Systems Thinking Skills Research Articles

The Effect of Problem Based Learning STEM (PBL STEM) on Students' Systems Thinking Skills on Global Warming Material

The Effect of Problem Based Learning STEM (PBL STEM) on Students' Systems Thinking Skills on Global Warming Material

Developing systems thinking to address climate change

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the presence of systems thinking after an educational proposal on climate sustainability based on reflection and video creation. To evaluate this competency, an evaluation rubric was constructed. Design/methodology/approach This research is a case study with a mixed approach. It was carried out with 82 future teachers of Primary Education, making content analysis of the videos made. For the design of the rubric, a specific review of the literature was conducted. Findings The results showed that trainee teachers can identify, relate and understand interconnected processes, but have difficulties in thinking temporally or in understanding the hidden dimensions of the system. The results reveal how the development of systems thinking in the Climate Change framework is a complex learning process. The rubric created allowed us to systematize the evaluation by making it possible to assess the subskills involved. Originality/value To improve the development of systemic thinking, using real data linked to the consequences of this problem and ICT applications that foster an approximation to future realities is suggested. In addition, conscious and fair decision-making should be promoted on the basis of a transformative education that favors this thinking in interaction with other key competences in sustainability. The innovative rubric allows the evaluation of systemic thinking skills for the study of climate change, conceptualized from the interrelationships of the natural, social and economic dimensions and from its implications for life, on different geographical and temporal levels.

Development of STEM Integrated Flipped Classroom Learning Program to Improve Students' Systems Thinking Skills

This research develops a Flipped Classroom integrated with STEM with the ADDIE model to improve systems thinking skills. The research subjects were 31 students at Al Kautsar Middle School in Bandar Lampung. At the beginning of the research, it was found that 70% of teachers had not used the flipped classroom, 65% had not integrated STEM, 73% had not understood systems thinking skills which was carried out on 30 teachers, and performance analysis was carried out on 60 students, with the results of 72% learning traditionally, 73% had not integrated STEM and the average value of systems thinking skills is 40. Validators stated that the development instrument was valid with values of 92.12 and 92.52% when limited testing was carried out. Assessment of learning implementation was 89% and assessment of student performance was 88%. The program is effective in improving systems thinking skills in terms of an N-Gain of 0.58 and an effect size of 0.22 in the medium category. Effectiveness is supported by practicality 88%, positive teacher response 88%, and positive student response 81% with very high criteria. The research results concluded that the STEM-integrated flipped classroom program was effective and practical in improving systems thinking skills.

A Multi-dimensional Index of Evaluating Systems Thinking Skills from Textual Data

A Multi-dimensional Index of Evaluating Systems Thinking Skills from Textual Data

Exploring the relevance of sustainability values and principles - impact of International Social Education (ISE) in a local context

This article explores the relevance of sustainability in international social education (ISE). Our empirical data is based on a survey of social work students from Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Sweden. Theoretically, we draw on Bronfenbrenner’s theory of social ecosystems and Dewey’s emphasis on democratic learning. We use a qualitative approach based on Strauss’ Grounded Theory, which allows us to dig deep into the meanings of the students thematic reflections. The students experienced that learning in an international context is learning with all senses, is a “24/7 learning”, and is learning in another language (at least most of the time). The results of our survey underline that acquiring knowledge in an international context contributes to a comprehensive understanding of social work as a profession and to the formation of a broad and professional identity. This includes a wide range of critical and systemic thinking skills that enable enquiry, integration and holistic thinking, i.e. sustainability.

Individual sustainability competence development in engineering education: Community interaction open-source learning.

This empirical research creates and assesses a community interaction open-source learning framework. The framework established an efficient open-source learning environment for engineering courses to develop undergraduates' sustainability competencies. The teaching practice of the framework was designed into three stages: course preparation, theory lecture, and project practice. In the teaching practice, community interaction elements were embedded, including community/student two-way selection, systemic teaching and difficulty discussion, expert/student negotiation on teaching forms, teacher/expert coordination on teaching contents, and expert/student two-way feedback on schedules. The interaction elements between students, teachers, and experts enhanced the effectiveness of open-source learning in engineering courses. The experimental results showed that the students exhibited a positive attitude and high participation in the learning procedure and reported a sense of achievement in the project practice. The open-source learning framework significantly improved systemic thinking, conceptual understanding, interdisciplinary collaboration and professional skills. It enhanced students' key sustainability competencies and laid the foundation for them to become expertise-based innovators and open-source community contributors.

