Subject: Carlisle Lessons Learned

Posted by Richard Turnock on 10/7/2008

Message:

Carlisle Lessons Learned

CLE Newsletter Vol. 17 No. 2, Spring 2008

Paraphrasing the Carlisle lessons learned using the terms pedagogy and epistemology might focus the discussion of the two major hurdles for systems thinking and dynamic modeling. First, the pedagogy of system dynamics is hard and second, changing the mental models of teachers is even harder. Teachers need a compelling reason to change their mental models of pedagogy. System dynamics requires a new pedagogy that is learner-centered, inquiry-based and constructivist. Teachers not only need new curriculum to implement a new epistemology, they need a new pedagogy.



A sustainable long-term strategy is to focus on a continuous improvement process to develop the quality of system dynamics. For K12 system dynamics, identify schools that value the principles of a learning organization (i.e. using continuous improvement processes) then integrate system dynamics as a key element in the learning organization.

Richard