SYSTEMS THINKING

Presented by:

~Nadja Cajic
~Laura Marroquin

EDTC 5639 WI 1 FA 2 2014

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Agenda
~Definition of Systems Thinking

~History of Systems Thinking

~Systems Thinking in the Classroom

~Conclusion

~References
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~Definition of Systems Thinking

Systems Thinking is a form of analysis

that looks at how parts of a system
interact with the system as a whole to
produce the outcome or behavior of the
system.
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~Systems Thinking cont

Circular Causal Effect - Everything is connected to

everything else. There is no linear causal effect.
Every part of the system has an effect on the
outcome.

http://www.thwink.org/sustain/glossary/EventOrientedThinking.htm
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~System Thinking Examples

The following slides are examples of how

Systems Thinking can be used in a wide
range of topics.
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~System Thinking Examples

Pest Problem
A farmer noticed that a certain type of bugs were
eating and damaging his crops. In order to get
rid of the bugs he bought a pesticide to kill all of
them. If he killed the bugs then his crops will no
longer be ruined. Seems like the simplest
solution.
No more
Kills Bugs damaged crops
Pesticide Dead Bugs Healthy Crops

Linear Way of Thinking

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Pest Problem Cont

Once the farmer had killed off all the bugs he

noticed that a new type of bugs had started eating
his crops and they were doing much worse
damage than the other ones before. He almost
lost all his crops to those bugs that summer. The
farmer failed to see how the first bugs interacted
with the environment as a whole and what effect
they had on it. Had he used systems thinking he
would have seen the interaction the first bugs had
in the environment and found a different solution.
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Pest Problem Cont

# of Other Insects
Circular Causal Controlling Population
Way of Thinking of Other Insects

Number of Pesticide
Targeted Bugs

Total Crop
Damage
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Urban Planning
Urban Planning involves a lot of systems thinking.
Each street, highway, building, etc. will have an
effect and will be effected by the entire outcome in
the end.

http://www.indiweb.in/category/career/
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Our Own Bodies

Our own bodies are
a great example of
systems thinking.
We can learn how
even the smallest
part can influence
the entire system
and cause significant
differences in the
behavior and output
of the whole system.
http://www.watersfoundation.org/webed/mod1/mod1-3-1
.html
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~History of Systems Thinking

The suave man you see below you and to the right is
Austrian native Ludvig Van Burtalanffny. He was a biologist
and the biggest founder of Systems Theory or at the time
General Systems Theory aka GST.

By studying organisms and their

growth, he concluded that there
was a type of system involved
with their metabolism and
reproduction. What made them
healthy or unhealthy as a whole?
The outlook being organizations
as a whole working together.
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~History of Systems Thinking cont

In 1954, he was part of an initiative called Society for the Advancement of
General Systems Theory now called Society for General System Research.
Bertalanffy along with other professionals in similar scientific fields joined to
fulfill this mission statement from the groups ByLaws

The overall purpose of the ISSS is to promote the development of conceptual

frameworks based on general system theory, as well as their
implementation in practice. It further seeks to encourage research and
facilitate communication between and among scientists and professionals
from various disciplines and professions at local, regional, national, and
international levels.
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~History of Systems Thinking cont

According to Alexander Laszlo and Stanley Krippner (1997),
Bertalanffy first introduced his GST idea at a lecture in 1937 at
the University of Chicago (p. 5.)

This is how Bertalanffy defines his theory

(1) There is a general tendency toward integration in the various sciences,
natural and social.

(2) Such integration seems to be centered in a general theory of systems.

(3) Such theory may be an important means for aiming at exact theory in the
nonphysical fields of science.

(4) Developing unifying principles running "vertically" through the universe of

the individual sciences, this theory brings us nearer the goal of the unity of
science.

(5) This can lead to a much-needed integration in scientific education. (Von

Bertalanffy, 1968, p. 38.)
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~Systems Thinking in the Classroom

Systems thinkinginvolves shifting

attention
from the parts to the whole,
from objects to relationships,
from structures to processes,
from hierarchies to networks,
The following
from the rational to the intuitive, slides have
examples of some
from analysis to synthesis, Systems Thinking
in the classroom
from linear to non-linear thinking
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~Systems Thinking in the Classroom

Example 1
1. Ask the students to
thumb wrestle one
another for a minute

2. 1,2,3,4 I declare a
thumb war

3. Tell them the goal is

to get the most pins

http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/the-world-thumb-
wrestling-champion/51faeba478c90a12cb000513
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~Systems Thinking in the Classroom

Example 1 Cont
Typical Way of Systems Thinking:
Thinking:
Goal was to produce the most
Most people would pins
think the goal was to Therefore use the elements
pin and win (thumbs) in the system (thumb
Everygame needs a wrestling) to produce the goal
winner, right? (most pins)
This means the students
wouldnt waste time actually
wrestling. They would take turns
pinning one another as fast as
they could to produce the most
amount of pins
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~Systems Thinking in the Classroom

Example 1 Cont

The thumb wrestling examples introduces students to

Systems Thinking by providing them an easy example
of how everything is a system and has parts that
produce that systems products. Being able to use the
parts can enhance the systems production. Having
preconceived notions can influence ones actions and
hinder their ability to use systems thinking.
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~Systems Thinking in the Classroom Cont

Systems Thinking makes students get out of

their usual way of thinking and step outside their
thinking patterns, models, and habits.

