Psychological and Ecological Perspectives on the Development of Systems Thinking

Systems thinking is a valuable educational goal because it can enrich the lives of learners in ways that will be meaningful to them as they tackle all manner of complex problems, not solely because it is good for society to have citizens who can think systemically. Based on analyses of systems thinking expertise, we proposed that becoming a competent systems thinker requires more than the types of knowledge and skills that schools explicitly foster. We have tried to broaden what “understanding” urban ecosystems means to include not only academic knowledge, but also identity development and capacities for mindful action and ongoing learning. We suggested that developing these capacities can be facilitated by immersion in challenging, real-world problem contexts; exposure to systems analysis language, tools, and procedures; and internalization of a multidimensional framework that can be used as a basis for reflection on one’s own development as a systems thinker.We seek a conception of systems thinking that applies to everyday thinking, learning, and acting in one’s local environment. Refining this vision and creating practical applications of it will continue to challenge us as educators and researchers to eschew linear and compartmentalized thinking about the multiple components of student’s development in favor of a systems view of thinking and learning.