Building a culture of feedback in every school | Ernest Jenavs | TEDxRiga

Summary

In this insightful talk, Ilze Garda emphasizes the importance of feedback in improving education. She argues that instead of focusing solely on grades or new government regulations, schools should foster a culture of feedback to identify areas for improvement. Through her work with Edurio, Garda highlights how collecting and analyzing feedback from students, parents, and teachers can help schools better understand the quality of education they provide. She stresses the need for actionable insights and a shift in mindset, where schools respond to feedback, resulting in tangible improvements for students' educational experiences.

Takeaways

• 😀 Government regulations alone do not radically improve education; it is the changes within schools that have the most significant impact on students' lives.
• 😀 The difference in education quality across schools in a country is often larger than the difference between countries, highlighting the importance of school-specific improvements.
• 😀 Building a culture of feedback within schools is crucial for improving education quality on a school-by-school basis.
• 😀 Feedback from customers, employees, and partners is a key driver of improvement in organizations, and the same applies to schools.
• 😀 Schools often lack the information needed to improve because they primarily rely on grades, which do not measure broader educational outcomes like motivation or skills development.
• 😀 Good education involves much more than academic achievement; it includes motivation, skill development, and creating a supportive, safe, and engaging learning environment.
• 😀 The University of Chicago's framework for good education emphasizes five essentials: effective leadership, collaborative teachers, involved families, supportive environments, and ambitious instruction.
• 😀 Feedback from students, parents, and teachers is essential for understanding the full school experience and improving education. Asking the right questions is more important than simply collecting feedback.
• 😀 Collecting feedback through surveys, rather than relying on personal conversations, helps capture input from a broader range of people, especially those who might otherwise be overlooked.
• 😀 Technology and data analysis can help schools gain actionable insights from feedback, allowing them to make more informed decisions and improve educational practices.

Q & A

What is the main point of the speaker's argument regarding government regulation in education?

The speaker argues that government regulations alone have not significantly improved education. Instead, schools should focus on improving education quality at the local level by building a strong culture of feedback within each school.

What difference does the speaker highlight in education quality across schools?

The speaker points out that the quality of education varies significantly between schools within a country, more so than the national average, indicating a need for localized improvement rather than broad national policies.

How does the speaker suggest improving education at the school level?

The speaker suggests building a strong culture of feedback within schools, where feedback from students, parents, and teachers is actively collected and analyzed to identify areas for improvement.

What is the relationship between feedback and business improvement, according to the speaker's experience?

The speaker draws from their experience as a strategy consultant, noting that businesses that thrive are those that actively listen to their customers, employees, and partners. Similarly, schools can improve by listening to feedback from their stakeholders.

What is Edurio, and what does it do?

Edurio is a web platform founded by the speaker to help schools easily collect and analyze feedback from students, parents, and teachers, providing schools with the necessary information to improve the quality of education.

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of asking the right questions in feedback surveys?

The speaker emphasizes that asking the right questions ensures that the feedback gathered is relevant to improving the overall school experience. It also reflects what the school truly cares about, such as respect between teachers and students, beyond just academic performance.

What are the five essentials for good education, according to the University of Chicago?

The five essentials for good education are: effective leadership with a shared vision, collaborative teachers, involved families, a supportive and motivating environment, and ambitious instruction that is challenging and engaging.

What challenge do schools face when trying to analyze feedback data?

Many schools struggle with analyzing feedback data because it is often messy, unorganized, and difficult to interpret. This issue is compounded by a lack of time and expertise in data analysis, making it harder for schools to act on the feedback.

What technological solution does the speaker propose to improve feedback analysis in schools?

The speaker proposes using algorithms and advanced data analysis techniques to automatically analyze feedback and provide actionable insights, making it easier for schools to understand and act on the data without spending excessive time.

What is one example of a school that successfully used feedback to address an issue?

The speaker shares the example of a school that conducted a survey on bullying, identified some instances of bullying, and took action by working with a school psychologist and class tutor to improve inclusion, resolving the issue before it escalated.