This makes many students uncomfortable at

first.

Getting them to break their physical habits will

get them to retain more information since
theyre using more senses
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~Systems Thinking in the Classroom

Example 2
Cross their arms in the
opposite direction of how
they usually cross them
Fold their hands in the
opposite direction
Walk up the stairs
starting with the opposite
leg
high five with the
opposite arm
Try to write their name
with their other hand http://www.buzzle.com/articles/inherited-traits-in-
humans.html
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~Systems Thinking in the Classroom

cont
According to The Waters Foundation, there are lists 13
habits that System Thinkers have. You can find more
ideas on how systems thinking can be incorporated
into the classroom with the link below.

A few of the habits that system thinkers have include

Short term and long term thinking
Recognizing unintended consequences
Identifying the circular cause and effect relationships
Looking at things from different angles and perspectives

http://watersfoundation.org/
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~Systems Thinking in the Classroom

cont

Everything is a system. Its much easier to apply

Systems Thinking to subjects dealing with science a
math. The ladder of inference can be a tool used in
English or Social Studies classes to help students see
circular cause and effect and see how systems
thinking can work in those subjects.
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~Systems Thinking in the Classroom

Example 3
Ladder of Inference
Helps students understand how they and
others come to the conclusions that they
come to.

Italso helps them understand how they

are influenced by their environment and
vice versa.

Student can use the ladder of reference to

analyze characters in literature or history

Theladder is easy to do. Just follow the

rungs up the ladder.
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~Systems Thinking in the Classroom Cont

This picture also

explains what each
rung on the ladder
represents and that
our beliefs effect what
data we select each
time and our data
effects our beliefs and
actions. This teaches
the students how
circular cause and
effect in systems
thinking works.
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~Systems Thinking in the Classroom

Example 4
Fixes that Fail
The students are given a problem and
a solution to that problem

Instead of the solution solving the

problem the solution creates an
unintended consequence that
reinforces the problem or makes it
worse.

This activity helps students think from

a different perspective and see any
unintended consequences from
potential solutions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_archet
ype
Thisis a major part of systems
thinking.
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~Systems Thinking in the Classroom Cont

Many global and foreign affairs can fit nicely

into the Fix and Fail model. Being able to see
problems and solutions from a different
perspective and predict unintended
consequences is a great skill that many
students will need in their future. The more
people we have with those skills will hopefully
reduce the amount of global and foreign fix and
fail problems.
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~Conclusion: Fun with Graphics

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~Conclusion: Fun with Graphics

This is a little cartoon that sums up why systems thinking is

important. Its important to see that the parts make up the
whole and each part has an effect on the entire system.

http://systemsview.wordpress.com/2010/06/28/
4/
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References
Aronson, D. Targeted innovation: Using systems thinking to increase the benefits of innovation efforts.

Innovative Leader, 6 (2).

Aronson, D. (1998). Overview of systems thinking. http://www.thinking.net/

Checkland, P. (1999). Systems Thinking. In W. L. Currie & B. Galliers (Eds.), Rethinking

management information systems. Retrieved November 14, 2014, from

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=QJJE-

p5LdG4C&oi=fnd&pg=PA45&dq=history+of+Systems+Thinking&ots=Wn3pqoELWy&sig=5nJH_

U1wKLuD5dUWkHjOVlu9q5g#v=onepage&q=history%20of%20Systems%20Thinking&f=false
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Educational Implications and Activities. (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2014, from

http://piaget.weebly.com/educational-implications--activities.html

[International Society for Systems Scientists]. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2014, from

http://systemdynamics.org/newsletters/2012-06jun/12-06newsltr.html

International Society for the Systems Sciences. (2007, September 11). Retrieved November 14,

2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Society_for_the_Systems_Sciences#History

International Society for the Systems Sciences. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2014, from

http://isss.org/world/administration/bylaws

Kotelnikov, V. (n.d.). [Systems Thinking Poster]. Retrieved November 15, 2014, from

http://www.1000ventures.com/design_elements/selfmade/thinking_systems_6x4.png
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Laszlo, A., & Krippner, S. (1998). 3. In J. S. Jordan (Ed.), System theories and a priori aspects of

perception. Advances in psychology (Vol. 126, pp. 47-74). Elsevier Science & Technology.

[Ludvig Van Bertalanffy]. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/40702#

Ludwig von Bertalanffy. (2002, July 25). Retrieved November 14, 2014, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_von_Bertalanffy

MCLeod, S. A. (2009). Jean Piaget. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from

http://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html

Senge, P. (1990) The Fifth Discipline: the art and practice of the learning organisation. London, Century Business

What You Should Know About Systems Thinking. (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2014,

from http://asiasociety.org/what-you-should-know-about-systems-thinking