Directory UMM :Data Elmu:jurnal:I:International Journal of Educational Management:Vol12.Issue1.1998:

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Phillip E. Me s s ne r and Max L. Ruhl

Manage me nt by fac t: a mo de l applic atio n o f pe rfo rmanc e indic ato rs by an e duc atio nal le ade rship de partme nt

Inte rnatio nal Jo urnal o f Educ atio nal Manage me nt 1 2 / 1 [1 9 9 8 ] 2 3 –2 7

ed u ca t ion (T r ibu s, u n d a t ed ). T h ese b a sic a ssu m p t ion s w er e u t ilized by T r ibu s t o r efi n e Dem in g’s 14 p oin t s t o a r r ive a t fou r q u a lit y p r in cip les for u se by ed u ca t or s. De p a r t m en t m em b er s t h en a p p lied t h e m od ifi ed p r in ci-p les t o d eveloci-p a n MBF clim a t e w it h in t h e d e p a r t m en t .

Quality principle 1

Red efi n it ion of t h e r oles of p er son s wor k in g in t h e sy st em is r eq u ir ed (T r ibu s, u n d a t ed ). A r ed efi n it ion of d e p a r t m en t ch a ir, fa cu lt y, a n d st u d en t r oles w a s d r a ft ed . It w a s d et er m in ed t h a t fa cu lt y wor k in a sy st em . T h e job of t h e d e p a r t m en t ch a ir t h en w a s t o wor k on t h e sy st em , t o im p r ove it con t in u ou sly w it h t h e fa cu lt y ’s h elp. Also, sin ce d e p a r t m en t st u -d en t s st u -dy a n -d lea r n in a sy st em , t h e job of t h e fa cu lt y w a s r ed efi n ed t o wor k on t h e sy s-t em , s-t o im p r ove is-t con s-t in u ou sly w is-t h ss-t u d en s-t h elp.

Qu a lit y is t h e fi r st con sid er a t ion w h en im p r ovem en t of a sy st em is d esir ed (T r ibu s, u n d a t ed ). Qu a lit y is a st a n d a r d t h a t is n ever st a t ic bu t r a t h er k ee p s m ov in g. T h er efor e, t h e d evelop m en t of q u a lit y sy st em s is a con t in u -ou s p r ocess. T h is con ce p t ca n b e a lso b e st a t ed a s, “Qu a lit y is a r eced in g h or izon ” (N or t h w est P r esid en t H u bb a r d in a fa cu lt y lect u r e, 1995).

T h e m a xim t h a t q u a lit y is n ever t h e p r ob -lem bu t , r a t h er, q u a lit y im p r ovem en t is t h e a n sw er t o d e p a r t m en t p r oblem s, w a s in t er -n a lized by t h e m em b er s. T h e q u a lit y fi r st p r in cip le w a s t h en a p p lied by d e p a r t m en t m em b er s. It is im p or t a n t t o n ot e h er e t h a t t h e lea d er in t r od u cin g q u a lit y im p r ovem en t p r ocesses in t o t h e sy st em sh ou ld m a k e ver y clea r t o t h e fa cu lt y t h a t q u a lit y is n ot b ein g p u r su ed b eca u se of a p er ceived la ck of q u a lit y on t h e p a r t of t h e fa cu lt y, or t o fi x bla m e for som e r ea l or p er ceived fa ilu r e. In st ea d , t h is in t r od u ct ion is d esign ed t o d evelop a cu lt u r e focu sed on con t in u ou sly im p r ov in g a ll p r ocesses a n d sy st em s r e ga r d less of t h eir cu r r en t st a t u s.

