Professor of Educational Policy, Leadership, and Innovation in the School of Education
Practicing Collaborative, Continuous Improvement
What You'll Learn
- Develop leadership capabilities to empower local stakeholders
- Learn how continuous improvement can be used to develop equitable educational solutions
- Design a local improvement plan that can be implemented in your educational contexts
8 Modules
32 Hours
4 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Practicing Collaborative, Continuous Improvement
Practicing Collaborative, Continuous Improvement supports local change agents in developing foundational capabilities for iterative analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation. Learn to address local needs, opportunities, and problems, with a focus on improvement science as a specific approach to collaborative, continuous improvement that is useful in classrooms, communities, schools, and systems. Under the guidance of leading researchers, learners develop capabilities to map systems that underlie persistent educational problems; identify a shared theory of (and ideas for) improvement; iteratively implement, measure, and refine potential solutions using plan-do-study-act cycles; and sustain and spread improvement within and beyond their local contexts. Learners also compare such work as enacted in improvement science and other approaches to collaborative, continuous improvement. Learners then develop a detailed plan for initiating a local improvement project to advance new ambitions for educational access, quality, and equity in their local contexts.
Skills You'll Gain
- Collaboration
- Community Development
- Continuous Improvement Process
- Design Strategies
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Practicing Collaborative, Continuous Improvement, the final course in Transforming Education in an Interconnected World. Learners develop practical capabilities for collaborative problem solving using improvement science, systems thinking, and iterative design to advance educational access, quality, and equity in local contexts.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Course Kickoff
- Reading: 1.1. Welcome to the Course Kickoff!
- Reading: 2.1. Course Overview
- Reading: 2.2. Meet Your Host
- Video: 2.3. A Personal Welcome
- Reading: 2.4. Meet Your Instructors
- Video: 2.5. Personal Welcomes from our ISN Colleagues
- Reading: 3.1. Join the Course Community
- Reading: 3.2. Join the Transforming Education Community
- Reading: 4.1. Download the Study Guide
- Reading: 4.2. What’s New in Course 3
- Reading: 4.3. Complete the CAI Pre-Course Survey
- Reading: 5.1. We’re Here for You!
- Video: 5.2. A Friendly Visit with Prof. Peurach
- Reading: 6.1. Our Colleagues in Transforming Education
Module 2: Building Foundations
- Reading: 1.1. Overview
- Reading: 1.2. Objective and Pre-Lesson Reflection
- Reading: 2.1. Presentation Overview
- Video: 2.2. Improvement Science 101
- Video: 2.3. Learning and Equity in Improvement Science
- Video: 2.4. The Six Principles of Improvement Science
- Video: 2.5. Academy for Success: Introduction
- Reading: 2.6. Academy for Success: A Case Study
- Video: 2.7. Academy for Success: An Improvement Journey
- Video: 2.8. Academy for Success: Principles & Grammar of Improvement
- Reading: 3.1. Enrichment Overview
- Reading: 3.2. Leveraging Open Access Resources
- Reading: 3.3. Engaging the Improvement Scholars Network
- Reading: 3.4. Exploring Other Approaches
- Reading: 4.1. Reflection Overview
- Reading: 4.2. Revisiting and Reviewing
- Reading: 4.3. Clarifying and Contributing
- Reading: 4.4. Reconsidering
- Reading: 5.1. Community Engagement Overview
- App Item: 5.2. Gallery Walk – Introductions and Welcome
- Reading: 5.3 Organize for Team Practice
- Reading: 5.4. Join the Community Forum
- Reading: 6.1. Summarizing and Synthesizing Overview
- Reading: 6.2. Consolidating Your Learning
- Reading: 6.3. Engaging Your Local Improvement Team
- Reading: 6.4. Thank you!