Implementation of Leadership Strategy to Realize the Transformation Digital towards Smart Military University

The digitalization process towards a smart university requires adequate leadership support. The research objective is to analyze the implementation of leadership strategy to realize Digital transformation towards a smart military university (SmU). The mix method exploratory sequential design approach was chosen based on the uniqueness of the leadership style which is rich with a variety of approaches due to situational demands and cultural development. Qualitative data collection was carried out by in-depth interviews. Research participants consist of strategic decision makers, and academic staff who are involved in the digital transformation process. The collected data was analyzed using content analysis techniques to identify the main themes in relation to the smart military university. Quantitative analysis based on the results of path analysis to support qualitative findings involving 128 random respondents. The results of this study indicate that the implementation of an effective leadership strategy has an important role in realizing digital transformation towards a Smart Military University. Various situational challenges are key factors in the implementation of various leaderships to optimize their effectiveness. It can be concluded that the military leadership approach is combined with transformational to inspire and motivate change. A complexity leadership approach that focuses on recognizing that digital transformation processes tend to be unpredictable and complex, helping institutions and individuals to adapt, more flexibility, encouraging collaboration, and systemic thinking skills. The practical implication of this research is the importance of developing collaborative and transformational leadership among military leaders to face challenges and opportunities in the digital era.

Systems Thinking Skills and the ICT Self-Concept in Preschool Teachers for Sustainable Curriculum Transformation

The importance of early learning is even greater today if we are to prepare children for the 21st century by developing several lifelong competencies. With the advent of digitalization, some educators already integrate information communication technology (ICT) into early childhood, whereas others also have concerns about early implementation. However, the introduction of digital competencies from the perspective of systems thinking among preservice and in-service preschool teachers has not yet been demonstrated. The purpose of this study is to identify preschool teachers’ systems thinking skills and their ICT self-concept and to develop a pathway model for developing an ICT self-concept for sustainable and digital preschool education using systems thinking. An empirical research design with advanced statistical analysis and structural equation modeling was used. The sample consists of 172 preschool teachers. The results showed small differences between the preservice and in-service preschool teachers in the areas of “sequence of events” and “communication” in favor of preservice preschool teachers. Regardless of the group of preschool teachers, systems thinking develops self-concept in relation to ICT equally. The pathway diagram shows that “understanding the relationships between patterns” is the strongest predictor of the ICT self-concept, that only perceiving and understanding the inter-relationships of factors influence problem solving, and that understanding variations of different types (random/specific) and causal sequences alone has predictive power for “process and store” in the context of the ICT self-concept. The developed model will help educators, researchers, and curriculum designers to improve preschool education practices and transform the curriculum in a sustainable way.

EXPLORING LOWER-SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ SYSTEMS THINKING PERFORMANCE IN ECOLOGICAL ISSUES

Exploring students’ systems thinking (ST) is essential in enhancing science learning, but existing studies have failed to understand students’ ST fully as it relates to ecological issues. This study aimed to fill the aforementioned literature gap by exploring lower-secondary school students’ ST regarding ecological issues. The Systems Thinking Test regarding Ecological Issues, which measures four ST skills (system organisation, behaviour, application, and evaluation), was administered to 1,092 lower-secondary school students. The results reveal low ST performance in ecological issues, with students finding it particularly difficult to identify interactions among components and understand system characteristics. Furthermore, most lacked reflective consciousness and consideration of the diverse dimensions of ecological issues, resulting in monocausal reasoning in system decision-making and evaluation. Comparatively, urban school students performed better than their rural counterparts; additionally, an item-level analysis revealed that climate warming was challenging for the students to understand. This study suggests that greater efforts should be made to address students’ drawbacks and that multi-perspectival teaching is necessary in the context of ecological issues. The addition of system decision-making and evaluation in assessments can enable a broader understanding of ST. Keywords: environment education, lower-secondary school, partial credit model, sustainable development, systems thinking