In h igh er ed u ca t ion , q u a lit y im p r ovem en t ca n b e m oved for w a r d t h r ou gh a focu s on d e p a r t m en t a l-level t ea ch in g a n d lea r n in g sy st em s. Accor d in g t o Dem in g (1986), t h e q u a lit y of a n y p r ocess is b est d efi n ed by t h e cu st om er s (i.e. st u d en t s, con su m er s, a n d societ y ) of t h a t p r ocess. T h e d e p a r t m en t t h er efor e d evelop ed a follow -u p su r vey p r ogr a m t o con t in u ou sly a ssess st u d en t p er -ce p t ion s a b ou t t h e d e gr ee t o w h ich t h ey h a d b een p r e p a r ed by d e p a r t m en t p r ogr a m s t o m eet t h eir p r ofession a l n eed s a n d r esp on si-b ilit ies.

Qu a lit y im p r ovem en t focu ses on p r ocess over p r od u ct (T r ibu s, u n d a t ed ). T h is p r in cip le h old s t h a t “if you w a n t t o im p r ove t h e p r od -u ct , yo-u a t t en d t o t h e p r ocesses w h er eby t h e p r od u ct is m a d e” (p. 10).

T h e p r ocess over p r od u ct p r in cip le w a s t h en a p p lied by t h e d e p a r t m en t . Beca u se of a d esir e t o im p r ove st u d en t a ch ievem en t , d e p a r t m en t m em b er s focu sed t h eir a t t en t ion on t ea ch in g a n d lea r n in g p r ocesses a n d n ot on st u d en t a ch ievem en t (i.e. p r od u ct ) a s d et er m in ed by st a n d a r d ized a n d cogn it ively -b a sed exa m in a t ion s. MBF st a n d a r d s (i.e. st a t ist ica l con t r ols) w er e set a n d m on it or ed by t h e d e p a r t m en t .

T h e p er ver sit y p r in cip le is ever p r esen t (T r ibu s, u n d a t ed ). T h is p r in cip le h old s t h a t “if you t r y t o im p r ove t h e p er for m a n ce of a sy st em of p eop le, p r oced u r es, p r a ct ices, a n d m a ch in es by set t in g goa ls a n d t a r get s for t h e in d iv id u a l p a r t s of t h e sy st em , t h e sy st em w ill d efea t you ever y t im e a n d you w ill p ay a p r ice w h er e you lea st exp ect it ” (T r ibu s, u n d a t ed , p. 12). T h e d e p a r t m en t w a s

cogn iza n t of t h e p ot en t ia l n e ga t ive a sp ect s of t h e p er ver sit y p r in cip le. By a ssessin g t h e w h ole sy st em a n d n ot it s in d iv id u a l p a r t s, t h e n e ga t ive im p lica t ion s of set t in g a n d m on it or -in g MBF q u a n t it a t ive st a n d a r d s w er e avoid ed .

KQI development process

Aft er con t in u ou s im p r ovem en t p r in cip les b eca m e en cu lt u r ed w it h in N or t h w est a n d t h e d e p a r t m en t , fa cu lt y m oved t o id en t ify fa ct or s w h ich , if m ea su r ed over t im e, wou ld p r ov id e t r en d d a t a on im p r ovem en t . T h ese fa ct or s w er e r efer r ed t o a s k ey q u a lit y in d ica t or s (KQIs) a n d w er e id en t ifi ed for a ll N or t h w est p r oced u r es a n d cu r r icu la . T h is KQI d evelop -m en t -m et h od ology w a s t h en a p p lied a t t h e d e p a r t m en t level a cr oss t h e u n iver sit y.

M BF development process

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d ocu m en t ed t h r ou gh t h e u se of st a t ist ica l con t r ols (i.e. MBF ) a n d t h eir level of a t t a in -m en t w a s d et er -m in ed by a st u dy of r ecor d s. De p a r t m en t m em b er s, wor k in g in t ea m s, id en t ifi ed eigh t m a jor KQI st a t em en t s (Ta ble I). T h en 49 m or e sp ecifi c d em on st r a ble ou t -com es w er e d elin ea t ed a n d a ssocia t ed w it h a n a p p r op r ia t e KQI, for exa m p le, “com m u n i-ca t es effect ively, b ot h or a lly a n d in w r it in g”; “d evelop s a n d en u n cia t es a v ision for t h e sch ool”; “m od els h igh exp ect a t ion s”; “p r o-v id es a sch ool clim a t e a cce p t in g of a n d r esp on sive t o et h n ica lly a n d cu lt u r a lly d iver se p op u la t ion s” et c. T h e fa cu lt y t h en in cor p or a t ed t h e eigh t KQI st a t em en t s a n d 49 d esir ed ou t com es in t o t h eir cou r se sy lla b i.

