September, 2002
From: k-12sd
Anything that gives me useful information is fine with me.
Adela J. Dziekanowski
--------------
From: "rlanghei@ridgewood.k12.nj.us" <rlanghei@ridgewood.k12.nj.us>
To: k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu
Subject: RE: Stuntz: use of this list?
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2002
Lees,
As a long time lurker on this list, I welcome any information that is
available. I think that the information from Pegasus is appropriate if it
relates to the work of the K-16 environment.
Rich Langheim
Associate Professor of Education
Ramapo College of New Jersey
-----------------
From: "Coffey, Denis" <dcoffey@anteon.com>
To: "'k-12sd'" <k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu>
Subject: RE: Stuntz: use of this list?
Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2002
I see no harm in occasional references to conferences and meetings that are
connected with System Dynamics appearing in this K-12 SD list. If anything
it could serve to note that there are folks who us ST/SD in places outside
of K-12. A reinforcement of what we all are doing.
Denis Coffey
---------------
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002
From: "RICHARD TURNOCK" <Richard_Turnock@pgn.com>
To: <k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu>
Subject: News paper article in NY Times
See September 18, 2002 NY Times, National, Page A21.
At the top of the page, "Lessons" by Richard Rotherstein.
A lesson in how the new federal education law created a system that
causes states to lower their standards for schools to avoid busing
students. Seems like a missed opportunity for dynamic modeling
before passing a law.
Richard Turnock
------------------
From:
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2002
Subject: Re: Stuntz: use of this list?
To:
Good question Lees,
If Julie and Pegasus wanted to post a statement about who Pegasus is and
their fine work over the past years in terms of K-12 education, and give
their web site - that would seem appropriate to me. It would also be a
resource for folks who may be new to the work.
Many of us know Pegasus and receive their e-mails - many of us also have our
own projects and conferences (like the Schools That Learn Conferences with TW
Branun) across North America that we do not post on this site.
Just my thoughts,
Tim Lucas
Fifth Discipine Fieldbook Project
Co-author - Schools that Learn
---------------
Date: Tue, 3 Sep 2002
To: k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu
From: Beth Wellman <ewellman@ucla.edu>
Subject: action research
Hi.
I have not yet contributed to this listserv. I am a
professional developer in California with an interest in systems
thinking. I focus on action research with technology and K-12
teachers and noticed that there were presentations at the June 29th
conference on action research projects. I was wondering if anyone
could update me on those projects - I would be very interested.
Thanks, Beth Wellman
--
Elizabeth Wellman, Ed.D.
Director of Technology Projects
California History-Social Science Project
4250 Public Policy Building
UCLA
Los Angeles, CA 90095
310.206.3402
310.206.4743 fax
ewellman@ucla.edu
-------------
From: BBracey@aol.com
Date: Mon, 9 Sep 2002
Subject: Re: Gorman: software
To:
From: BBracey@aol.com
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2002
Subject: Re: Stuntz: use of this list?
To:
Reply-To: alpowers@earthlink.net
From: "Albert Powers" <alpowers@earthlink.net>
To: k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu
Subject: Powers: NY Times link
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002
Here's the link for the Rotherstein column:
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002
From: "RICHARD TURNOCK" <Richard_Turnock@pgn.com>
To: <k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu>
Subject: News paper article in NY Times
See September 18, 2002 NY Times, National, Page A21.
At the top of the page, "Lessons" by Richard Rotherstein.
A lesson in how the new federal education law created a system that
causes states to lower their standards for schools to avoid busing
students. Seems like a missed opportunity for dynamic modeling
before passing a law.
Richard Turnock
------------------------
From: "Tommy" <tfieg@yahoo.com.ar>
To: "k-12sd" <k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: Gorman: software
Date: Mon, 9 Sep 200218
Date: Wed, 04 Sep 2002
Subject: Question for all of you
From: Lees Stuntz <stuntzln@clexchange.org>
To: k 12sd
I was having a conversation with Julie Turner at Pegasus Communications and
she asked me if it were appropriate for her to post a statement about their
conference this fall on the website. I thought I should not answer for
everyone on the list. In my opinion, this sort of information, if only done
once, is useful in case people missed it in other venues. What do you all
think??
I realize that I have used the listserve to remind people of the K-12
conference and K-12 activities, but do think that since we are about K-12,
that is appropriate. However, that is also up for discussion.
