Assessing the Pre-Service Science and Mathematics Teachers’ Systems Thinking Skills through Case Scenarios

Yıl 2024, , 375 - 403, 27.12.2024

Gaye Defne Ceyhan , Ulku Seher Budak , Busra Karga

https://doi.org/10.17522/balikesirnef.1511926

Öz

Addressing complex global problems requires more comprehensive and holistic approaches that highlight the necessity of systems thinking skills; however, existing studies indicate a significant gap in understanding the systems thinking skills of pre-service teachers, emphasizing the need for further research in this area. This exploratory case study research explored the systems thinking skills of pre-service science and mathematics teachers through scenario-based assessments. Three case scenario examples focused on a specific aspect of systems thinking: stock-flow, causal-loop, and dynamic thinking. The participants of this study were 14 pre-service teachers taking a systems thinking course at the teacher education program of a public research university. The data were coded using the Systems Thinking Rubric and the Dynamic Thinking Skills Rubric. The results revealed that participants made notable improvements in dynamic thinking. However, fewer participants exhibited growth in stock-flow thinking comparing the participants’ disciplines, the results showed that pre-service science teachers demonstrated greater advancements in systems thinking skills than their mathematics counterparts. This exploratory research offers insights into assessing systems thinking skills in pre-service teachers. Integrating a systems thinking approach into teacher training programs could enhance teachers' preparedness to comprehend complex issues. Further studies employing systems thinking practices in teacher training programs could elucidate the optimal development of systems thinking among aspiring teachers. Therefore, this research demonstrates the potential of systems thinking to enrich pre-service teacher education.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Pre-service teachers, systems thinking assessment, systems thinking skills, teacher learning

Etik Beyan

Approval to conduct the research was received from the Human Research Ethics Committee of Bogazici University (E-84391427-050.01.04-132885).

Fen ve Matematik Öğretmen Adaylarının Sistem Düşüncesi Becerilerinin Vaka Senaryoları Aracılığıyla Değerlendirilmesi

Öz

Karmaşık küresel sorunların ele alınması, sistem düşüncesi becerilerinin gerekliliğini vurgulayan daha kapsamlı ve bütüncül yaklaşımlar gerektirmektedir; ancak mevcut çalışmalar, öğretmen adaylarının sistem düşüncesi becerilerini anlamada önemli bir boşluk olduğunu göstermekte ve bu alanda daha fazla araştırma yapılması gerektiğini vurgulamaktadır. Bu keşifsel vaka çalışması araştırması, fen ve matematik öğretmen adaylarının sistem düşüncesi becerilerini senaryo tabanlı değerlendirmeler yoluyla araştırmıştır. Üç vaka senaryo örneği, sistem düşüncesinin belirli bir yönüne odaklanmıştır: stok akış, nedensel döngü ve dinamik düşünme. Bu çalışmanın katılımcıları, bir devlet araştırma üniversitesinin öğretmen eğitimi programında sistem düşüncesi dersi alan 14 öğretmen adayıdır. Veriler Sistem Düşüncesi Rubriği ve Dinamik Düşünme Becerileri Rubriği kullanılarak kodlanmıştır. Analizler, dinamik düşünme becerilerinde gelişmeler olduğunu göstermiş, ancak daha az sayıda katılımcı stok akışı düşünme konusunda gelişme göstermiştir. Fen ve matematik disiplinleri karşılaştırıldığında, fen bilgisi öğretmen adaylarının sistem odaklı düşünme becerilerinde matematik öğretmen adaylarına göre daha fazla ilerleme kaydettikleri görülmüştür. Bu ön araştırma, eğitimcilerde sistem düşüncesinin değerlendirilmesi ve geliştirilmesine yönelik içgörüler sunmaktadır. Sistem düşüncesi yaklaşımının öğretmen eğitimi programlarına entegre edilmesinin, öğretmenleri karmaşık sorunlarla etkili bir şekilde başa çıkmaya daha iyi hazırlayabileceğini öne sürmektedir. Öğretim yöntemlerinin kullanıldığı daha ileri çalışmalar, öğretmen adayları arasında sistem düşüncesi gelişiminin optimize edilmesine ışık tutabilir. Özünde bu araştırma, sistem düşüncesinin öğretmen eğitimini zenginleştirme potansiyelinin altını çizmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Öğretmen adayları, sistem düşüncesi becerisinin ölçülmesi, sistem düşüncesi becerileri, öğretmen öğrenmesi

