How Can I Implement TQM/Six Sigma in Education and Overcome Lecturer Resistance?

Hi All, I am trying to implement TQM/Six Sigma Methodology in an educational institution. I've aimed at academic achievement as my first project. I would like to get ideas from the members on what areas could be targeted in such a setup and how to handle the repulsive behavior from the lecturers. I am beginning with the aim of understanding the delivery model of the lecturers and then going to the students in order to understand their requirements. Ideas are welcome.

Regards

Challenges in Education Delivery Systems

One of the skeptical views of the lecturers is that they know what the problem is, and according to them, it can't be rectified. They are blaming the student community.

Streamlining the Delivery System

Now, my idea is to streamline the delivery system. If there are any HR professionals associated with the educational sector in the forum, can you please share the model used for the selection of staff and if there are any principles that are used for delivering education to the students.

My friend and I have been trained in Six Sigma recently in a governmental organization here in India. After that, we decided to take on a project at the college from which we graduated. We are basically getting involved in this exercise so that we can develop our management skills.

Most of our experiments are from books or Google. I do agree that most of the lecturers in higher educational institutions are not formally trained. They either complete their Master's course or M.Phil and then continue teaching.

Thank you for the prompt response. Please see [Emerald | The TQM Journal | A framework for applying Six Sigma improvement methodology in an academic environment](http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1740681) and [Using Six Sigma to Solve Issues in Public School System](http://www.isixsigma.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item& amp;amp;id=167:using-six-sigma-to-solve-issues-in-public-school-system&Itemid=184).

I have corrected the spelling and punctuation errors in your text and ensured proper paragraph formatting with a single line break between paragraphs.

The college is based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It has about 1,000-1,200 (Co-ed) students studying from various parts of India and about 2-3% from Africa, Bhutan, Nepal, etc.

From your experience as an educational professional, what do you think I should target primarily for achieving the success of the project?

From the exchanges that we have had here, I presume that this is a project you are undertaking to obtain certification of SS training (like Green Belt and Black Belt) that you have undergone. If so, I would suggest that you try and concentrate on Administration or the Library units where it is easy to obtain quantitative data and draw process charts, etc. Please see http://archive.ifla.org/IV/ifla72/papers/146-Kim-en.pdf and http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/theuni/s...ng_the_gap.pdf.

Academics would be very reluctant to work with non-academics, especially if they do not have any knowledge of learning theories. As an academic, I have worked with fellow lecturers in conducting Gap Analysis (similar to LibQual used in the article cited above), without any problem. However, I have had no cooperation from academics in India whom I did not know. If the management is keen on obtaining NAAC accreditation, then they may be able to influence academics to work with you.

I am still not clear about the objectives of your exercises and how many alumni will be working on this project, etc.

Have a nice day.

Yes, Simhan, we are trying to get ourselves certified in Six Sigma (SS) rather than just gaining knowledge by applying SS, which indirectly would help us rise high in our career path. Currently, the team consists of just two people, my friend and me. The management is very helpful, and they want us to drive SS. However, only a few well-learned lecturers, who are actually Ph.D.s, are showing little cooperation when pushing for data such as past year's results.

I would also like to mention that both of us are employed in a reputed IT industry, and we are working on this project part-time. We spend a day or two discussing and dedicating some time at the college.

Our Primary Objectives

1. To determine the current passing percentage of students year by year for the last 5 years.

2. To find ways to significantly improve the passing percentage, for example, from 65% to 68-70%.

Our second project focuses on enhancing college placements.

Currently, we are in the process of identifying the Critical to Quality (CTQ) factors that are crucial for improving learning and subsequently achieving a higher passing percentage for students.

The next semester is set to begin in December, and we plan to start by identifying the planning model that lecturers use at the beginning of the semester.

I wonder why you did not do a project in your own company! Unless it's an autonomous institution, the lecturers may not have the record of the pass rate for the past years. As I worked in a university and set my own papers, and marked my students' work, I kept records of the past results. However, the institution may be able to give you that if they keep records. Unlike in the industry (I have worked in both manufacturing and service industries), in academia, there are various factors that determine the results (for example, the differences in the intake; setting of exam papers; change of lecturers mid-course, etc.). Hence, it will not be possible to identify the cause of either decline in the pass rate or an improvement in the pass rate. That's why I suggested that you take up exercises which have fewer variables that affect the performance.

Have a nice day.

Regards, Simhan

The place where I work, I don't have much influence, nor are they ready to support as they have a separate team for it. Somehow, I managed to gather data as they are maintaining the records on paper and for a few years in computerized form. Since I've studied there for 5 years, I know that changing teachers is not a problem as they continue for at least a year, and things are stabilized with respect to manpower. It's other variables that I have to focus on.

Would you be able to give us an idea about what could be measurable areas for teachers and students as per your experience?

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Measurable Areas for Teachers and Students

Your request is clear. In terms of measurable areas for teachers and students, there are several key areas that can be quantitatively assessed to evaluate performance and progress.

For teachers, these may include:
- Student academic achievement
- Classroom engagement levels
- Professional development participation
- Student feedback scores

On the other hand, for students, measurable areas could encompass:
- Academic grades
- Attendance rates
- Performance on standardized tests
- Participation in extracurricular activities
- Behavior/discipline records

By focusing on these measurable areas, both teachers and students can track their growth and identify areas for improvement effectively.

If you inform me of all the statistical methods and tests you need to utilize and demonstrate your capabilities, I can provide you with some insights. Please refer to the Six Sigma Green Belt Certification Body of Knowledge - ASQ at ASQ.

Thank you for the information. Please see the attached presentation and let me know if it is helpful.

Regards, Simhan

I am a certified Six Sigma champion and CIQA-QMS 9001/EMS 14001/OHSAS 18001/27001, etc. Understand your own limitations first; for example, there are certain areas that fall under the domain of UGC and other regulatory bodies. Don't try to intervene there. You cannot implement your suggestions in those areas.

Next Steps: Implementing Six Sigma

The solution lies within Six Sigma itself - the "Voice of Customer." Understand what the most important things are that are lacking from a student's perspective. Spend your time on things critical to the organization, where you may have the freedom to implement changes.

Alternatively, if you are working on this as part of your Green Belt projects, consider choosing a services or manufacturing company instead of a college. This choice will benefit you when you switch jobs later on.

Provide me with a brief overview of the projects you have identified, and I will assist in identifying and implementing them.