As fa cu lt y t ea m s b eca m e in volved in t h is ver y sp ecifi c effor t t o id en t ify KQIs a n d im p r ove-m en t t r en d s, it w a s p ossible t o see t h ose t ea m s b e gin n in g t o d evelop w h a t Dem in g r efer r ed t o a s p r ofou n d k n ow led ge of t h e or ga n iza t ion . T h ey w er e m or e a ble t o see, “t h e for est a s w ell a s t h e t r ees”, so t o sp ea k . It is a t t h is p oin t t h a t a fa cu lt y t r u ly b e gin s t o b ecom e em p ow er ed . It is a t t h is ju n ct u r e t h a t t h e p r ocess b e gin s t o b ecom e b ot t om -u p in n a t u r e.

In su m m a r y, for a n or ga n iza t ion t o b e su c-cessfu l, q u a lit y im p r ovem en t p r ogr a m s m u st b e m a n a gem en t led a n d clien t or ien t ed . Ma n y t im es t h ese effor t s r esu lt in a fu n d a m en t a l ch a n ge in t h e w ay com p a n ies a n d a gen cies d o bu sin ess.

Survey of department program

graduates

Recen t gr a d u a t es (1995) fr om m a st er s of ed u -ca t ion (n= 21) a n d ed u ca t ion a l sp ecia list (n= 15) lea d er sh ip p r ogr a m s offer ed by t h e

d e p a r t m en t w er e su r veyed r e ga r d in g t h eir p er ce p t ion s a b ou t KQI ou t com e st a t em en t s. T h e su r vey w a s con st r u ct ed in su ch a m a n -n er a s t o elicit a t wo-d im e-n sio-n a l r esp o-n se fr om t h e gr a d u a t es. E a ch r esp on d en t in d i-ca t ed t h e d e gr ee t o w h ich t h e d e p a r t m en t h a d “p r e p a r ed ” t h em in ea ch of t h e d esir ed ou t com es, a n d a lso t h e d e gr ee t o w h ich t h e ou t -com e w a s p er ceived t o b e “r eleva n t ” for t h e con d u ct of t h eir p r ofession a l d u t ies. A fi ve-p oin t Lik er t -t y ve-p e sca le (Bell, 1993) w a s d evel-op ed t o scor e r esp on d en t p er ce p t ion s, a s p r esen t ed in Ta ble II.

Data analysis methods

For p u r p oses of su m m a r y a n a ly sis, t h e 49 su r vey it em s w er e gr ou p ed in t o eigh t KQI a r ea s. Descr ip t ive a n a ly sis w a s con d u ct ed t o d et er m in e m ea n a n d st a n d a r d d ev ia t ion va lu es for ea ch it em . T h r ou gh com p u t er m a n ip u la t ion a “gr a n d ” m ea n scor e w a s com p u t ed a n d r e p or t ed for ea ch KQI a r ea .

A tt est w a s a lso p er for m ed t o m a k e com -p a r ison s b et w een -p er ceived “-p r e -p a r ed ” a n d “r eleva n t ” r esp on ses. A cr it er ion of α= 0.10 w a s est a blish ed t o id en t ify sign ifi ca n t d iffer -en ces b et w e-en “p r e p a r ed ” a n d “r eleva n t ” gr a n d m ea n scor es for ea ch KQI a r ea (Vock ell a n d Ash er, 1995). All d a t a a n a ly sis w a s com p let ed t h r ou gh t h e u se of t h e MYSTAT p er -son a l com p u t er st a t ist ica l soft w a r e p r ogr a m (Cou r se Tech n ology, In c., 1992).