Kaynakça

• Arnold, R. D., & Wade, J. P. (2015). A definition of systems thinking: A systems approach. Procedia Computer Science, 44, 669-678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2015.03.050.
• Aşık, G., & Doğanca Küçük, Z. (2021). Metacognition in action as a possible explanation for stock‐flow failure. System Dynamics Review, 37(4), 253-282. https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.1692
• Ateskan, A., & Lane, J. F. (2018). Assessing teachers’ systems thinking skills during a professional development program in Turkey. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172, 4348-4356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.05.094
• Bartus, G. A., & Fisher, F. T. (2016). Barriers and opportunities to the acquisition of systems thinking skills for k-12 teachers. Proceedings of ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, New York, 50571, V005T06A045. https://doi.org/10.1115/IMECE2016-67146
• Batzri, O., Ben-Zvi Assaraf, O., Cohen, C. & Orion, N. (2015). Understanding the earth systems: Expressions of dynamic and cyclic thinking among university students. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 24, 761-775. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-015-9562-8
• Ben-Zvi Assaraf, O., & Orion, N. (2005). Development of system thinking skills in the context of earth system education. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 42(5), 518-560. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20061
• Ben-Zvi Assaraf, O., & Orion, N. (2010). System thinking skills at the elementary school level. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 47(5), 540-563. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20351
• Ben-Zvi Assaraf, O., Dodick, J., & Tripto, J. (2013). High school students’ understanding of the human body system. Research in Science Education, 43, 33-56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-011-9245-2
• Bielik, T., Delen, I., Krell, M., & Assaraf, O. B. Z. (2023). Characterising the literature on the teaching and learning of system thinking and complexity in STEM education: A bibliometric analysis and research synthesis. Journal for STEM Education Research, 6(2), 1-33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41979-023-00087-9
• Boubonari, T., Papazoglou, D. N., Mogias, A., & Kevrekidis, T. (2023). Challenging Greek primary students’ knowledge of ocean acidification using the carbon cycle context. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 22, 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-023-10431-5
• Budak, U. S., & Ceyhan G. D. (2024). Research trends on systems thinking approach in science education. International Journal of Science Education, 46(5), 485-502. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2023.2245106
• Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2019). Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson Education. https://books.google.com.tr/books/about/Applied_Behavior_Analysis.html?id=Yi4YygEACAAJ&redir_esc=y
• Daniel, S., & Mazzurco, A. (2020). Development of a scenario-based instrument to assess co-design expertise in humanitarian engineering. European Journal of Engineering Education, 45(5), 654-674. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2019.1704689
• Davis, K., Ghaffarzadegan, N., Grohs, J., Grote, D., Hosseinichimeh, N., Knight, D., Mahmoudi, H., & Triantis, K. (2020). The Lake Urmia vignette: A tool to assess understanding of complexity in socio-environmental systems. System Dynamics Review, 36(2), 191-222. https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.1659
• Delaney, S., Ferguson, J. P., & Schultz, M. (2021). Exploring opportunities to incorporate systems thinking into secondary and tertiary chemistry education through practitioner perspectives. International Journal of Science Education, 43(16), 2618-2639. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2021.1980631
• Doganca Kucuk, Z., & Saysel, A. K. (2018). Developing seventh grade students’ understanding of complex environmental problems with systems tools and representations: a quasi-experimental study. Research in Science Education, 48, 491-514. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-017-9620-8
• Dorani, K., A. Mortazavi, A. Dehdarian, H. Mahmoudi, M. Khandan and A. N. Mashayekhi. (2015). Developing question sets to assess systems thinking skills, in Proceedings of the 33rd International Conference of the System Dynamics Society, Cambridge, MA, USA, pp. 19-23. https://proceedings.systemdynamics.org/2015/papers/P1120.pdf
• Eaton, A. C., Delaney, S., & Schultz, M. (2019). Situating sustainable development within secondary chemistry education via systems thinking: A depth study approach. Journal of Chemical Education, 96(12), 2968-2974. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00266
• Eidin, E., Bielik, T., Touitou, I., Bowers, J., McIntyre, C., Damelin, D., & Krajcik, J. (2023). Correction to: Thinking in terms of change over time: Opportunities and challenges of using system dynamics models. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 22, 1-28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-023-10071-y
