Posts by Andrew Stotz

What is the Taguchi Loss Function and how does it apply to education? In this episode, Andrew and David talk about statistician Genichi Taguchi’s idea that the further you move from a measurable quality target, the more quality is lost, even if the item still “meets specifications.” David shows how you can apply this to education.

In this episode, David and Andrew discuss the dreaded standardized tests, including how they evolved, how they’re used (and not used) now, and what Deming said about them. David also offers practical tips for educators who want to move away from standardized tests in their classrooms.

In this episode, David and Andrew discuss going beyond solving problems in schools to preventing them from happening. David also shares a tool for finding the area where optimization of the system would have the greatest impact.

With nearly 2 million students not returning to schools and educational institutions after COVID, David and Andrew explore the question “how do we create quality education systems so students are excited to come to school – and stay there?

In this episode of our special Deming in Education series, David and Andrew talk about the difference between “continuous” and “continual” improvement – and how that applies in classrooms.