Preparing improvement teams to manage complex change in a continuous improvement program

This study is a cross-case comparison of three cohorts of teams of educators implementing a continuous improvement program in partnership between a university and a district. Using interviews, document analysis, and observation, the researchers looked within and across cohorts to determine how the t...

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Main Author: Erin Anderson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Education
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1566862/full
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author Erin Anderson
author_facet Erin Anderson
author_sort Erin Anderson
collection DOAJ
description This study is a cross-case comparison of three cohorts of teams of educators implementing a continuous improvement program in partnership between a university and a district. Using interviews, document analysis, and observation, the researchers looked within and across cohorts to determine how the teams applied the continuous improvement process to their work. Using a complex systems change framework, this study explored the relationship between the program structure and content and the implementation of an improvement process at the schools, including the challenges and benefits of applying the process. By providing the components to manage complex change, this program was able to help schools report benefits of (a) deliberate, deep, and intentional change, (b) within school and across school learning and collaboration, (c) shifting mental models and mindsets, and (d) greater collective responsibility for improvement by mitigating the challenges of (a) the tension between the time available and the complexity of the process, (b) the alignment between the process and district priorities resulting in competing priorities, and (c) the capability to spread the learning school-wide.
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spelling doaj-art-11b3fc01e77a47bf8a6594c227fdc3fd2025-08-20T03:15:30ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2025-07-011010.3389/feduc.2025.15668621566862Preparing improvement teams to manage complex change in a continuous improvement programErin AndersonThis study is a cross-case comparison of three cohorts of teams of educators implementing a continuous improvement program in partnership between a university and a district. Using interviews, document analysis, and observation, the researchers looked within and across cohorts to determine how the teams applied the continuous improvement process to their work. Using a complex systems change framework, this study explored the relationship between the program structure and content and the implementation of an improvement process at the schools, including the challenges and benefits of applying the process. By providing the components to manage complex change, this program was able to help schools report benefits of (a) deliberate, deep, and intentional change, (b) within school and across school learning and collaboration, (c) shifting mental models and mindsets, and (d) greater collective responsibility for improvement by mitigating the challenges of (a) the tension between the time available and the complexity of the process, (b) the alignment between the process and district priorities resulting in competing priorities, and (c) the capability to spread the learning school-wide.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1566862/fullimprovement sciencedesign thinkingliberatory designchange managementcontinuous improvementschool improvement
spellingShingle Erin Anderson
Preparing improvement teams to manage complex change in a continuous improvement program
Frontiers in Education
improvement science
design thinking
liberatory design
change management
continuous improvement
school improvement
title Preparing improvement teams to manage complex change in a continuous improvement program
title_full Preparing improvement teams to manage complex change in a continuous improvement program
title_fullStr Preparing improvement teams to manage complex change in a continuous improvement program
title_full_unstemmed Preparing improvement teams to manage complex change in a continuous improvement program
title_short Preparing improvement teams to manage complex change in a continuous improvement program
title_sort preparing improvement teams to manage complex change in a continuous improvement program
topic improvement science
design thinking
liberatory design
change management
continuous improvement
school improvement
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1566862/full
work_keys_str_mv AT erinanderson preparingimprovementteamstomanagecomplexchangeinacontinuousimprovementprogram