“Every system is perfectly designed to get the result that it does.”
In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the quest to "get better at getting better" has become more critical than ever. For Australian schools, the pursuit of continuous improvement is not just a goal—it's a necessity. Improvement Science offers a systematic, evidence-based approach to drive meaningful change in schools, ensuring that every student has access to high-quality education.
But what does "getting better at getting better" truly mean in the context of Australian education? It’s about developing a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, where educators are empowered to identify problems, test solutions, and scale what works. Here’s how schools can embrace Improvement Science to foster sustainable growth and development.
1. Understand the Core Principles of Improvement Science
“A disciplined approach to learning in organisations that leverages the contributions of everyone in order to redesign systems and produce better results.”
Improvement Science is grounded in the idea that the best way to improve outcomes is through systematic, iterative testing and refinement. Its core principles include:
User-Centered Design: Solutions should be developed with the end-users in mind—teachers, students, and parents. This ensures that interventions are relevant and impactful.
Systems Thinking: Schools are complex systems with interdependent parts. Understanding how these parts interact can help identify leverage points for change.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Regular collection and analysis of data allow schools to make informed decisions and track progress.
Learning Through Iteration: Small-scale testing of changes (Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles) enables schools to learn what works before scaling solutions school-wide.
2. Identify a Clear Problem of Practice
To get better at getting better, schools must start by clearly defining the problem they aim to solve. This is often referred to as identifying a "Problem of Practice." A well-defined problem should be specific, measurable, and actionable. It should reflect a gap between current performance and desired outcomes.
For example, instead of stating, "We need to improve student engagement," a more precise problem of practice might be, "We need to increase the percentage of students who actively participate in classroom discussions in Year 9 mathematics."
3. Engage in Collaborative Inquiry
Improvement Science thrives on collaboration. Bringing together diverse perspectives from teachers, administrators, students, and parents can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the problem and more innovative solutions. Collaborative inquiry involves:
Co-Design: Involving key stakeholders in designing interventions ensures that the solutions are feasible and tailored to the specific context of the school.
Shared Learning: Schools can create professional learning communities where educators share their experiences, challenges, and successes.
4. Use the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Cycle
The PDSA cycle is a fundamental tool in Improvement Science. It allows schools to test changes on a small scale, learn from the outcomes, and refine their approach before broader implementation. Here’s how it works:
Plan: Identify the change you want to test, predict the outcome, and develop a plan.
Do: Implement the change on a small scale.
Study: Analyze the data to see if the change led to improvement.
Act: Decide whether to adopt, adapt, or abandon the change based on what you learned. How will you measure success?
For instance, a school might test a new formative assessment strategy in one classroom before rolling it out school-wide.
5. Build a Culture of Continuous Improvement
Improvement Science is not a one-time project; it’s a way of thinking and working. To sustain progress, schools need to build a culture that values curiosity, experimentation, and resilience. This involves:
Encouraging Risk-Taking: Educators should feel safe to try new approaches, even if they don’t work out perfectly the first time.
Celebrating Small Wins: Recognizing progress, no matter how small, keeps the momentum going.
Providing Ongoing Support: Professional development, coaching, and resources help teachers continue to grow and refine their practice.
6. Scale What Works
Once a change has been tested and proven effective, the next step is to scale it across the school or district. Scaling should be done thoughtfully, considering the context and ensuring that the essential elements of the successful intervention are preserved.
Conclusion
Getting better at getting better is about embracing a mindset of continuous improvement and systematically applying the principles of Improvement Science. By focusing on clear problems of practice, engaging stakeholders, using data effectively, and iterating on solutions, Australian schools can create lasting, positive change.
Improvement Science empowers educators to be not just participants but leaders in the journey of educational transformation. As schools get better at getting better, they create environments where students can thrive, educators can innovate, and communities can flourish.
Let’s commit to this journey together—one cycle, one improvement, one student at a time. Join our Network of schools committed to exactly that. New Tech Network Australia takes the hard work out of improvement science with evidence-based tools, frameworks and resources to support you and your staff every step of the way.
Where could that journey take your school in 2025 and beyond?