Take care,
Lees
Lees N. Stuntz
Creative Learning Exchange Phone- 978-287-0070
1 Keefe Road Fax- 978-287-0080
Acton, MA 01720 e-mail- stuntzln@clexchange.org
http://clexchange.org
---------------------
From: BBracey@aol.com
Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002
Subject: Re: Ionnigill: Silent listner
To:
Bonnie Bracey
Date: Mon, 02 Sep 2002
Subject: Re: Bracey: Silent listener
From: "Peter Reynolds" <preyn@wcvt.com>
To: "k-12sd"
As a principal, I do know there are different climates in each school. I do wonder, though, whether these perceptions are accurate. I have been in sufficient situations to know that there are many teachers who are reluctant to speak up even when the invitation is extended. There are ways to initiate the discussion in almost any school without sacrificing one's self to determine whether these are real limits.
There are many administrators who ARE looking for ways to improve learning for all students. I know that there are a number of teachers who would not have made changes in their approach if I had not asked them to.
Peter Reynolds
---------------
Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002
Subject: Barry's last story of the month
From: Lees Stuntz <stuntzln@clexchange.org>
To: k 12sd
Dear members of the K-12 community,
I thought many of you might appreciate this note from Steve Peterson at HPS:
Click on the link below to access our latest Story of the Month, entitled
"Hot Air and Greenhouse Gases". The story focuses on the Bush
administration's policies toward reducing the rate of growth in greenhouse
gases. Using a very simple model, Barry Richmond and Steve Peterson examine
the "physics" of global warming, showing in the process why the
administration's policies toward global warming are likely to be of very
limited effectiveness, particularly against a backdrop of economic growth.
http://www.hps-inc.com/greenhouse.asp
As many of you are aware, our friend and colleague Barry Richmond died
earlier this month. This story, then, is a bittersweet one for us to
announce, as it marks the end of Barry's direct contribution to the Story of
the Month Series. His legacy will live on, however, as we continue the
series, providing monthly stories that offer a systems perspective on what's
happening in the world.
Take care,
Lees
Lees N. Stuntz
Creative Learning Exchange Phone- 978-287-0070
1 Keefe Road Fax- 978-287-0080
Acton, MA 01720 e-mail- stuntzln@clexchange.org
--------------
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2001
From: Niall Palfreyman <niall.palfreyman@fh-weihenstephan.de>
To: K-12 discussion group <k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: Skills versus facts
Raul Dorfman wrote:
I will be glad in exploring with you the potential of using my methodology,
to teach the necessary skills to use the facts and "know how" in real systems
problem solving, and educational project planning.
Thanks very much for the offer, Raul - it sounds very interesting.
Unfortunately, with the workload of the coming semester I won't have
time to look into other tools that Stella right away. However I would
definitely be interested in hearing more about your viewpoint.
John Gunkler wrote:
1. They have learned how to memorize facts but haven't been taught (much)
how to improve thinking skills.
2. It is easier to memorize facts than to think.
3. Previous (poor) schooling has rewarded them for memorizing facts --
probably because their teachers found it easier to grade knowledge than
skills.
Out in the "real world," however, I find that people actually soon come to
value problem-solving skills much more than knowledge of facts. I look at
who gets promoted in management positions in business and it is almost
invariably those who are quickest to recognize and solve problems. In fact,
Yes, I think I agree John. I'm thinking in particular of various
previous colleagues of mine in industry who would probably not normally
be classified as "well-qualified", but who rose to dizzy heights by
virtue of having precisely those problem-solving skills you refer to. I
was actually thinking more of recruitment: my experience here in Germany
is that companies tend to recruit new graduates by reference to
accumulated facts (the squirrel metaphor) and product-specific
knowledge, rather than by reference to transferable skills, but it may
well be that my experience is limited in this regard. I would be very
interested in hearing your thoughts on how students can be taught to
improve thinking skills.
Thanks for all the answers to my original post, and sorry it's taken me
so long to answer! I've been away for the last two weeks, and will now
be away for the next week.
Cheers,
Niall Palfreyman.
-----------------
From: "Gallagher, Michael" <Michael.Gallagher@oakland.k12.mi.us>
To: "'k-12sd'" <k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu>
Subject: ASP; software?
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2002
Hello,
I am newly employed at a service district that extends fiber to all their
school districts. I am interested in establishing ourselves as an ASP
(application service provider). What drives me is a desire to expose
teachers to highly interactive software that students would use to promote
high-level thinking and decision making.
I would like to offer a suite that included modeling software (or systems
software), database mining tools, image processors, things of that sort. The
idea is that this suite would be available over the web. Once the tools are
in place the Professional Development strategies can be employed, and
teachers will find themselves free of the logistical hurdles that commonly
thwart the integration of many good tools.