• Elsawah, S., Ho, A. T. L., & Ryan, M. J. (2022). Teaching systems thinking in higher education. INFORMS Transactions on Education, 22(2), 66-102. https://doi.org/10.1287/ited.2021.0248
• Evagorou, M., Korfiatis, K., Nicolaou, C., & Constantinou, C. (2009). An investigation of the potential of interactive simulations for developing system thinking skills in elementary school: A case study with fifth‐graders and sixth‐graders. International Journal of Science Education, 31(5), 655-674. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500690701749313
• Fisher, D. M. & Systems Thinking Association. (2023). Systems thinking activities used in K-12 for up to two decades, Frontiers in Education, 8, pp.1059733. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1059733
• Forrester, J. W. (1994). System dynamics, systems thinking, and soft OR. System Dynamics Review. 10(2–3), 245–256. https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.4260100211
• Forrester, J. (2007). System dynamics - A personal view of the first fifty years. System Dynamics Review, 23, 245–358. https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.382
• Gay, L. R., Mills, G. E., & Airasian, P. W. (2012). Educational research: Competencies for analysis and applications (10th ed). Pearson. https://www.google.com.tr/books/edition/Educational_Research/J5eJVwEACAAJ?hl=tr
• Hmelo‐Silver, C. E., & Pfeffer, M. G. (2004). Comparing expert and novice understanding of a complex system from the perspective of structures, behaviors, and functions. Cognitive Science, 28(1), 127-138. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0364-0213(03)00065-X
• Hmelo-Silver, C. E., Marathe, S., & Liu, L. (2007). Fish swim, rocks sit, and lungs breathe: Expert-novice understanding of complex systems. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 16(3), 307-331. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508400701413401
• Hopper, M., & Stave, K. A. (2008). Assessing the effectiveness of systems thinking interventions in the classroom. In The 26th International Conference of the System Dynamics Society, (pp. 1-26). Athens, Greece. https://proceedings.systemdynamics.org/2008/proceed/papers/STAVE390.pdf
• Jordan, R. C., Hmelo-Silver, C., Liu, L., & Gray, S. A. (2013). Fostering reasoning about complex systems: Using the aquarium to teach systems thinking. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 12(1), 55-64. https://doi.org/10.1080/1533015x.2013.797860.
• Kali, Y., Orion, N., & Eylon, B. S. (2003). Effect of knowledge integration activities on students' perception of the Earth's crust as a cyclic system. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40(6), 545-565. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.10096
• Karaarslan Semiz, G., & Teksoz, G. (2020). Developing the systems thinking skills of pre-service science teachers through an outdoor ESD course. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 20(4), 337-356. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2019.1686038
• Karaarslan Semiz, G., & Teksöz, G. (2024). Tracing system thinking skills in science curricula: A case study from Turkey. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 22(3), 515-536. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-023-10383-w
• Karga, B., & Ceyhan, G. D. (2024). Investigating middle school science teachers’ stock-flow, causal-loop, and dynamic thinking skills with scenario-based questions. International Journal of Science Education, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2024.2404546
• Kriswandani, C. S. D., Irawati, S., & Hidayanto, E. (2022). Systemic thinking processes of preservice teachers with systematic cognitive style in solving complex problems. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 2706-2730. https://mail.journalppw.com/index.php/jpsp/article/view/6477
• Lavi, R., & Dori, Y. J. (2019). Systems thinking of pre-and in-service science and engineering teachers. International Journal of Science Education, 41(2), 248-279. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2018.1548788
• Lee, T. D., Gail Jones, M., & Chesnutt, K. (2019). Teaching systems thinking in the context of the water cycle. Research in Science Education, 49, 137-172. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-017-9613-7.
• Mambrey, S., Timm, J., Landskron, J. J., & Schmiemann, P. (2020). The impact of system specifics on systems thinking. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 57(10), 1632-1651. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21649
• Meadows, D. H. (2008). Thinking in systems: A primer. Chelsea Green Publishing. https://www.google.com.tr/books/edition/Thinking_in_Systems/CpbLAgAAQBAJ?hl=tr&gbpv=0
• Mehren, R., Rempfler, A., Buchholz, J., Hartig, J., & Ulrich‐Riedhammer, E. M. (2018). System competence modelling: Theoretical foundation and empirical validation of a model involving natural, social and human‐environment systems. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 55(5), 685-711. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21436.