Findings and interpretations

A su m m a r y t a ble w a s p r e p a r ed t o a id in t h e in t er p r et a t ion of t h e su r vey r esu lt s. Ta ble III d isp lay s t h e st a t ist ica l a n a ly sis r esu lt s fr om t h e d a t a ob t a in ed fr om t h e com p let ed follow -u p s-u r vey s for t h e t wo s-u r vey gr o-u p s. T h ese fi n d in gs w er e sh a r ed w it h d e p a r t m en t fa cu lt y for t h eir r ev iew.

A m in im u m gr a n d m ea n scor e of 4.00 w a s set a s a cr it er ion t o id en t ify su ccessfu l KQI ou t com e p er for m a n ce. Given t h e cr it ica l n a t u r e of d e p a r t m en t gr a d u a t es (i.e. t ea ch er s a n d sch ool lea d er s) t h e cr it er ion w a s con sid -er ed r igor ou s. De p a r t m en t m em b -er s fou n d t h a t su r vey r esp on d en t s r e p or t ed over a ll Table I

KQI s tate me nts and the numbe r o f o utc o me be havio rs as s o c iate d with e ac h s tate me nt

Number of outcome

KQI statements behaviors

1 Can communicate effectively, orally and in writing 7

2 Coalesce staff around a vision and mission of what the

school could be 2

3 Facilitate, empower and motivate teams of teachers and other

constituent groups 2

4 Function in the role of instructional leader 8

5 M anage time effectively 5

6 Demonstrate a commitment to continuous personal and professional

improvement 7

7 Be sensitive to the needs of a diverse population 8

8 Embrace ethical and legal processes in school 1 0

Table II

KQI five -po int Like rt-type pe rc e ptio n s c ale

Department prepared Professional relevance

5 Strongly agree 5 Highly relevant

4 Agree 4 Above average relevanc e

3 Undec ided 3 Average relevanc e

2 Disagree 2 Below average relevanc e

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“a gr eem en t ” t h a t t h ey h a d b een w ell “p r e-p a r ed ” in a ll KQI a r ea s. Gr a n d m ea n scor es r a n ged fr om a h igh of 4.67 for KQI 8 t o a low of 4.24 for KQI 3. A gr a n d m ea n scor e of m or e t h a n 4.0 wou ld in d ica t e st r on g a gr eem en t a m on g t h e gr a d u a t es t h a t t h ey h a d b een w ell p r e p a r ed in p r ofession a l com p et en cies.

It w a s a lso fou n d t h a t d e p a r t m en t gr a d u a t es p er ceived h igh over a ll p r ofession a l “r ele-va n ce” for d e p a r t m en t KQI ou t com es. Aga in , gr a n d m ea n scor es w er e fou n d t o b e ver y h igh . Scor es r a n ged fr om 5.00 for KQI 1 t o 4.47 for KQI 5.

T h e d e p a r t m en t r ev iew fou n d t h a t n on e of t h e m ea n scor es, for eit h er gr ou p, w er e b elow t h e cr it er ion level. H ow ever, d e p a r t m en t m em b er s ob ser ved t h a t t h e KQI 5 “t im e m a n -a gem en t ” gr -a n d m e-a n scor e w -a s b elow 4.30. A d ecision w a s m a d e t o r ev iew t h e p r ocesses by w h ich “t im e m a n a gem en t ” w a s t a u gh t a n d w h er e it w a s t a u gh t w it h in t h e sy st em . T h e d e p a r t m en t m em b er s d iscu ssed t h ese fi n d -in gs a n d ea ch d evelop ed a st r a t e gy by w h ich “t im e m a n a gem en t ” wou ld b e a d d r essed w it h in ea ch a p p r op r ia t e cou r se.

