PMI Resource Library
This resource includes several examples of practical measures that have been used to support a range of improvement efforts. We present these examples to highlight both the technical aspects of developing and implementing a practical measure as well as key social processes. Each example demonstrates some of the characteristics of practical measures; however, none of them are “perfect.” The intention of sharing these examples is to illustrate the diversity of practical measures and their use in different contexts.
Practical Measure Ex-1
Blog
One feature of practical measurement that makes it distinct from measures that are used for other purposes is that it is “up close and personal” – measures are tied to the actual processes that are…
Practical Measure Ex-2
Blog
Practical measures aren’t necessarily about collecting more data or designing something totally new. Most school systems have more data than they know what to do with. Instead, what if we took…
Practical Measure Ex-3
Blog
The Student Independent Writing Time measure is relatively simple and straightforward. It does what the name suggests — tracks the number of minutes students spend in independent writing…
Practical Measure Ex-4
Blog
For a measure to be considered practical, it must be minimally burdensome to users and attend to the social processes of use that help activate a strong culture of improvement. While technical…
Practical Measure Ex-5
Blog
A key characteristic of practical measures is that they should be minimally burdensome and relatively easy and quick to use. However, whether a measure is seen as “practical” depends…
Practical Measure Ex-6
Blog
In order to be “practical,” a practical measure for improvement must take into account the specific context in which it is being used – the time, the place, and the situation. It must be relevant and provide…
Like continuous improvement, the development and use of practical measurement is a journey. It is rarely linear and often comes with opportunities and challenges. Check out these stories of improvers designing, iterating, and leveraging practical measures to create change in the system. Get ready to be inspired by their experience and lessons learned.
Research Brief
Developing Exit Tickets in an Improvement Network
Ms. Johnson, an English teacher at an urban middle school, was concerned that her students were not doing as well in her class as they could be. Her district had recently…
Websites
WestEd’s Math Practical Measurement
Practical Measures, Routines and Representations
Project for Education Research That Scales (PERTS) Elevate
TeachFX
EQUIP App
Shift’s Online Learning Library
Articles
Practical Measurement
Evidence for Improvement: An Integrated Analytic Approach for Supporting Networks in Education
Measurement for Improvement in Education
Branching Out – Use Measurement Trees to Determine Whether your Improvement Efforts are Paying Off
Practical Measurement for Continuous Improvement in the Classroom: A Toolkit for Educators
Measurement for Improvement