• Meilinda, M., Rustaman, N. F., Firman, H., & Tjasyono, B. (2018). Development and validation of the climate change system thinking instrument (CCSTI) for measuring system thinking on climate change content. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1013(1), 012046. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1013/1/012046
• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States, National Academies Press. https://www.nextgenscience.org/
• Nuhoğlu, H. (2010). The effect of the system dynamics approach on understanding causal relationship skills in science education. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 3614-3618. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.561
• 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), 72. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci7030072
• Peretz, R., Tal, M., Akiri, E., Dori, D., & Dori, Y. J. (2023). Fostering engineering and science students’ and teachers’ systems thinking and conceptual modeling skills. Instructional Science, 51(3), 509-543. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-023-09625-9
• Perkins, D. N., & Grotzer, T. A. (2000). Models and moves: Focusing on dimensions of causal complexity to achieve deeper scientific understanding, (pp.24-28). Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED441698
• Plate, R. (2010). Assessing individuals' understanding of nonlinear causal structures in complex systems. System Dynamics Review, 26(1), 19-33. https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.432
• Plate, R., & Monroe, M. (2014). A structure for assessing systems thinking. The Creative Learning Exchange, 23(1), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.432
• Richmond, B. (1993). Systems thinking: critical thinking skills for the 1990s and beyond. System Dynamics Review, 9(2), 113-133. https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.4260090203.
• Riess, W., & Mischo, C. (2010). Promoting systems thinking through biology lessons. International Journal of Science Education, 32(6), 705-725. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500690902769946
• Rosenkränzer, F., Hörsch, C., Schuler, S., & Riess, W. (2017). Student teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge for teaching systems thinking: Effects of different interventions. International Journal of Science Education, 39(14), 1932–1951. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2017.1362603.
• Salado, A., Chowdhury, A. H., & Norton, A. (2019). Systems thinking and mathematical problem solving. School Science and Mathematics, 119(1), 49-58. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssm.12312
• Senge, P. M. (1990). The Fifth Discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. Crown. https://www.google.com.tr/books/edition/The_Fifth_Discipline/5jCLbnlmEuYC?hl=tr
• Sommer, C., & Lücken, M. (2010). System competence – Are elementary students able to deal with a biological system?. Nordic Studies in Science Education, 6, 125–143. https://doi.org/10.5617/nordina.255
• Stave, K., & Hopper, M. (2007). What constitutes systems thinking? A proposed taxonomy. In 25th International Conference of the System Dynamics Society. Boston, MA. http://static.clexchange.org/ftp/conference/CLE_2010/CO2010-06Session5MeasureST.pdf
• Sweeney, L. B., & Sterman, J. D. (2000). Bathtub dynamics: Initial results of a systems thinking inventory. System Dynamics Review, 16(4), 249-286. https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.198
• Sweeney, L., & Sterman, J. D. (2007). Thinking about systems: Student and teacher conceptions of natural and social systems. System Dynamics Review, 23, 285–312. https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.366
• Taylor, S., Calvo-Amodio, J., & Well, J. (2020). A method for measuring systems thinking learning. Systems, 8(2), 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems8020011
• Tripto, J., Assaraf, O. B. Z., & Amit, M. (2018). Recurring patterns in the development of high school biology students’ system thinking over time. Instructional Science, 46, 639-680. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-018-9447-3
• Uskola, A., & Puig, B. (2022). Exploring primary preservice teachers’ agency and systems thinking in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Education,7, p. 869643. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.869643
• Yoon, S. A., Anderson, E., Koehler-Yom, J., Evans, C., Park, M., Sheldon, J., Schoenfeld, I., Wendel, D., Scheintaub, H., & Klopfer, E. (2017). Teaching about complex systems is no simple matter: Building effective professional development for computer-supported complex systems instruction. Instructional Science, 45(1), 99–121. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-016-9388-7.
• Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (4th ed.). Sage. https://www.google.com.tr/books/edition/Case_Study_Research/FzawIAdilHkC?hl=tr&gbpv=0
• York, S., Lavi, R., Dori, Y. J., & Orgill, M. (2019). Applications of systems thinking in STEM education. Journal of Chemical Education, 96(12), 2742-2751. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00261