Re: Deming and Public Education

["jimmy" <jhills@sunflower.com>]

Gary
Benjamin S. Bloom, of equal status in education as Deming in business and
industry, wrote, in 1976:
"A system of feedback to the teacher and students can reveal the errors in
learning shortly after they occur, and if appropriate corrections are
introduced as they are needed, the educational system can be a
self-correcting system so that errors made at one time can be corrected
before they are compounded with later errors."  Page 212, Human
Characteristics and School Learning.  ISBN 0-07-006122-X

As I see it, Gary, this statement by Bloom is completely in character with
the thinking of Deming.  Since this statement in 1976, moreover, the desk
top computer has become common place, making early identification of errors
and early intervention possible not just for a few students but for all
students.  With Deming and Bloom and the computer we can now individualize
learning for each student.
Deming's concepts have proven themselves in the global economy;  Bloom's
concepts, essentially the same, have been proven in education.  They fit
hand-in-glove.  Traditional testing, as you and I know it, becomes moot, as
frequent feedback tells us the status of student on a daily basis.  As the
learning becomes more and more idiosyncratic, standardized testing and
percentile ranks become meaningless.
These are not just claims, Gary, they have been proven many times by Bloom
and Deming.  I have personally found them to be true as a teacher for
several years.  Should you like to know more about the protocols for
implementing a Deming/Bloom approach to learning, let me know.
 
As for the word "system"  I find the word used so often that it has come to
mean very little to me.  I sense that to use this word often keeps me from
getting inside the dynamics of continuous improvement, which both Bloom and
Deming embraced.

You seem to be a serious educator, or one serious about making a difference
in education.  I admire this.  Have faith in Deming and Bloom--they indeed
have many answers for education.

Jim Hills