January 1997

Subject: Introductions
Date: Fri, 10 Jan 97
From: Duke@scv3.apple.com, Stuart (DUKE1@APPLE.COM)
To: (K-12SD@SYSDYN.MIT.EDU)

Hello,
My name is Stuart Duke and I am joining this group for several reasons. I was a teacher in a former life (I work at different things now) and tried to include systems thinking in my lessons. I also wrote my thesis on systems thinking and work for a think tank which tries to educate and inform on systems issues. I look forward to reading these posts and meeting all of you.

Stuart

Stuart L. Duke
Apple Computer Inc.
K-12 Sales Development
512-919-6846

Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997
From: Guenther Ossimitz (OSSIMITZ@BIGFOOT.COM)
Organization: University of Klagenfurt, Austria
To: system-dynamics@europe.std.com
Subject: Empirical Evaluations of Computer Simulations (SD0652)

Hello,
I did some similar research work in a project called "Entwicklung vernetzten Denkens" ("development of systemic thinking") among about 120 students of grade 8 - 11 (age 15-19) in some Austrian upper secondary schools. The students got about 20 hours of teaching about system dynamics modelling and computer simulation using Powersim by their teachers (in mathematics and informatics courses). Prior and after the teaching the students were tested by a neutral person (the paper-and-pencil oriented test was not known to the teachers). Some students were also interviewed about their written test-answers. The test was constructed to give some clues about the state and the developement of systemic thinking skill of the students. A raw version of the evaluation of the test is already finished; I would appreciate to discuss some results with you.

Best wishes

Dr. Guenther Ossimitz
University of Klagenfurt
A-9020 Universitaets str. 65
ossimitz@bigfoot.com
http://www.uni-klu.ac.at/users/gossimit/main.htm

Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997
From: Guenther Ossimitz (OSSIMITZ@BIGFOOT.COM)
To: "Jay W. Forrester" (JFORESTR@MIT.EDU)
Subject: More Information
(Minor editing by Nan Lux)

Jay W. Forrester wrote:
>
> I would be very interested in more information about your
> work in systems thinking with pre-college students?

Dear Prof. Forrester,

I appreciate your interest very much! Here is a short outline of my background and research work concerning system dynamics: I am working since 1984 at the Mathematics Institute of the University of Klagenfurt, Austria/Europe. We are among the top institutes in german-speaking countries concerning educational and teaching issues of mathematics. In Sept. 1986 a remarkable keynote speech of Prof. Gerhart Bruckmann (Vienna), a (former?) member of the Club of Rome, about "The Didactics of System Dynamics" (he praised Nancy Roberts et. al. (1983): Introduction to Computer Simulation..) initiated a discussion about introducing ideas of the developement of systemic thinking and the system dynamics method as a tool into Austrian Upper Secondary School Curricula pupils (aged 15-19, Grade 9-12). My mentor, Prof. Roland Fischer, was closely engaged in this discussion. He asked me and a colleague in early 1987, to write a discussional paper, how ideas of systems thinking and SD could be established in Austrian Mathematics Curriculum of natural-science-oriented Gymnasiums. This paper "system dynamics at school" was presented in 1988 to the Austrian National Curriculum Commission, which decided to introduce a new chapter called "Untersuchung vernetzter Systeme" (investigation of interrelated systems) for grade 11 of natural-science-oriented Gymnasiums, beginning in 1991. The preambel of this Curriculum chapter reads like this: "By the investigation of Systems (consisting of components, which interact with each other) systemic thinking should be promoted. ... Especially the ability to grasp more complex interrelations, which go beyond simple causal relations, should be improved." In Summer 1990 I published a book "Materialien zur Systemdynamik" ("Materials about System Dynamics"), which was intended to give teachers and the authors of the new mathematics textbooks support, how to teach system dynamics in math (and physics, biology, economics) classes. After writing my doctoral thesis (in a different field) I returned in 1993 to questions about teaching system dynamics, especially concerning the developement of systems thinking. I found that people often talk about "systems thinking" but I could hardly find any definition, which was rigorous enough to help to answer my main questions: 1) How can the term "systems thinking" be operationally defined and the degree of "systems thinking ability" be measured? 2) How can "systems thinking ability" be increased? 3) Is the system dynamics method a suitable vehicle for developing systems thinking skills. Of course system dynamics protagonists believe so (and so do I), but I wanted to check (within my limited possibilities) this out. Concerning the definition of "systems thinking" I identified for main dimensions, which altogether seem for me essential for "systems thinking": - model-oriented thinking (being conscious about the difference between reality and model) - thinking in feedback loops and interrelated structures (non-linear thinking) - "dynamic thinking": recognition of time patterns, delays, cycles, anticipation of future developements, ... - practical management ("steering") of dynamical, complex systems. All 3 of the above questions are in the core of my recent research project "Entwicklung vernetzten Denkens" (developement of systemic thinking). (See Mail SD 0652 for about the design of this project). Main results were:

