BEYOND CAUSE-AND-EFFECT: TEACHING STUDENTS TO THINK IN SYSTEMS

Many grand societal challenges including access to drinking water and resilience to natural hazards require knowledge of Earth Science. Such challenges also require more than standard cause-and-effect approaches because they involve the complex interaction of natural and human systems in ways that are often counter-intuitive and non-linear. To prepare students to address such complexity, we need to give them experience using the tools of systems thinking. In particular, the experience of designing and running models can help students see systems holistically. Several freely available systems visualization tools make semi-quantitative modeling accessible on a smartphone, tablet, or computer. In this presentation, I introduce systems thinking concepts and engage audience participants in a method of jump-starting their students’ learning about systems in the context of Earth Science and sustainability using interactive visualization. We will also address assessment and practice using two methods to measure students’ learning about systems.