Developing system thinking skills in education students by means of cognitive mapping strategy

Introduction. The article is devoted to the problem of developing Education undergraduates’ system thinking skills through cognitive mapping. The purpose of the article is to identify the specifics of the development of system thinking skills in Education undergraduates by means of cognitive mapping strategy. Materials and Methods. The study follows competence-based, systemic and activity-based approaches to teaching Education students. The authors used a set of theoretical (analysis, synthesis, reviewing scholarly publications) and empirical methods. The empirical research was conducted as a formative teaching experiment (action research). The empirical data were analyzed and summarized. The sample consisted of 186 Education students (State University of Education, Tambov State University named after G. R. Derzhavin). In order to verify the research findings, the authors developed and used a system thinking skills scale and A. V. Panova and M. A. Fedorova’s system thinking assessment inventory. In order to assess system thinking skills, the authors selected a set of criteria based on the analysis of R. A. Excelsa, G. K. Semiz and G. Teksoz’s studies. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to determine the reliability of the reported statistics and the accuracy of the results. Results. Based on the analysis of theoretical studies and successful educational practices, the authors clarified the concept of developing the skills of systemic thinking in Education students, identified the specifics of this process on the basis of a formative experiment on the implementation of cognitive mapping strategy (setting the goal; choosing a topic for mapping; collecting information; preparing materials; definition of key terms; creation of the first level of the cognitive map; adding additional levels; analysis and evaluation; preparation for use; editing and updating). Summarizing theoretical and empirical data, the authors developed and justified diagnostic tools for measuring students’ system thinking skills (role levels include pre-aware; developing; developer and master), and identified the level of system thinking skills in future teachers. The study has proved the effectiveness of the purposeful development of system thinking skills in Education students by means of cognitive mapping strategy. Conclusions. The article concludes about the effectiveness of developing systemic thinking skills in Education students through cognitive mapping strategy. Research findings on the level students’ system thinking skills are summarized.

Exploring the Potential of a Serious Game Framework in Developing Systems-Thinking Skills.

Effective decision-making within veterinary practice demands a comprehensive understanding of interconnected animal, public, and environmental health systems. To foster systems thinking, participatory modeling and serious games are gaining prominence. Serious games combine play, instruction, and problem-based learning to facilitate skill acquisition. This study investigates the potential of a multiplayer serious game framework as a participatory method to cultivate systems thinking skills in a Master of Veterinary Medicine program. The research focuses on the Territory Game, designed to encourage engagement and creativity, assessing its role in fostering systems thinking among veterinary students. Integrated into a master's course, the game immerses students in complex decision-making scenarios, aiding their navigation of real-world intricacies. Qualitative analysis of discussions and responses provides insights. Results indicate that serious game-based learning within a participatory structure enhances participants' grasp of decision-making complexities. The game's simulated environment promotes a broader perspective and consideration of diverse factors in choices. Additionally, the game framework exhibits potential to enhance group participation, autonomy, time management, and inclusivity for reserved individuals. However, the study acknowledges that teaching methods like participatory modeling might not universally fit all contexts and could require instructor support. The framework's effectiveness is influenced by educational constraints, engagement levels, learning styles, and expertise. Nonetheless, the Territory Game framework shows promise in deepening understanding of complex veterinary decisions and fostering critical systems thinking skills essential for effective decision-making. Future research should explore its adaptability, scalability, and long-term impact across diverse educational settings.

Systems-thinking skills preferences evaluation model of practitioners using hybrid weight determination and extended VIKOR model under COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes in the working environment which shifted the type of systems thinking skills needed for practitioners. These changes include the utilization of a digitalized work environment. To reliably assess practitioners' systems thinking (ST) skills/abilities in a digitalized environment, such as the case of COVID-19, we propose an evaluation approach based on the hybrid weight determination and extended VIKOR model to assess the systems skills of practitioners concerning 7-dimensions of systems thinking. The proposed methodology consists of three phases: the first phase uses a rough set theory to process the assessment data of candidates' systems thinking skills, the ideal interval references of seven systems thinking skills criteria (7-dimension) of practitioners required by an organization is extracted. The second phase is to build a comprehensive weight solution model based on BWM (best-worst method) and entropy weight method (EWM) and analyze the employer's needs under each systems thinking skills dimension. The third phase is to build a new group utility index based on the weight and digital reference and form an extended Vlsekriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (E-VIKOR) model to complete the prioritization of practitioners' systems thinking skillset. A case study containing 108 practitioners is conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed decision-making model and carry out sensitivity analysis and methods comparison. The results show that the proposed model provides more reliable and robust results for selecting the most appropriate practitioner for the required digitalized job requirements.

