DEVELOPMENT OF SYSTEMS THINKING OF STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35433/pedagogy.1(116).2024.3

Keywords:

sustainable development, sustainable development competences, education for sustainable development, methods of developing systems thinking, higher education students, future teachers

Abstract

The study explores the problem of developing systems thinking as a key competence of sustainable development. The need for the development of systems thinking of citizens in solving the global problems of the modern world is substantiated, and the relevance of systematic and complex approaches in the implementation of the goals of sustainable development is analyzed.

A scientific review of the main approaches to defining the concept of "systems thinking" was conducted. In the context of the research problem, systems thinking is defined as the ability to analyze and understand the complex interrelationships among various aspects of the problem (ecological, social, economic), and the ability to develop strategies to achieve sustainable development of society.

The role of university education in the development of systems thinking of higher education students is considered. The technologies and methods of development of systems thinking of future teachers are determined and characterized. The analyzed elements were the role of the case method, project activities, problem-based learning, graphic games, and discussions in the formation of future teachers' ability to understand the complexity and dynamics of natural, social and economic systems, to perceive and recognize each object as a system, to identify its composition, structure and organization; the ability to reveal patterns in the development of interconnected components and establish internal and external links of systems; skills to design new systems taking into account the interrelationships between elements and the general principles of the system approach.

It was established that the indicator of the effectiveness of the use of these technologies is the development of systems thinking as a personal quality of students of higher education, as well as the forming of future teachers' ability to use these methods for the development of systems thinking in students. Observation of the educational process showed that the use of the suggested methods in working with students helps in developing of systems thinking, improves communication, stimulates activeness, promotes conducting constructive dialogues, emotional and behavioral flexibility during discussion and solving diverse issues in the interests of sustainable development of society.

The conclusions of the article will contribute to the support of initiatives aimed at increasing the level of systems thinking among young people in order to ensure the sustainable development of nations and global citizenship.

References

Arnold, R.D., & Wade, J.P. (2015). A definition of systems thinking: A systems approach. Procedia Comput. Sci., 44, 669-678. DOI: 10.1016/j.procs.2015.03.050 [in English].

Astaiza Martínez, A., Tafur Osorio, M., & Viasus Rodríguez, J. (2022). Tres estrategias de enseñanza para un curso de pensamiento sistémico: Experiencia de un laboratorio de aprendizaje y experimentación pedagógica. Rev. Estud. Exp. Educ., 21, 460-474. DOI: 10.21703/0718-5162.v21.n45.2022.024 [in English].

Brundiers, K., Barth, M., Cebrián, G., Cohen, M., Diaz, L., Doucette-Remington, S., ... & Zint, M. (2021). Key competencies in sustainability in higher education–toward an agreed-upon reference framework. Sustainability Science, 16, 13-29. DOI: 10.1007/s11625-020-00838-2 [in English].

Chaikovska, H.B., & Levchyk, I.Yu. (2022). Interdisciplinary integration of education for sustainable development into higher education institution (integrated ESP case study). Zhytomyr Ivan Franko State University Journal. Рedagogical Sciences, vol. 2 (109), 195-212. DOI: 10.35433/pedagogy.2(109).2022.195-211 [in English].

Chaikovska, H., Levchyk, I., Adamska, Z., & Yankovych, O. (2023). Formation of sustainable development competencies in Ukrainian English for specific purposes students. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. DOI: 10.1108/IJSHE-07-2023-0306 [in English].

Ekselsa, Ria, & Purwianingsih, Widi, & Anggraeni, Sri, & Wicaksono, Azizul. (2023). Developing system thinking skills through project-based learning loaded with education for sustainable development. JPBI (Jurnal Pendidikan Biologi Indonesia), 9, 62-73. DOI: 10.22219/jpbi.v9i1.24261 [in English].

Hofman-Bergholm, M. (2018). Could education for sustainable development benefit from a systems thinking approach?. Systems, 6(4), 43. DOI: 10.3390/systems6040043 [in English].

Hossain, NUI, Dayarathna, VL, Nagahi, M., & Jaradat, R. (2020). Systems thinking: A view and bibliometric analysis. Systems, 8 (3), 23. DOI: 10.3390/systems8030023 [in English].

Kordova, S.K., Frank, M., & Miller, A.N. (2018). Systems Thinking Education-Seeing the Forest through the Trees. Systems, 6, 29. DOI: 10.3390/systems6030029 [in English].

Molderez, I., & Ceulemans, K. (2018). The power of art to foster systems thinking, one of the key competencies of education for sustainable development. Journal of Cleaner Production, 186, 758-770. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.03.120 [in English].

Ndaruhutse, S., Jones, C., & Riggall, A. (2019). Why systems thinking is important for the education sector’. Educational Development Trust. Retrieved from: https://www.educationdevelopmenttrust.com/EducationDevelopmentTrust/files/17/17fec588-e413-461b-a107-78b6569304cc.pdf [in English].

Nguyen, N.C., Graham, D., Ross, H., Maani, K., & Bosch, O. (2012). Educating systems thinking for sustainability: Experience with a developing country. Syst. Res. Behav. Sci., 29, 14-29. DOI: 10.1002/sres.1097 [in English].

Palmberg, I., Hofman-Bergholm, M., Jeronen, E., & Yli-Panula, E. (2017). Systems Thinking for Understanding Sustainability? Nordic Student Teachers’ Views on the Relationship between Species Identification Biodiversity and Sustainable Development. Education Sciences, 7 (3). DOI: 10.3390/educsci7030072 [in English].

Prabawani, B., Hadi, S.P., Zen, I.S., Hapsari, N.R., & Ainuddin, I. (2022). Systems Thinking and Leadership of Teachers in Education for Sustainable Development: A Scale Development. Sustainability, 14, 3151. DOI:10.3390/su14063151 [in English].

Schuler, S., Fanta, D., Rosenkraenzer, F., & Riess, W. (2018). Systems thinking within the scope of education for sustainable development (ESD) – a heuristic competence model as a basis for (science) teacher education. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 42(2), 192-204. DOI: 10.1080/03098265.2017.1339264 [in English].

Stave, K.A., & Hopper, M. (2007). What Constitutes Systems Thinking? A Proposed Taxonomy. In Proceedings of the 25th International Conference of the System Dynamics Society. Boston, MA, USA, 29 July – 3 August 2007, vol. 29 [in English].

Vázquez-Parra, J.C., Castillo-Martínez, I.M., Ramírez-Montoya, M.S., & Millán, A. (2022). Development of the Perception of Achievement of Complex Thinking: A Disciplinary Approach in a Latin American Student Population. Educ. Sci., 12, 289. DOI: 10.3390/educsci12050289 [in English].

Verhoeff, R.P., Knippels, M.C.P, Gilissen, M.G., & Boersma, K.T. (2018). The theoretical nature of systems thinking. Perspectives on systems thinking in biology education. Frontiers Education, 3 (40). DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2018.00040 [in English].

Williams, A., Kennedy, S., Philipp, F., & Whiteman, G. (2017). Systems thinking: A review of sustainability management research. Journal of Cleaner Production, 148, 866-881. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.02.002 [in English].

Downloads

Published

2024-03-30