Voices of Improvers
Voices of Improvers Project Showcase
Voices of Improvers
We at the Carnegie Foundation, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, sought to engage with the improvement community to understand the experiences, values, and aspirations of the growing group of people using continuous improvement and improvement science to pursue ambitious aims.
WE GATHERED STORIES FROM PEOPLE ACROSS THE FIELD OF EDUCATION WHO IDENTIFY AS USING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT SCIENCE IN THEIR WORK.
In the spring of 2023 more than 300 people offered their reflections about their experiences. Through surveys, focus groups and video interviews, participants shared stories about working to improve academic outcomes, to solve equity challenges, and to transform their organizations and systems.
While the problems people are working on vary, common areas of focus for improvement were evident. People also identified supports that would help to strengthen and grow improvement in education going forward. As we cross the 10 year mark of this community, what emerges is a clear identity of what it means to be an improver — the dispositions, knowledge and skills — paired with deep conviction that improvement as a method works.
We invite you to explore what project participants shared in detail in the executive summary, full report, and videos below.
Report
Improving for Impact and Equity: Voices of the Improver Community
Authors: Barbara Shreve, Kelly McMahon, Erika Nielsen Andrew
The purpose of this report is to enable the improvement community, collectively, to begin to make sense of where it is now and what it needs going forward in order to continue getting better at getting better.
Featured Videos
I am an improver because…
Improvers feel a sense of agency to effect real, positive change in the world around them.
What characterizes improvement work?
Improvers share striking similarities in how improvement science shaped their actions and understandings. Listen for important aspects of improvement practice.
Changing how people work to realize improved outcomes
Continuous improvement is leading to positive changes in outcomes, and transforming how people work together to improve results.
Celebrating 10 years of learning and improvement
Improvers celebrate impact on student outcomes and shifts in how educators work together to transform their systems.
Reflecting on lessons learned
Improvers in different roles share reflections about what they have learned using continuous improvement practice in education.
Continually working to improve results
Improvers take a learning stance and consistently seek ways to achieve better results.
Moving forward together
Improvers reflected on their commitment to improvement practice and the community’s future, exploring the challenges and needs identified in the report.