F u r t h er r ev iew of t h e t-t est a n a ly sis r esu lt s r evea led sign ifi ca n t d iffer en ces b et w een “p r e p a r ed ” a n d “r eleva n t ” gr a n d m ea n scor es (i.e. p r ob a b ilit y levels w er e eq u a l or less t h a n 0.10) for six of eigh t KQI ou t com e

m ea su r es, a s r e p or t ed by sp ecia list gr a d u -a t es. Wh er e-a s, sign ifi c-a n t d iffer en ces w er e fou n d in on ly fou r of seven KQI m ea su r es for m a st er s gr a d u a t es. To in t er p r et t h ese r esu lt s, d e p a r t m en t m em b er s d et er m in ed t h a t a lt h ou gh st a t ist ica l d iffer en ces w er e fou n d b et w een p er ce p t ion s of p r e p a r a t ion a n d p r ofession a l r eleva n ce of d e p a r t m en t KQI ou t -com es, t h e p r a ct ica l d iffer en ces w er e sm a ll. It w a s con clu d ed t h a t d e p a r t m en t gr a d u a t es w er e over a ll ver y sa t isfi ed w it h d e p a r t m en t p er for m a n ce on t h e sp ecifi ed ou t com es a n d few w ea k n esses w er e id en t ifi ed by t h e r esp on -d en t s. T h er efor e, a -d ecision w a s m a -d e t o m a k e n o m a jor ch a n ges in d e p a r t m en t cou r se offer in g, bu t t o m on it or fu t u r e r esu lt s for t r en d s t h a t m ay r eq u ir e fu r t h er a ct ion .

What have we learned?

T h e follow in g ob ser va t ion s a n d su ggest ion s a r e offer ed t o t h ose u n iver sit y d e p a r t m en t s a n d fa cu lt y con sid er in g t h e a d op t ion of a “Ma n a gem en t by fa ct ” q u a lit y im p r ovem en t p r ogr a m :

• T h e d e p a r t m en t q u a lit y im p r ovem en t p r o-gr a m sh ou ld b e em b ed d ed w it h in a n over a ll in st it u t ion a l p r ogr a m .

• De p a r t m en t m em b er s sh ou ld b e in volved in t h e d evelop m en t a n d r efi n em en t of t h e m od el.

• Mea su r a ble ou t com es a n d st a t ist ica l cr it e-r ia sh ou ld b e d evelop ed a t t h e d e p a e-r t m en t level.

• T h e a d op t ion a n d u se of KQI ou t com e in d i-ca t or s m ay lea d t o im p r oved in st r u ct ion a l p r a ct ices.

• T h e in st r u ct ion a l cu r r icu lu m m ay b e m or e fu lly u n d er st ood a n d m or e t h or ou gh ly t a u gh t t o t h e b en efi t of d e p a r t m en t gr a d u -a t es.

• De p a r t m en t fa cu lt y d ecision m a k in g m ay b ecom e m or e en a bled a n d em p ow er ed t h r ou gh t h e u se of q u a n t it a t ive in for m a t ion r a t h er t h a n b ia sed op in ion .

• Gr ea t er em p h a sis on st a t ist ica l p r ocess con t r ol (i.e. MBF ) m ay give d e p a r t m en t fa cu lt y a b et t er u n d er st a n d in g of w h er e in st r u ct ion a l w ea k n esses a n d st r en gt h s lie. • Follow -u p st r a t e gies u t ilized in t h e KQI

en v ir on m en t sh ou ld b e con st r u ct ed w it h t h e u t m ost ca r e.

• T h e fa cu lt y m u st b e r ea ssu r ed t h a t q u a lit y ou t com es a r e n ot b ein g p u r su ed b eca u se of a p er ceived la ck of q u a lit y on t h e p a r t of t h e fa cu lt y, bu t r a t h er t o d evelop a n ew cu lt u r e focu sed on con t in u ou sly im p r ov in g a ll in st it u t ion a l p r ocesses a n d sy st em s r e ga r d -less of t h eir cu r r en t st a t u s.

