Subject: Process in System Dynamics

Posted by Dexter Chapin on 7/10/2009
In Reply To:Process in System Dynamics Posted by Richard Turnock on 7/9/2009

Message:

I think the essay has merit, but, at the risk of sounding like a one note trumpet, no discussion of introducing SD in the K-12 classroom that ignores classroom culture will make a huge difference. The class is a complex adaptive system, and throwing SD into the mix is unlikely to bring about the desired changes. We had this discussion a while back, maybe four years ago. I set out to describe the sorts of classrooms where SD would flourish and ended up writing a book about teaching in general and SD in particular; Master Teachers Making a Difference on the Edge of Chaos. It's a short book, but longer than I can present here. But the idea that we can successfully inject SD and model building into the classroom without altering a whole lot of other elements, including goals, perceptions, and management, will lead to frustration.