Assessing systems thinking skills in two undergraduate sustainability courses: a comparison of teaching strategies
Assessing systems thinking skills in two undergraduate sustainability courses: a comparison of teaching strategies
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评估两门本科可持续发展课程的系统思维技能：教学策略的比较
DOI：
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发表时间：
2012
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
C. Armstrong
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
K. Connell;S. Remington;C. Armstrong
本研究的目的是确定系统思维技能的发展本科生和评估两种不同的教学方法，以提高这些技能的有效性。来自两所四年制州立大学的本科生参加了这项研究，一所位于美国中西部地区（n=20），一所位于西南地区（n=16）。为达成研究目的，本研究采被试间-被试内混合实验。采用两种不同的系统思维教学干预，一组学生暴露于一次性干预，而另一组暴露于更广泛和全面的干预。数据在两个时间点收集：干预前和干预后。在一个学期的开始（干预前）和结束（干预后），学生阅读案例研究描述服装公司的可持续发展努力。然后，学生们的任务是确定可持续发展的挑战，分析挑战之间的冲突，并提供业务建议。使用一个标题，作者在0到5的范围内对学生的反应进行评分，并评估了1）整体思考和2）感知相互关系和解决由此产生的冲突的能力。t检验显示，在教学干预之前，作为一个整体，学生们拥有与他们系统思考能力相关的简单技能。方差分析表明，通过注重系统思维的教学方法，有可能提高学生的系统思维能力。此外，研究表明，与有限制的一次性干预相比，长期、全面和综合的方法在鼓励学生的系统思维能力方面更有效。本研究的结果支持教育工作者需要整合教学方法，旨在提高学生的系统思维能力，在整个课程整体课程。此外，该研究概述了一种可转移的方法来评估系统的思维能力在中学后教育。
The purpose of this study was to determine systems thinking skill development among undergraduate students and assess the effectiveness of two different instructional methods for increasing these skills. Undergraduate students from two four-year state institutions, one located in the Midwestern region (n=20) of the United States and one in the Southwestern region (n=16) participated in the study. To accomplish the research object, the study employed a mixed between-within subjects experiment. Employing two different systems thinking teaching interventions, one group of students was exposed to a one-time intervention while the other group was exposed to a more extended and holistic intervention. Data were collected at two points in time: preand post-intervention. At the beginning (pre-intervention) and end (postintervention) of one semester, students read case studies describing apparel firms’ sustainability efforts. The students were then tasked to identify sustainability challenges, analyze conflicts between challenges, and offer business recommendations. Using a rubric, the authors scored the students’ responses on a scale of 0 to 5 and assessed ability to 1) think holistically and 2) perceive interrelationships and resolve resulting conflicts. T-tests revealed that prior to the teaching interventions, as a whole, the students had unsophisticated skills related to their ability to think in systems. ANOVA revealed that, through instructional methods focused on systems thinking, it is possible to increase students’ ability to think in systems. Additionally, the study revealed that, compared to a constrained one-time intervention, a long-term, holistic, and integrated approach is significantly more effective in encouraging students’ system thinking competencies. Results of this study support the need for educators to integrate teaching methods designed to increase students’ systems thinking competencies holistically throughout course curriculum. Additionally, the study outlines a transferrable approach to assessing systems thinking skills within postsecondary education.