- Reading: 7.1. Overview – Course Participants & Leaders
- Reading: 7*.1. Overview – Course Leaders
- Graded: 7.2. Lesson 1 Assignment – Course Participants & Leaders
- Graded: 7*.2. Lesson 1 Assignment – Course Leaders
Module 3: Mapping Challenges
- Reading: 1.1. Overview
- Reading: 1.2. Objective and Pre-Lesson Reflection
- Reading: 2.1. Presentation Overview
- Video: 2.2. Introduction to Mapping the Challenge Space
- Video: 2.3. Introduction to User-Centeredness
- Video: 2.4. Introduction to Problem Articulation Tools
- Video: 2.5. Problem Articulation in Action
- Reading: 3.1. Enrichment Overview
- Reading: 3.2. Leveraging Open Access Resources
- Reading: 3.3. Engaging the Improvement Scholars Network
- Reading: 3.4. Exploring Other Approaches
- Reading: 4.1. Reflection Overview
- Reading: 4.2. Revisiting and Reviewing
- Reading: 4.3. Clarifying and Contributing
- Reading: 4.4. Reconsidering
- Reading: 5.1. Community Engagement Overview
- Reading: 5.2. Team Practice Exercise
- App Item: 5.3. Gallery Walk
- Reading: 5.4. Join the Community Forum
- Reading: 6.1. Summarizing and Synthesizing Overview
- Reading: 6.2. Consolidating Your Learning
- Reading: 6.3. Engaging Your Local Improvement Team
- Reading: 6.4. Taking Stock
- Reading: 7.1. Overview – Course Participants & Leaders
- Reading: 7*.1. Overview – Course Leaders
- Graded: 7.2. Lesson 2 Assignment – Course Participants & Leaders
- Graded: 7*.2. Lesson 2 Assignment – Course Leaders
Module 4: Developing Theories
- Reading: 1.1. Overview
- Reading: 1.2. Objective and Pre-Lesson Reflection
- Reading: 2.1. Presentation Overview
- Video: 2.2. Introduction to a Theory of Improvement
- Video: 2.3. Identifying an Improvement Aim
- Video: 2.4. Understanding Drivers and Driver Diagrams
- Video: 2.5. Change Ideas
- Video: 2.6. What Now? Review & Next Steps
- Reading: 3.1. Enrichment Overview
- Reading: 3.2. Leveraging Open Access Resources
- Reading: 3.3. Engaging the Improvement Scholars Network
- Reading: 3.4. Exploring Other Approaches
- Reading: 4.1. Reflection Overview
- Reading: 4.2. Revisiting and Reviewing
- Reading: 4.3 Clarifying and Contributing
- Reading: 4.4. Reconsidering
- Reading: 5.1. Community Engagement Overview
- Reading: 5.2. Team Practice Exercise
- App Item: 5.3. Gallery Walk
- Reading: 5.4. Join the Community Forum
- Reading: 6.1. Summarizing and Synthesizing Overview
- Reading: 6.2. Consolidating Your Learning
- Reading: 6.3. Engaging Your Local Improvement Team
- Reading: 6.4. Taking Stock
- Reading: 7.1. Overview – Course Participants & Leaders
- Reading: 7*.1. Overview – Course Leaders
- Graded: 7.2. Lesson 3 Assignment – Course Participants & Leaders
- Graded: 7*.2. Lesson 3 Assignment – Course Leaders
Module 5: Iterating and Measuring
- Reading: 1.1. Overview
- Reading: 1.2. Objective and Pre-Lesson Reflection
- Reading: 2.1. Presentation Overview
- Video: 2.2. Iterating on Your Theory of Improvement
- Video: 2.3. Brief Introduction to PDSA Cycles
- Video: 2.4. Ways to Measure Implementation and Outcomes
- Video: 2.5. Embedding Practical Measurement in Your Setting
- Video: 2.6. Merging Practical Measurement with PDSA Cycles
- Reading: 3.1. Enrichment Overview
- Reading: 3.2. Leveraging Open Access Resources
- Reading: 3.3. Engaging the Improvement Scholars Network
- Reading: 3.4. Exploring Other Approaches
- Reading: 4.1. Reflection Overview
- Reading: 4.2. Revisiting and Reviewing
- Reading: 4.3 Clarifying and Contributing
