of Improvement Science;
• Engage in developing solutions to incorporating Improvement Science and Networked Improvement Communities in EdD programs;
• Establish a Network Improvement Community to turn these ideas into actions.
The Case for Improvement ScienceDecades of successful use in
multiple fields leading to improvements in practice
In past 14 years:◦Health Care: ~12,000 studies using
Improvement Science (IS)◦Education: 240 IS studies
IES is “beginning” to support this work
Principles of Improvement á lá the Carnegie Foundation
Illustrates how Improvement Science through networks can effect change
** To accelerate improvements: Tap the Wisdom of Crowds
IS inquiryIs based on traditional methods
of researchIs highly analytical and
disciplined (rigor)Links to existing knowledge base
in teaching/learning/social systems
Provides replication in different contexts to expand use rapidly
Requires new intentionality (culture shifts)
Networked Improvement Community
An intentionally designed social organization with a distinctive problem-solving focus; roles, responsibilities, and norms for membership; and the maintenance of narratives that detail what it is about and why affiliating with it is important.
Essential NIC Characteristics:
• Focused on a well-specified common aim• Guided by a deep understanding of the
problem, the system that produces it, ,and a shared working theory to improve it
• Disciplined by the methods of improvement science research to develop, test, and refine interventions
• Organized to accelerate the diffusion of interventions into the field and effective integration into varied contexts
Learning in NICs:
A level: Example: knowledge acquired by front-line workers, e.g., a faculty member learning to use IS tools (cf.: Action Research).
B level: Example: clusters of workers in the same workplace who together address the same practice issues (cf.: Curriculum revision team in an EdD program; Professional Learning Communities in a school; Lesson Study).
C level: Example: learning across institutions (cf: expand learning throughout sites within a system).
The Benefits of NICs:• resource social capital
• investigate patterns and identify improvement targets from network data
• compare results and learn from one another
• support translational research – scholar
practitioners
A Call to Innovate:In 2012,Tony Bryk, President of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, posed the following questions to CPED members: What if cadres of EdD candidates across
multiple institutions were working on a problem, or parts of a problem, in a Networked Improvement Community?
What if CPED institutions supported Networked Improvement Communities while also developing human and social capacity for this work to grow?
The Problem: Despite this call and the demonstrated benefits of IS & NIC’s, we continue to struggle to bring them into the Consortium.
Why might this be?
Our Modest Proposal
Organize and initiate a NIC to explore implementing IS/NICs into EdD programs
Initial phase: June 2015 – October 2015
Possible Goals for our NICMembers use IS tools and
strategies to understand their own EdD system
Members initiative and evaluate one change incorporating IS/NICs into their EdD program
The NIC begins to develop a theory of practice improvement for implementing IS/NICs into EdD programs
CPED’s role in the (initial) NIC
CPED facilitators produce a summary of PDSA cycles, change results, unexpected outcomes, next steps
Assess of the role of CPED in facilitating the work of the NIC members
Lead discussion of next steps based on experiences of the NIC
How you can help plan/do this CPED NICHandout on CPED’s facilitating
activities and responsibilitiesAssume that you wanted to
participate:◦Which of these seem helpful?◦ Which would you change and how?◦What is missing? ◦What questions do you have about
CPED’s role?
How you can help plan/do this CPED NICHandout on members’ proposed
activities and responsibilitiesAssume that you wanted to
participate:◦Which of these seem reasonable?◦ Which would you change and how?◦What is missing? ◦What questions do you have about
this plan?