Improvement of System Thinking Skills on Excretory System Subject

Background: System thinking skills are a learning process that improves system thinking or systematic thinking in students. The purpose of this study was to determine the increase in Systems Thinking Skills (KBS) by using the Guided Inquiry Learning Model on Human Excretion System Material for class XII MIPA students in a school in Subang. Methods: This research method uses quantitative research with a quasy experimental design. Results: The results of the analysis of the increase or N-gain obtained by system thinking skills (KBS) using the guided inquiry model show that there are five categories of high system thinking skills (KBS) indicators, namely the fourth indicator analyzes disorders of the excretory system organs of 0.5472, and the indicator that the lowest, namely the second indicator examines the four functions of the excretory system of 0.0220. Conclusion: Thus it can be concluded that there is a positive influence of the Guided Inquiry Learning Model on Systems Thinking Skills (KBS) in Excretion System Material for Class XI MIPA Students in Subang Regency. Keywords : Guided Inquiry; Systems Thinking Skills; Learning model

Data Analytics for HR Students: Using RapidMiner to Develop Systems Thinking Skills

Data Analytics for HR Students: Using RapidMiner to Develop Systems Thinking Skills

Identifying Chemistry Students' Baseline Systems Thinking Skills When Constructing System Maps for a Topic on Climate Change.

New resources have recently been emerging for educators to implement systems thinking (ST) in chemistry education, including a proposed set of ST skills. While these efforts aim to make ST implementation easier, little is known about how to assess these skills in a chemistry context. In this study, we investigated ST skills employed by students who constructed system maps of a topic related to climate change. Eighteen undergraduate chemistry students from first- to third-year participated in this study. We designed and implemented a ST intervention to capture how students engaged with three ST tasks, performed individually and collaboratively. In our analysis, we focused on 11 ST skills that aligned with five characteristics proposed in a recent study. We found that participants demonstrated most of these ST skills when engaging with the ST tasks, with nuances. Participants' system maps: (1) lacked concepts and connections at the submicroscopic level, (2) included multiple types of connections but few circular loops and causal connections, (3) lacked causal reasoning, although participants did predict how their system maps changed over time, (4) demonstrated the breadth of connections but did not describe human connections to the underlying chemistry of climate change topics. These findings identify aspects of ST where chemistry educators need to place emphasis when teaching ST skills to chemistry students and when guiding learning activities and other assessments. Using our findings, we created an adaptable ST rubric for the chemistry community as a tool for assessing ST skills.

To be or not to be a systems thinker: Do professional characteristics influence how students acquire systems-thinking skills?

The increased need for systems thinking has also created a growing need to detect systems thinkers. Systems thinkers grasp a system as one whole made up of interacting elements. They determine what affects the system by applying their ability to identify and understand the interrelationships between the system’s components and their impact on each other and on the system as a whole. This article investigates the factors influencing a person’s inclination to become a systems thinker. Four different groups had the same systems-thinking learning process. The four groups: working engineering students, full-time engineering students, social workers, and technological college faculty members differ in employment, professional skills, degree of familiarity with their working environment, and position in the organizational hierarchy. The participants completed a questionnaire to assess their systems-thinking capabilities before and after the learning process The questionnaire detected changes in their systems-thinking abilities following this learning and highlighted differences between the groups. The results show that various systems thinking aspects changed in each group following the learning process in a way linked with its different characteristics. Knowing that the diverse characteristics of different groups influence their ability to become systems thinkers enables designing systems thinking training programs adjusted to the characteristics of various groups.

