Abstract
This paper presents a case study on how Six Sigma methodology can be used to improve student academic performance in three main subjects (Math, Arabic, and English) in a private secondary school located in the Middle East. The Six Sigma methodology of Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control (DMAIC) was used to improve student performance along with several improvement tools such as Fishbone diagram, Pareto charts, and Critical-To-Quality (CTQ) tree. Introducing quality improvement concepts and tools resulted in a series of improvements leading to an increase in student academic achievement quantified by Sigma Quality Level (SQL). The SQL improved in Math from (2.01) to (2.37) and in Arabic from (1.86) to (2.38). On the other hand, English grades did not increase from baseline. The results of this study provide a clear, step-by-step approach to systematically approaching and solving educational problems using the DMAIC model. Practically speaking, the results of this study provides clear evidence that the DMAIC can be used in the educational sector by school administrators and teachers to improve student grades.
Highlights
Six Sigma (SS) is defined as a disciplined, data driven approach of continually improving process quality and productivity to result in bottom line profitability (Ehrlich, 2002)
Teachers strongly agreed on four key factors which consist of (1) teacher treatment of student impacts willingness to learn, (2) students tend to develop a better understanding for a subject when it is given in an interactive and dynamic class, (3) students tend to develop a better understanding for a subject when non-traditional methods of teaching is used, and (4) the classroom environment plays a key role in the student's ability to concentrate in class
Parents strongly agreed on five key factors, (1) peers influence the academic performance of students, (2) student subject preferences play a key role in the student's academic achievement, (3) teacher-student relationship motivates the students to achieve a better understanding of the subject, (4) students tend to develop a better understanding for a subject when it is given in an interactive and dynamic class, and (5) the positive effect of homework on students' comprehension of the subject taught
Summary
Six Sigma (SS) is defined as a disciplined, data driven approach of continually improving process quality and productivity to result in bottom line profitability (Ehrlich, 2002). Many frameworks exist to use SS, perhaps the most useful is the DMAIC continuous improvement process; a standardized step by step process with specific tools for conducting improvement projects. DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. From the time it was originated in Motorola in the late 1980s, SS has been successfully implemented in different transactional service environments, including healthcare, financial services, logistics, airline industry, and government to mention few (Antony, Jiju Antony, Kumar, & Rae Cho, 2007; Hasan, 2012; Nakhai & Neves, 2009). Several researchers and practitioners attempted to apply SS in educational institutions both in schools and universities to improve process and student performance (Mazumder, 2014)
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