Because of the impending technical challenges and marketing tasks I would
initially like to steer towards free software.
Can this community recommend software that would be part of this suite?
Since Stella and ithink would require licenses, would Model-It be a suitable
starting point?
Mike
Mike Gallagher
Educational Technology Consultant
Oakland ISD
Phone: (248) 209-2234
Email:
----------------
From: TSBenson@aol.com
Date: Wed, 04 Sep 2002
To: k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu|k-12sd, k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu
Subject: Re: Wellman: action research
In response to Beth Wellman's post about action research:
As a part of the Waters Foundation K-12 efforts to integrate systems
thinking and dynamic modeling in schools, we have involved interested
teachers to participate in our collaborative action research effort
to begin to explore the student benefits of using systems thinking
and dynamic modeling in the classroom. We are beginning our third
year of collaborative action research and have had approximately 80
projects at 12 different school/district-based sites across the
country. Volunteer teachers from Waters Foundation sites who have had
experience using ST/DM in the classrooms were asked to formulate a
research question that is meaningful to them, measurable, and
significant to student learning objectives. At most sites, teachers
meet periodically in collaborative groups to share their research
questions, their instructional plans, their assessment methodology,
and results. The collaborative groups have sometimes included local
critical friends (e.g. university professors, subject area experts,
system dynamics folk, etc.) and fellow teacher researchers so that
converstions reflect insightful questioning, critique, idea-sharing
and support for research efforts.
At the CLE conference this past July, 35 volunteer action researchers
presented their work in a poster session format. Annually, teachers
who have chosen to participate in action research at Waters
Foundation sites have opportunities to share results with one
another. The CLE conference was one such opportunity.
The action research process was developed by Waters Foundation people
after an extensive search of action research literature, processes,
and models. We borrowed from the work of Emily Calhoun, Richard
Sagor, the National Staff Development Council (Caro-Bruce),
Altricher, Posch & Somekh (1993), Elliot (1991), Feldman & Atkin
(1995), Freeman (1998),
Mills (2000), and Oja & Smulyan (1989).
Over time, we hope to accumulate enough action research data in order
to surface substantial evidence supporting the benefits of ST/DM on
student learning. It is anticipated that by the end of this year, we
will have a draft of a document that will summarize our findings.
For information about the Waters Foundation K-12 Systems Thinking and
Dynamic Modeling project, please check-out the website www.
watersfoundation.org. If you have any further questions specifically
about our research, please contact Tracy Benson
-------------------
Date: Wed, 04 Sep 2002
Subject: Re: Stuntz: use of this list?
From: Eileen Riley <eriley@carlisle.mec.edu>
To: k-12sd
Sounds reasonable to me. Sharing information efficiently is a great thing!
Eileen Riley, Carlisle Public Schools
on 9/4/02 12:49 PM, k-12sd at k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu wrote:
Date: Wed, 04 Sep 2002
Subject: Question for all of you
From: Lees Stuntz <stuntzln@clexchange.org>
To: k 12sd <k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu>
I was having a conversation with Julie Turner at Pegasus Communications and
she asked me if it were appropriate for her to post a statement about their
conference this fall on the website. I thought I should not answer for
everyone on the list. In my opinion, this sort of information, if only done
once, is useful in case people missed it in other venues. What do you all
think??
I realize that I have used the listserve to remind people of the K-12
conference and K-12 activities, but do think that since we are about K-12,
that is appropriate. However, that is also up for discussion.
Take care,
Lees
Lees N. Stuntz
Creative Learning Exchange Phone- 978-287-0070
1 Keefe Road Fax- 978-287-0080
Acton, MA 01720 e-mail- stuntzln@clexchange.org
------------------
Date: Thu, 05 Sep 2002
To: k-12sd <k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu>
From: Bob Gorman <bgorman@kncell.org>
Subject: Re: Gallagher: ASP; software?
At 03:14 PM 9/5/2002, you wrote:
From: "Gallagher, Michael" <Michael.Gallagher@oakland.k12.mi.us>
To: "'k-12sd'" <k-12sd@sysdyn.mit.edu>
Subject: ASP; software?
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2002
Can this community recommend software that would be part of this suite?
Since Stella and ithink would require licenses, would Model-It be a suitable
starting point?
I searched the www but couldn't find this. I found an interesting ModelSim, but not :Model-It. Do you have a web site reference?
Bob
A mind once stretched, will never return to its original dimensions.