Improving Success for Indigenous Students from a Systems Perspective

To understand improving success for Indigenous students, from a systems perspective, this eLeadership Guide will use the Alberta Government Continuous Improvement Cycle to examine this topic. The Continuous Improvement Cycle includes the key components of explore, develop, act, and evaluate.

Source: This graphic is adapted from the Continuous Improvement Cycle in the Alberta Education Funding Manual for School Authorities 2022/23 School Year.

The key components are described in the Funding Manual as below:

• Explore: Involves accessing, and interpreting accurate and relevant data, and identifying and understanding an issue, concern, or problem. Key question: What is going on here?
• Develop: Involves Identification of a problem or challenge that can be addressed; identification of potentially successful strategies to address learner-centered problem/challenge; and developing an action plan. Key question: What needs to be improved? How?
• Take action: Involves learning as you implement the plan and adjusting through formative feedback. Key question: How are we ‘actioning’ the plan?
• Evaluate: Involves evaluating the impact of the plan. Key question: Did our planned strategies have the desired outcomes? What next?