• Qu a lit y effor t s ca n b e m oved for w a r d in h igh er ed u ca t ion in st it u t ion s t h r ou gh a Table III

Co mparis o n o f mas te rs o f e duc atio n and e duc atio nal s pe c ialis t graduate s fo llo w-up s urve y re s ults fo r KQI s tate me nts

Graduate Prepared Relevant

KQI number program* * _{GM S}* * * _SD _{GM S} _SD _Probability

1 Spec ialist 4 .4 7 0 .5 2 4 .8 7 0 .3 5 0 .0 1*

Masters 4 .2 9 0 .9 6 5 .0 0 0 .0 0 0 .0 0* 2 Spec ialist 4 .4 0 0 .6 3 4 .8 7 0 .3 5 0 .0 1*

Masters 4 .3 0 0 .6 6 4 .5 5 0 .6 1 0 .2 0

3 Spec ialist 4 .2 0 0 .8 6 4 .5 3 0 .6 4 0 .2 1 Masters 4 .2 4 0 .6 3 4 .6 7 0 .5 8 0 .0 3* 4 Spec ialist 4 .5 3 0 .5 2 4 .7 3 0 .5 9 0 .2 7

Masters 4 .4 8 0 .6 0 4 .7 1 0 .4 6 0 .1 4

5 Spec ialist 4 .2 7 0 .5 9 4 .4 7 0 .6 4 0 .0 8*

Masters

6 Spec ialist 4 .3 3 0 .6 2 4 .6 7 0 .6 2 0 .0 2*

Masters 4 .2 9 0 .7 2 4 .5 2 0 .5 1 0 .1 0* 7 Spec ialist 4 .3 3 0 .9 0 4 .6 4 0 .6 3 0 .1 0*

Masters 4 .4 3 0 .9 8 4 .4 8 0 .6 0 0 .8 0

8 Spec ialist 4 .3 3 1 .0 5 4 .6 0 0 .8 3 0 .1 0*

Masters 4 .6 7 0 .4 8 4 .8 6 0 .3 6 0 .1 0*

Note:

* **_{Signific ant at}_α_{= 0 .1 0 or lower}

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focu s on d e p a r t m en t -level t ea ch in g a n d lea r n in g sy st em s.

• De p a r t m en t s d esir in g t o im p r ove st u d en t a ch ievem en t sh ou ld d ir ect t h eir a t t en t ion t o t h e t ea ch in g/ lea r n in g p r ocess a n d n ot t o st u d en t a ch ievem en t a s d et er m in ed by st a n d a r d ized exa m in a t ion s.

References and further reading

Ba n k , J . (1992), T h e E ssen ce Of T ota l Qu a lity M a n -a gem en t, P r en t ice-H a ll In t er n a t ion a l (UK) Lt d , H er t for d sh ir e.

Bell, J . (1993), Doin g You r R esea rch Pr oject, 2n d ed ., Op en Un iver sit y P r ess, Bu ck in gh a m . Bla n k st ein , A.M. (1992), “Ap p ly in g t h e Dem in g

cor p or a t e p h ilosop h y t o r est r u ct u r in g”, E d u -ca tion a l L ea d ersh ip, Vol. 49, Ma r ch , p p. 71-5. Br a n d t , R. (1992), “On Dem in g a n d sch ool q u a lit y :

a con ver sa t ion w it h E n id Br ow n ”, E d u ca -tion a l L ea d ersh ip, Vol. 48, N ovem b er, p p. 28-31. Cou r se Tech n ology, In c. (1992), M Y S T AT(a p er

-son a l com p u t er st a t ist ica l soft w a r e p r ogr a m ), Ca m b r id ge, MA.

Dem in g, W.E . (1986), Ou t of th e Cr isis, MIT P r ess, Ca m b r id ge, MA.

Feu er st ein , R., Ra n d , Y. a n d Ry n d er s, J .E . (1994),

Don’t A ccep t M e A s I A m : H elp in g “R eta rd ed ” Peop le to E x cel, P len u m P r ess, N ew Yor k , N Y.

Ga r d n er, J .W. (1990), On L ea d ersh ip, T h e F r ee P r ess, N ew Yor k , N Y.

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