DEVELOPMENT OF SYSTEM THINKING SKILLS FROM K-12 IN CONTEXT OF EARTH SYSTEMS

This study is a compilation of three independent studies which explored the development of system thinking abilities among Israeli students from K-12 in the context of earth systems curriculum. The sample population included 40 elementary students (4^th grade), 70 junior high-school students (8^th grade) and 31 earth science major students. The sample represents a similar population in terms of socioeconomic level and school learning background. All studies used a mixed approach that combined qualitative and quantitative methods, a pre/post design and in between a detailed investigation of the learning process. The data collection was based on a similar battery of 10 different research tools. All three studies presented a similar pattern of hierarchic graded pyramid of system thinking skills, presenting the following stages of cognitive skills: (a) Analysis stage - the ability to analyze a system to components and to processes. (b) Synthesis stage - the abilities to identify simple relationships, to present a system as network of variables and processes and a cyclic perception of a system. (c) Environmentally based problem solving stage - the abilities to identify patterns within a system, to generalize from one system to another system, and think about a system within a time dimension forwardly (prediction) and retrospectively. The findings show that in contrast to traditional science learning, an inquiry based earth systems curriculum that includes lab, outdoors and knowledge integration activities might have a meaningful contribution to students’ progression in system thinking. This study suggests that the elementary school curriculum should focus on the first levels of the system thinking pyramid. Students who reach junior high school with basic system thinking abilities could reach at least the second level of synthesis and then reach the higher level of problem solving in high school.