Development of Systems and Futures Thinking Skills by Primary Pre-service Teachers for Addressing Epidemics

Science educators highlight the importance of developing systems thinking (ST) and futures thinking (FT) for students to make decisions and to be active citizens that address socioscientific problems. The dimensions related to FT take in this study were three implied in ST and two in the appropriation of the future. The aim of this study is to analyse the level of FT-related dimensions developed by a group of pre-service elementary teachers and how far different activities designed to foster them were effective. Written explanations presented by the participants about the origin of pandemics and possible ways to prevent them, as well as videos developed by small groups with the goal to present a campaign for avoiding future pandemics, were analysed. Based on the literature, five dimensions and up to four levels of performances were identified. After completing the activities, participants were able to relate the three spheres of the “One Health” notion to explain the causes of pandemics. Moreover, they established complex cause-effect relationships between the different factors, although they only constructed monocausal relationships when proposing measures. Participants improved their performance in anticipating the future and identifying themselves as agents of change. The elaboration of concept maps facilitated the development of components and behaviour ST dimensions, and the design of the campaign allowed participants to identify themselves as agents of change. The use of these strategies in science education can contribute to the development of a citizenry capable of understanding and acting on systems.

Contemporary Hybrid Laboratory Pedagogy: Construction of a Simple Spectrophotometer with STEM Project-Based Learning to Introduce Systems Thinking Skills

Hands-on laboratory activities are a vital aspect of chemistry education that can help students strengthen their understanding of chemistry’s core concepts and applications. Nevertheless, during the COVID-19 pandemic, students and teachers could not access laboratories. Thus, innovative pedagogical approaches are required to meet these challenges. The current study, therefore, examines the use of contemporary hybrid laboratory pedagogy to construct a simple spectrophotometer by implementing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) project-based learning to introduce systems thinking skills and measure the effectiveness of improving attitude. A quantitative approach, with one group pre-post design, was employed in this study. The subjects were 33 chemistry students from a state university in Bandung, Indonesia. A simple Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) was chosen as the topic of an engineering project given to students. The project was implemented over fourteen meetings designed in a hybrid laboratory activity. The students’ worksheets, questionnaires on students’ attitudes toward systems thinking skills, and a questionnaire on student attitudes toward STEM-project-based learning were used as research instruments. Additionally, interviews with selected students further supported the quantitative data. Following the intervention, a RASCH: racking and stacking analysis revealed that two of the eight systems thinking skills indicators showed noticeable results. Other results uncovered that the student-made simple AAS had an accuracy of 95.3% compared to commercial AAS. This study also demonstrated that students had a negative attitude toward implementing STEM project-based learning. In contrast, students’ attitudes towards systems thinking skills indicated positive results. Challenges and opportunities for further research are also discussed in this paper.

Teaching using systemic thinking skills and its impact on the attitude towards mathematics among female students in the fourth scientific grade

هدفت هذه الدراسة إلى معرفة أثر التدريس بأستخدام مهارات التفكير المنظومي في الاتجاه نحو مادة الرياضيات لدى طالبات الصف الرابع العلمي ، تكونت عينة الدراسة من (54)طالبة وزعت على شعبتين متكافئتين تمَ تخصيصها عشوائياً على مجموعة تجريبية درست على وفق مهارات التفكير المنظومي ومجموعة ضابطة درست على وفق الطريقة الاعتيادية, وتم بناء مقياس الاتجاه نحو الرياضيات على غرار مقياس ليكرت الثلاثي وتكون من ((30 فقرة وقد تمَ التحقق من صدقه وثباته وتمَ استخدام صيغة الاختبار (t-test) لعينتين مستقلتين لمعالجة البيانات وبينت نتيجة الدراسة : وجود فرق ذا دلالة إحصائية عند مستوى دلالة (0.05)

Characterizing Undergraduate Students’ Systems-Thinking Skills through Agent-Based Modeling Simulation

Systems thinking is an essential skill for the future workforce. This study focuses on understanding students’ systems-thinking process via an agent-based model simulation. This study aimed to help students to improve their systems-thinking skills. We used a systems-thinking skills development framework to investigate and characterize students’ agent-based simulation assignment in the undergraduate level systems-methods course at a university in the American Midwest. We identified and characterized patterns of students’ systems-thinking processes based on four criteria: thinking, decision making, action, and interpretation. We classified students into three categories based on their systems-thinking abilities and qualitatively identified the least and most prominent patterns the students exhibited.