- Reading: 4.4. Reconsidering
- Reading: 5.1. Community Engagement Overview
- Reading: 5.2. Team Practice Exercise
- App Item: 5.3. Gallery Walk
- Reading: 5.4. Join the Community Forum
- Reading: 6.1. Summarizing and Synthesizing Overview
- Reading: 6.2. Consolidating Your Learning
- Reading: 6.3. Engaging Your Local Improvement Team
- Reading: 6.4. Taking Stock
- Reading: 7.1. Overview – Course Participants & Leaders
- Reading: 7*.1. Overview – Course Leaders
- Graded: 7.2. Lesson 4 Assignment – Course Participants & Leaders
- Graded: 7*.2. Lesson 4 Assignment – Course Leaders
Module 6: Spreading & Sustaining
- Reading: 1.1. Overview
- Reading: 1.2. Objective and Pre-Lesson Reflection
- Reading: 2.1. Presentation Overview
- Video: 2.2. The Scaling Trap
- Video: 2.3. Change Packages
- Video: 2.4. Key Questions for Spreading Change
- Video: 2.5. Organizing for Adaptation
- Video: 2.6. From Spread to Scale
- Reading: 3.1. Enrichment Overview
- Reading: 3.2. Leveraging Open Access Resources
- Reading: 3.3. Engaging the Improvement Scholars Network
- Reading: 3.4. Exploring Other Approaches
- Reading: 4.1. Reflection Overview
- Reading: 4.2. Revisiting and Reviewing
- Reading: 4.3 Clarifying and Contributing
- Reading: 4.4. Reconsidering
- Reading: 5.1. Community Engagement Overview
- Reading: 5.2. Team Practice Exercise
- App Item: 5.3. Gallery Walk
- Reading: 5.4. Join the Community Forum
- Reading: 6.1. Summarizing and Synthesizing Overview
- Reading: 6.2. Consolidating Your Learning
- Reading: 6.3. Engaging Your Local Improvement Team
- Reading: 6.4. Taking Stock
- Reading: 7.1. Overview – Course Participants & Leaders
- Reading: 7*.1. Overview – Course Leaders
- Graded: 7.2. Lesson 5 Assignment – Course Participants & Leaders
- Graded: 7*.2. Lesson 5 Assignment – Course Leaders
Module 7: Organizing & Iterating
- Reading: 1.1. Overview
- Reading: 1.2. Objective and Pre-Lesson Reflection
- Reading: 2.1. Presentation Overview
- Video: 2.2. Reflections: The Principles of Improvement Science
- Video: 2.3. Problems of Practice and Theories of Improvement
- Video: 2.4. Building Capacity for Collaborative, Continuous Improvement
- Video: 2.5. Improvement Networks
- Video: 2.6. Sustaining Collaborative, Continuous Improvement
- Reading: 3.1. Enrichment Overview
- Reading: 3.2. Leveraging Open Access Resources
- Reading: 3.3. Engaging the Improvement Scholars Network
- Video: 3.4. A Conversation with Dr. Anthony Bryk
- Reading: 4.1. Reflection Overview
- Reading: 4.2. Revisiting and Reviewing
- Reading: 4.3. Developing Your Charter
- Reading: 4.4 Clarifying and Contributing
- Reading: 4.5. Reconsidering
- Reading: 5.1. Community Engagement Overview
- Reading: 5.2. Team Practice Exercise
- App Item: 5.3. Gallery Walk – Introductions and Welcome
- Reading: 5.4. Join the Community Forum
- Reading: 6.1. Summarizing and Synthesizing Overview
- Reading: 6.2. Consolidating Your Learning
- Reading: 6.3. Engaging Your Local Improvement Team
- Reading: 6.4. Taking Stock
- Reading: 7.1. Overview – Course Participants & Leaders
- Reading: 7*.1. Overview – Course Leaders
- Graded: 7.2. Lesson 6 Assignment – Course Participants & Leaders
- Graded: 7*.2. Lesson 6 Assignment – Course Leaders
Grading Policy
To earn the certificate, learners must complete all graded lesson assignments. Each lesson assignment is worth 16% of your final grade.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