Having an appropriate notation is MOST IMPORTANT for the developement of systemic thinking. The key tool (as far as systems thinking is concerned) is the causal loop diagram; (Stella-like) flow diagrams ar primarely useful for actual simulation models.
Students adopt astonishingly fast causal loop diagrams for displaying complex situations.
By far the most important variable in explaining differences in the developement of systemic thinking was neither age, nor gender, nor mathematics level, not the social background, it was simply the TEACHER! This finding itself was no surprise, but the amount of the influence of the teacher was not foreseen in my expectations.
Several indicators of "systems thinking ability" in our tests showeded an significant increase among all students being taught about 20 hours using system dynamics modelling (including numerical simulation with Powersim).

The improvement differed very much between different teachers. (Alternatives to the system dynamics method were not investigated in my research design; thus I can only say that the system dynamics method HAS a positive impact upon developing systemic thinking; I could not prove, whether it is the best method. The statistical evaluation of the student-tests of the project "Entwicklung vernetzten Denkens" are finished and documented. Now I evaluate the additional material of the project (teacher reports, additional interviews, etc.) The research results of this project should be bound together in my habilitation work. This work has significantly slowed down since 1995, when I became aware of a serious blood disease, which I expect that I will overcome within the next 6 months. (I expect a bone-marrow-transplant next month). I have several papers written concerning my research work, but all in German. I would appreciate very much to have an opportunity to present a summary of my results / ideas / theoretical framework in English to an appropriate community. It is just very hard for me to identify the "appropriate community". Should I write a paper suitable for teachers teaching SD in the US (or elsewhere) or should I address on a more elaborated level the scientific SD-Community? I can put it also this way: for which journal should such an article be designed? Or should I just put an overview of my project (4-6 pages in English) on my Internet-Homepage? I would appreciate very much any suggestions and encouragements from you concerning such an publication/presentation in english, since you have an much better overview about the American and International System Dynamics Community and its teaching issues than I have.

Thank you very much!

---------------------------
Dr. Guenther Ossimitz
University of Klagenfurt
A-9020 Universitaetsstr. 65
ossimitz@bigfoot.com
http://www.uni-klu.ac.at/users/gossimit/main.htm

Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997
To: system-dynamics@world.std.com
From: roderick@copernicus.bbn.com (Steven Roderick)
Subject: Models and public education (SD0693)

I am a teacher on sabbatical this year and working with the systems dynamics group at MIT. Most of the work I've done has been around biological systems, but my employment within a public school system brings me face to face with system wide issues concerning curriculum development, scheduling, teacher training and hiring pracitices, production of college bound students, etc. Does anyone out there have experience with models that deal with public organizations like a school system. I would love to see the types of models that people have developed and their successes and failures.

In peace,

Steven Roderick
_____________________
"Is the sun the same as yesterday's or is this fire different from that fire?"
-Pablo Neruda

Steven Roderick
roderick@copernicus.bbn.com
Lincoln Sudbury High School
390 Lincoln Road Sudbury, MA 01776 (508) 443-9961 x287 Fax: 508-443-8824