Enabling productivity improvement in education through the translation of the overall equipment effectiveness framework to support quantitative classroom analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to support productivity improvement in schools through the development of an analytical template and model with which to collect and process quantitative classroom observation data. As the name implies, the Time on Task Analytical (TOTA) template and model focus on quantifying and analysing Time on Task losses in the school classroom and is based on the Lean Management productivity metric of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). The amount of time spent on task has a strong correlation to learner achievement, especially in literacy and maths. The research was done in two phases: a model and template design phase and a model testing phase. The development of the model was done by triangulating the existing and proven theoretical base, namely OEE, with terminology and definitions from the target domain of education and then testing and refining the structural model through the coding of qualitative classroom data reflecting the semantics and reality of a school day. The refined model was then further tested by using it to create descriptive analytics from quantitative classroom observation data. A diverse group of 52 education stakeholders were then asked to assess the novelty and validity of such an analysis through a structured questionnaire. The TOTA model was found to be novel as well as valid. Of the 52 education stakeholders, 90.3% indicated that the data analysis provided a new perspective to the study of productivity in the classroom. A total of 94.2% of the participants also indicated that the presentation of the data analysis had stimulated them to think of improvement ideas.