Week 11 - DIGITAL - Agile and Lean Education

(My reflections and class notes)

Agile - software industry
Lean - automobile industry

Benefits seen from the combined work of these two industries have many benefits for the Education System

Researched informed and evidence based. 

Paul and my adaption of  Manifesto for Agile software development to Agile School

Manifesto for Agile School Development

We are uncovering better ways of developing
active learners by facilitating meaningful learning and teaching
Through this work we have come to value:

Individuals and interactions over processes and toolsActive learners over carbon copies  Collaboration of learners over pre-set exemplars Responding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items on
the right, we value the items on the left more.

            "Agile is fundamentally about learning, people and change - the three
              things we struggle with in education and handle poorly at the present
              time."

The Agile Manifesto

The key ideas of agile are embodied in the 'Agile Manifesto' - http://agilemanifesto.org/

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan

Agile is fundamentally about learning, people, and change - three things we struggle also with in education and handle poorly at the present time. 

Agile Schools

Steve Peha, a technologist and educator in the US, has worked extensively in applying the lessons of agile and lean to the classroom. His article on InfoQ, 'Agile Schools: How Technology Saves Education (Just Not the Way We Thought it Would) (Peha, 2011) provides some interesting ideas on how the agile manifesto can be reinterpreted to apply to schools, and how agile techniques might be used in the classroom. 

Agile vs Waterfall video transcript (for in-class activity)

Meet Harry! Harry owns a car dealership - he needs a web application that will help him manage his current customers and their needs.

Looks like you're due for an oil change!

Meet Sally! Sally owns her own beauty salon. She needs a web application that will help her manage her clients and the services they enjoy.

Would you like to use the same color in your hair as last time?

Harry chooses to use traditional development - also known as the waterfall approach. In the waterfall approach, decisions are made at the beginning of the project. During development the customer is not involved with the creative team. Harry is only able to provide feedback at the end of the project when the creative process has been completed.

Sally chooses to use the agile approach. Agile development focuses on one area of the project at a time. During development Sally works with the creative team. Sally is able to provide feedback throughout the entire creative process.

When Harry sees the final product he realizes he needs a login feature. Harry is disappointed when he is told changes can’t be made.

Harry used the waterfall approach. Like water that flows down a waterfall cannot come back, it is not possible for Harry to adjust the scope of this project once it's been developed.

As Sally reviews her project with the creative team - together - they decide a profile feature would provide increased value. Sally is excited when the team tells her they can add it.

Sally used the agile philosophy. With agile, the client and creatives constantly work together to prioritize what is going to be the next feature that provides the most business value.

Every project has three main components: cost, scope and schedule. In order for Harry to get changes made, he is forced to spend more money and wait longer.

In order for Sally to get her changes made, she works with the creative team to decide which features will provide the most value.

The bottom line: Harry is left with a mediocre product and no money.

Sally is left with a superior product and extra cash to celebrate her success with!

The next time HWaterfall Planning vs Agile Model
Stepford Stan follows the Waterfall planning process with minimal student engagement

Agile Agartha looks for ways to engage students in their learning and in this process Agartha learns more about the students and the topic/ subjects they enjoy.arry needs a web application: “I'll have what she's having!”

Lean Production

According to Barney and Kirby (2004), educators can learn from lean production the importance of empowering teachers by training them to problem-solve and then expecting them to be self-reflective and to continuously improve their practice.

Class Task Amanda and Paul

Waterfall Planning vs Agile Model
Stepford Stan follows the Waterfall planning process with minimal student engagement

Agile Agartha looks for ways to engage students in their learning and in this process Agartha learns more about the students and the topic/ subjects they enjoy.

Stepford Stans Waterfall Model

 Agile Agartha's Agile Model

Kanban

One of the ideas that has been taken from Lean Production by agile practitioners is Kanban - which means 'visual card' in Japanese.

For an example of how Kanban boards can be used to help children plan, see Princess Kanban. This is on the agileschool blog, which you may find interesting. More recent materials are now on the Agile Classrooms site.

Trello

Trello is one of the tools that can be used to create Kanban style boards online. It is an easy-to-use, free and visual way to manage your projects and organise anything. Naturally there are other tools too, but this one seems to be the most popular right now, and amongst teachers and their students too. 

User Stories 

In software development and product management user story statements are often written on story cards following the format: As a (role) I want (something) so that (benefit). The idea is to capture what a user does or needs to do as part of his or her job function. It captures the "who", "what" and "why" of a requirement in a simple, concise way, often limited in detail by what can be hand-written on a small piece of paper.

Epics

User stories are short, simple descriptions of something to be achieved. They need to be small and focused enough to be achieved in a short time frame and allow success to be tested. A story that is too big is known as an ‘epic’ and has to be broken down into smaller stories. ‘Introduce BYOD to the school’ is an epic, and ‘Introduce BYOD to one pilot class’ is still too big. However, ‘Send a survey to families from one class asking if they are willing to provide a device for their child to bring to school’ is a smaller, story-sized step

3'c's

User stories have three critical aspects, Card, Conversation, and Confirmation. Ron Jeffries wrote about the 3'c's all the way back in 2001 and his advice is still good today. A good story card will likely end up with a back side covered with results of the conversation(s) and confirmation tests.

References

Barney, H. & Kirby, S.N. (2004). Toyota Production System/Lean Manufacturing. In B. Stecher and S.N. Kirby (Eds.), Organizational Improvement and Accountability Lessons for Education From Other Sectors (pp. 35-50). Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corporation.

Briggs, S. (2014). Agile Based Learning: What Is It and How Can It Change Education? InformED. Retrieved from http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/agile-based-learning-what-is-it-and-how-can-it-change-education/

Peha, S. (2011). Agile Schools: How Technology Saves Education (Just Not the Way We Thought it Would). InfoQ. Retrieved from https://www.infoq.com/articles/agile-schools-education