SIG: Designing Educational Systems

We invite abstracts for papers that take a systems approach to the design of educational systems. In your submission take into account the effect the proposed design has on all the relevant members and parts of the system. We appreciate theoretical papers that are supplemented with practical examples and practical papers that are grounded in systems theory.  We encourage visuals and figures. Mappings, causal loops, and other graphics are valuable systems methods for describing complexity.  Bela Banathy, in his book Systems design of education (1991, p. 149). provides the following elaboration. 

“Systemic Change is based on a systems view of an organization, and it is guided by the principle that any change in a part of the system affects the whole system, and change in the whole affects all of its parts. Second, the system is more than the sum of its parts, more by the interaction among the parts and the emergent effects produced by the interaction. Third, change occurs by purposeful design. Fourth, a systemic change—even the smallest one—is contemplated in view of the relationship between the system and its environment.

“Piecemeal Change allows tinkering with or changing parts in an effort to improve the system. Change is not “mapped” into the whole system. Changing parts happens without consideration of the effect on the relationships that operate among parts and between the system and its environment. On account of the “non-systemic” nature of piecemeal change, change is usually short-lived because it was not accomplished with the involvement of other parts and lacks their cooperation.”

The 21st century, both its technology and global pandemic, provides even greater challenges, complexity and opportunities in the design of educational systems. More than ever, we need to find systemic solutions --whatever the context and geographical location-- an elementary or secondary classroom, a university, the workplace and in the community, both face to face and online, for educating our youth and for life-long learning. We need to be wary of piece-meal solutions, where unintended consequences alienate and oppress system members. We need to find and create systemic designs that engage and emancipate system members.

 

Finally, the vision of the Special Integration Group for the Design of Educational Systems Systems is to create mechanisms and opportunities to take systems theories, concepts and tools that are created by research experts out of the academic circles and make it available to EVERYONE in society, regardless of background or area of interest, into practice where it can make a difference to the lives of people and contribute to sustaining a thrive-able planet.

In your abstract, you are welcome to use a format suitable for your topic. A simple four-part format we find helpful is contained in the acronym

 

BIRC: 

B-  Background: What is your context?  Be as specific as possible. 

I-   Issue: What issue or topic are you addressing?

R- Resolution: How do you propose solving the problem or issue?

C- Consequences. What results, implications and limitations does your solution have?

Susan Gabriele