Taking apart or Putting together? Systemic teaching-learning in Education for Sustainable...
Transcript of Taking apart or Putting together? Systemic teaching-learning in Education for Sustainable...
Taking apart Taking apart or or
Putting together?Putting together?
Systemic teaching-learning in Systemic teaching-learning in
Education for Sustainable Education for Sustainable EnvironmentsEnvironments
(EfSE)(EfSE)
Prof Hugo van Rooyen (University of Johannesburg)Prof Hugo van Rooyen (University of Johannesburg)
Conceptualising ‘the environment’ Conceptualising ‘the environment’ as a system-of-systemsas a system-of-systems
The ‘environment’ as a multi-The ‘environment’ as a multi-dimensional system-of-systemsdimensional system-of-systems
Teachers should enable learners to Teachers should enable learners to comprehend the environment as:comprehend the environment as: a highly dynamic macro system-of-systemsa highly dynamic macro system-of-systems consisting of the different interrelated, consisting of the different interrelated,
interdependent, interacting and interdependent, interacting and interpenetrating dimensions as sub-systems interpenetrating dimensions as sub-systems in own rightin own right
where the importance of each dimension or where the importance of each dimension or component of a system or sub-system is tied component of a system or sub-system is tied to its relationship to the wholeto its relationship to the whole
Effective EfSE entails…Effective EfSE entails…
Learning experiences …Learning experiences …
emphasizing and utilising the multidimensional and emphasizing and utilising the multidimensional and
systemic nature of the environment systemic nature of the environment
built on the premise that the environment is built on the premise that the environment is
characterized by characterized by complexitycomplexity
moulded into a systems-based teaching-learning moulded into a systems-based teaching-learning
strategystrategy
aimed at functioning on higher cognitive levelsaimed at functioning on higher cognitive levels
What is ‘systems thinking’?What is ‘systems thinking’?
dynamic thinkingdynamic thinking
closed-loop-thinkingclosed-loop-thinking
generic thinkinggeneric thinking
structural thinkingstructural thinking
operational thinkingoperational thinking
open-ended learningopen-ended learning
scientific thinkingscientific thinking (Richmond, 1993)(Richmond, 1993)
As well as:As well as:
thinking in modelsthinking in models
interrelated thinkinginterrelated thinking
dynamic thinkingdynamic thinking
steering systemssteering systems (Ossimitz, 1996)(Ossimitz, 1996)
From traditional thinking From traditional thinking toto
systems thinking in EfSE systems thinking in EfSE Learners’ mental activity Learners’ mental activity
in traditional thinkingin traditional thinking
Employing reductionism & Employing reductionism & boxed thinking boxed thinking
(analysis & categorisation, linear (analysis & categorisation, linear & mechanistic approaches)& mechanistic approaches)
Questions of substanceQuestions of substance What is the nature / characteristics of What is the nature / characteristics of
this?this?
How does it work?How does it work?
Getting answersGetting answers
Tendency towards lower Tendency towards lower cognitive levels cognitive levels (Bloom)(Bloom)
Learners’ mental activity in Learners’ mental activity in
systems thinkingsystems thinking
Employing ecologism, holism & Employing ecologism, holism & systemic thinking systemic thinking
(comprehensiveness, looking at (comprehensiveness, looking at contexts and relationships)contexts and relationships)
Questions of relationQuestions of relation How does this relate to… / contribute to… / How does this relate to… / contribute to… /
interact with…?interact with…?
What might this lead to…?What might this lead to…?
Developing / revising arguments Developing / revising arguments & explanations& explanations
Tendency towards higher Tendency towards higher cognitive levels cognitive levels (Bloom)(Bloom)
BLOOM’S REVISED TAXONOMY
Creating Generating new ideas, products, or ways of viewing things
Designing, constructing, planning, producing, inventing.
Evaluating Justifying a decision or course of action
Checking, hypothesising, critiquing, experimenting, judging
Analysing Breaking information into parts to explore understandings and relationships
Comparing, organising, deconstructing, interrogating, finding
Applying Using information in another familiar situation Implementing, carrying out, using, executing
Understanding Explaining ideas or concepts
Interpreting, summarising, paraphrasing, classifying, explaining
Remembering Recalling information
Recognising, listing, describing, retrieving, naming, finding
Conceptualising ‘the environment’Conceptualising ‘the environment’
A teaching-learning strategy for A teaching-learning strategy for EfSEEfSE
Implications of heuristic, issue-Implications of heuristic, issue-based & systemic teaching strategybased & systemic teaching strategy
Exploration of real-life issues and integration of Exploration of real-life issues and integration of the underlying (individual and collective) the underlying (individual and collective) complexities thereofcomplexities thereof
Learning working towards learners’ holistic, Learning working towards learners’ holistic, systemic, integrative perception, conception and systemic, integrative perception, conception and practice regarding the issuepractice regarding the issue
NOT learners learning NOT learners learning aboutabout problem-solving; problem-solving; RATHER: learners RATHER: learners being involved inbeing involved in problem- problem-solving solving [ [ ‘Hands-on / Minds-on’‘Hands-on / Minds-on’ ] ]
Learning is open-endedLearning is open-ended Learning on Bloom’s higher cognitive levelsLearning on Bloom’s higher cognitive levels
[ [ ‘Analysing’, ‘Evaluation’, ‘Creating’‘Analysing’, ‘Evaluation’, ‘Creating’ ] ]
Learners’ thinking changes…Learners’ thinking changes…
from parts to wholes…from parts to wholes…
from objects to relationships…from objects to relationships…
from objective knowledge to contextual from objective knowledge to contextual
knowledge…knowledge…
from quantity to quality…from quantity to quality…
from structure to process…from structure to process…
from contents to pattern…from contents to pattern…
How do we need to think; what do How do we need to think; what do we need to know; what do we have we need to know; what do we have
to do? to do? EfSE needs to establish in learners a shift EfSE needs to establish in learners a shift
towards…towards… perceptionperception which is more expanded and which is more expanded and
inclusiveinclusive understanding & insightunderstanding & insight which is more which is more
holistic / connective / interpenetrativeholistic / connective / interpenetrative behaviour & practicebehaviour & practice which is more which is more
integrativeintegrative
(Stirling, 2007)(Stirling, 2007)
Taking apart … Taking apart … or or
Putting together …???Putting together …???
Effective heuristic, issue-based & systemic Effective heuristic, issue-based & systemic teaching-learning requires…teaching-learning requires…
‘‘Content’Content’ ( (fromfrom Real-life issues Real-life issues and/orand/or Scenarios) Scenarios)
Learning content = ‘content-in-context’ Learning content = ‘content-in-context’ Heuristic Analysis [ ‘taking apart’ ] Heuristic Analysis [ ‘taking apart’ ] forms theforms the foundation foundation for Systemic learning [ ‘putting for Systemic learning [ ‘putting together’ ] within the together’ ] within the particular contextparticular context
ANSWER: FUNCTIONAL SYMBIOSIS ANSWER: FUNCTIONAL SYMBIOSIS
betweenbetween
‘‘TAKING APART’ and ‘PUTTING TOGETHER’TAKING APART’ and ‘PUTTING TOGETHER’
I thank you!I thank you!
Prof Hugo van Rooyen (University of Johannesburg)Prof Hugo van Rooyen (University of Johannesburg)
hugovr@uj ac.zahugovr@uj ac.za