Human Performance Improvement and K12 Practitioners: A Case Study

Human Performance Improvement (HPI) is “the science and art of improving people, process, performance, organizations, and ultimately society” (Van Tiem, Moseley, & Dessinger, 2012). This paper examines how K12 practitioners, who have previously taken a course on this topic, alter their professional practice upon course completion. Following the HPI model, students (i.e., current K12 practitioners) engage in a real-world, semester-long project to apply tools addressed in the course. The application of the HPI model to a real-world scenario requires analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and communication; thus, it is no surprise HPI is typically linked to critical thinking skills. Since critical thinking is a mandatory skill in job markets across industries, students of this course are encouraged to carry their new knowledge of HPI into their daily work lives, critically analyze their workplaces, and apply the HPI process to make data-focused decisions. This paper will report on the changes that have resulted in various K12 professionals, including recognizing the importance of data-driven decision-making, being reserved and removing biases from situations, and understanding the organization’s scope within which they operate. We will use one specific case of a leader in a charter school district (one of the presenters) to guide the conversation