In this tutorial, we'll examine how to develop SMART goals and a PDSA cycle for the purpose of continuous improvement. Finally, we'll discuss the importance of data in continuous improvement and site-based management or PLCs. Let's get started.
Let's begin by discussing SMART goals. I'll model the development of a SMART goal by writing a goal for use in my French classroom. The S in the SMART acronym stands for Specific, so you might ask yourself what specifically do we want to accomplish, or maybe, what specific actions are going to be needed to get us there. Specifically, I would like at least 90% of my students to be able to demonstrate proficiency in conjugating all three types of regular verbs in French.
The M in the SMART acronym stands for measurable. How will we measure attainment of the goal? I will administer a quiz to my students containing three each of the three different types of verbs. And so, I would like my students to correctly conjugate eight out of those nine verbs on that quiz.
The A in the SMART acronym stands for Attainable. Is this goal attainable? I definitely believe that at least 90% of my students should be able to conjugate these three regular verb types in the present tense. So, yes, I believe this is attainable.
The R in the acronym stands for Relevant or Responsible, depending on the type of goal that you are writing and the form of the SMART acronym that you're using. So is this goal relevant to students, to teachers, to school improvement efforts, or alternately, who is going to be responsible for carrying out the actions in the goal? Since this is a crucial skill that students are going to need not only all through the current years curriculum, but in any additional French courses that they take as well, this definitely is a relevant goal.
And finally, the T in the acronym stands for time-bound. So what is the timeline? How long are we going to work on this goal before we measure our progress and then adjust our actions if we deem that to be necessary? I would like my students to demonstrate this ability to conjugate these verbs in the present tense by December 1st. So this might be the finalized version of my SMART goal.
So now that we've reviewed the process of writing a SMART goal, let's next look at developing and implementing the PDSA, or Plan, Do, Study, Act cycle of inquiry. Since SMART goals include specific action steps that will be carried out in order to meet the goals, it can be helpful for us to break those action steps in the goals down into their own short cycle type of action plans, and the PDSA a model is a great method for doing that.
The PDSA cycle can be a very useful approach to action planning both in your classroom when you identify an individual issue, but also within the context of your PLC, if you identify a shared problem. No matter what the goal is in your action planning, if it's centered on increasing student achievement in a particular area, or improving teaching and learning in general, or improving student behaviors in a specific area, whatever your focus is, the plan, due, study, act cycle can be implemented to help you create a plan and then monitor your progress and adjust accordingly.
So the first step in the cycle is the plan step. This is when you'll identify the goals that are going to need to be met. In the do step, you are going to carry out the specific actions that are going to need to occur.
So this is where you will be considering what needs to happen? Who is going to carry out the actions? How are you going to measure whether those actions have been successful?
Now, in some literature, the what and the who and the how in the PDSA cycle are going to appear under the plan step instead of under the do step. But either way, the idea is the same. That you are planning the specific steps that you are going to carry out related to the goals that need to be met, and then you actually move on to carrying out those actions.
In the studies step, you're going to analyze your data and determine what the results are telling you. And the act step in the PDSA cycle is where you are going to use your data then to make decisions and make adjustments as necessary. So you'll consider, should I continue with the actions that I've been carrying out, have my students achieved the goal that I have set for them, or are there some changes that I need to make in order to move my students further along the path towards the goal?
Remember, this is a continuous improvement cycle, and so it can be used whenever you individually or your PLC identifies an area that is in need of improvement based upon data. Students could also engage in their own individual PDSA cycles with some guidance from you in regards to their own identified goals. For example, a student might write a goal that is aligned with my French verb conjugation goal.
The difference here is that the student outlines specific action steps that he or she is going to take in order to help meet the goal. For example, using an iPad app to practice conjugation and asking the teacher for extra help if that's needed. The student can then monitor his or her own progress in the PDSA cycle, and, again, can make decisions about what actions are going to need to take place in order to ensure that the goal is met.
Why is data so important in continuous improvement efforts and in the context of site-based management PLCs? Well, focusing on continuous improvement helps both teams and schools to understand not only where they are, but also where they're headed, and specifically how they're progressing along that path. Let's take an even closer look at the role that data plays in the development of our SMART goals and our PDSA cycles.
In both SMART goals and specifically in that PDSA cycle, we review current and baseline data, we determine the desired database outcomes, we determine how exactly progress is going to be measured, we then monitor that progress data, we use the data to make adjustments as needed, and then we use data to determine whether or not the goals or outcomes have been met. So we can see that data is used at every step of the way. And, in fact, this whole process needs both qualitative and quantitative data review in order to function.
Qualitative data is the type of data that will let teams and schools know how stakeholders are perceiving or how stakeholders feel about school effectiveness. This includes not just how stakeholders perceive academic achievement, but it also includes their perception of the overall culture and climate of the school and specific elements, like the social emotional support that is available or the specific programs that are in place at the school.
Qualitative data is often gathered through surveys and interviews and forums and consensus taking. And teams and schools should be review qualitative data on a regular basis. This will help schools and teams to determine whether their stakeholders are seeing them moving towards achievement of the vision and the mission and the goals of the team or of the school.
The other main category of data is quantitative data. This would include data that tells us how our instruction is impacting student performance. It's the data that will tell us whether our team or our school is moving towards reaching those specific goals that have been established in action plans and action research and school improvement plans, so this would include standardized assessments and state assessments and internal formative and summative assessments. Without a review of this quantitative data, teams and schools are not going to be able to determine whether any action steps need to be adjusted in order to ensure that everyone is making progress towards continuous improvement efforts and towards the school improvement goals that are outlined.
So here's a chance for you to stop and reflect. Does your team or school continuously monitor and review both qualitative and quantitative data in order to ensure that students are making adequate progress? To dive a little deeper and learn how to apply this information, be sure to check out the additional resources section associated with this video.
This is where you'll find links targeted toward helping you discover more ways to apply this course material. Thanks for joining me. Have a great.
(00:00 - 00:18) Introduction
(00:19 - 02:37) SMART Goals
(02:38 - 06:17) PDSA Cycle
(06:18 - 09:20) Importance of Data
(09:21 - 09:54) Stop and Reflect
Montgomery County Public Schools: Quality Tools for the Classroom
Montgomery County Public Schools has published sample PDSA templates for use in classrooms following the Baldrige Model. Click on, scroll through, and download these tools to support the development of action plans in your classroom or with your PLC.
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/baldrige/staff/qualitytools.shtm
Writing S.M.A.R.T. Goals
The University of Virginia has created a helpful handout on writing SMART goals. The handout includes questions to guide the development of your goals.
http://www.hr.virginia.edu/uploads/documents/media/Writing_SMART_Goals.pdf