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This paper presents the development of an instrument for the assessment of system competence in the field of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Based on an already existing, more complex model of system competence for the school subject geography, [the authors] have developed a test that refers to central themes and principles of ESD using exclusively closed answer formats. Building on the results of cognitive laboratories and expert feedback from various fields, the instrument was (further) developed in an iterative process of feedback and revision. [The authors] conducted a quantitative pilot study with N = 366 8th and 9th grade students. The results indicate that the development of our system competence test was successful - the overall test yielded a high reliability and only very few items were not working as intended. Furthermore, the difficulties of the items were appropriate for the ability levels of the students and the results of a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) suggest that the newly developed test measures system competence with one dimension. As the test is compact, easy to interpret, and yet reliable, it is particularly suitable for monitoring purposes in the field of ESD. (Orig.).

The current socio-ecological challenges and phenomena that are major topics of geography education, like climate change and migration, are highly complex. Maturity in these contexts requires a networked way of thinking, and a systemic competence that is difficult to develop in geography classes alone. Digital games that simulate complex systems which include the pressing issues of today’s challenges may be a useful supplement to foster systems thinking. In this study, we develop a framework to assess the complexity of in-game systems. A subsequent analysis of a selection of current commercial strategy and simulation games shows how system complexity is designed differently in the various games. Based on these results, we make recommendations for the selection and use of different games in formal and informal learning contexts. (Orig.).

The current socio-ecological challenges and phenomena that are major topics of geography education, like climate change and migration, are highly complex. Maturity in these contexts requires a networked way of thinking, and a systemic competence that is difficult to develop in geography classes alone. Digital games that simulate complex systems which include the pressing issues of today's challenges may be a useful supplement to foster systems thinking. In this study, [the authors] develop a framework to assess the complexity of in-game systems. A subsequent analysis of a selection of current commercial strategy and simulation games shows how system complexity is designed differently in the various games. Based on these results, [the authors] make recommendations for the selection and use of different games in formal and informal learning contexts. (Orig.).

Research has shown a fragmented understanding of climate change among students that hardly accounts for the dynamic interrelations in the climate system and may pose a barrier in understanding adaptation and mitigation strategies (Shepardson et al., 2017, 2011, Calmbach 2016). While much is known the impact of short-term interventions on the general system understanding of students, what is lacking to date is 1) a specific intervention on climate system understanding and 2) insights into the process of developing system understanding in students. Helpful insights in this context come from Conceptual Development theories for they allow the development of systemic thinking to be viewed in terms of conceptual expansion or conceptual change. Starting from these desiderates, a teaching-learning sequence was developed based on the SYSDENE model of system competence (Frischknecht et al. 2008). In the sequence young learners systematically link experiences from formal science education with the experiences at three non-formal learning environments. A mixed-methods approach was used to explore the impact of this 3-month sequence on 19 7th grade students. A written pre-/post-test suggested a significant improvement in Climate System Reconstruction for the group (pre-test Median = 6.75 vs. post-test Median = 12.5, Wilcoxon Test: p = .003, r = .82). However, a qualitative analysis of classroom conversations, interviews and concept maps indicated that cognitive development toward a higher level of system thinking was neither continuous nor did every student reach it. Moreover, the SYSDENE model's Competence Area \"Describe System Model\" proves critical. Being able to describe the main climate system factors is not sufficient, one also needs to be able to distinct weather from climate and grasp several scientific concepts related to the climate (e.g. greenhouse effect, water cycle, evaporation, reflection) in order to understand climate as a system. (DIPF/Orig.) Der Beitrag ist Teil einer größeren Studie zur Entwicklung von Systemdenken in Bezug auf das Klima bei Gesamtschüler:innen der Jahrgangsstufe 7. Wie die Forschung zeigt, weisen Schüler:innen ein fragmentiertes Verständnis des Klimawandels auf, das dynamische Zusammenhänge im Klimasystem kaum berücksichtigt und insofern ein Hindernis für das Verständnis von Anpassungs- und Minderungsstrategien darstellt (Shepardson et al., 2017, 2011, Calmbach 2016). Davon ausgehend wurde eine auf dem SYSDENE-Modell der Systemkompetenz basierende Lehr-Lern-Sequenz zum Klimasystem entwickelt (Frischknecht et al. 2008). In der Sequenz verknüpfen junge Lernende systematisch Erfahrungen aus dem formalen naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht mit den Erfahrungen in drei non-formalen Lernumgebungen. Mit einem Mixed-Method-Ansatz wurden die Auswirkungen dieser dreimonatigen Sequenz auf 19 Schülerinnen und Schüler der siebten Klasse untersucht. Ein schriftlicher Prä-/Posttest deutete auf eine signifikante Verbesserung in der Rekonstruktion von Klima als komplexes System hin (Median Prä = 6,75, Median Post = 12,5, Wilcoxon-Test: p = .003, r = .82). Eine qualitative Analyse der Klassengespräche, Interviews und Concept Maps zeigte jedoch, dass die kognitive Entwicklung hin zu einer höheren Ebene des Systemischen Denkens weder kontinuierlich verlief, noch von allen Schülern realisiert werden konnte. Darüber hinaus erweist sich der grundlegende Kompetenzbereich \"Modell Beschreiben\" des SYSDENE-Modells als kritisch. Es genügt hierbei nicht, die wichtigsten Faktoren des Klimasystems beschreiben zu können, Lernende müssen auch in der Lage sein, Wetter und Klima voneinander zu unterscheiden und verschiedene wissenschaftliche Konzepte im Zusammenhang mit dem Klima (z. B. Treibhauseffekt, Wasserkreislauf, Verdunstung, Reflexion) zu verstehen und anzuwenden. (Autorin)

This article examines the impact of applied metacognition on the development of geographical causal structures by students in the geography classroom. For that, three different metacognitive strategies were designed: a. action plan, activating meta-knowledge prior to problem-solving and simultaneously visualizing action steps for dealing with the task (A); b. circular thinking (C), a loop-like, question-guided procedure applied during the problem-solving process that supports and controls content-related and linguistic cognition processes; c. reflexion (R), aiming at evaluating the effectivity and efficiency of applied problem-solving heuristics after the problem-solving process and developing strategies for dealing with future tasks. These strategies were statistically tested and assessed as to their effectiveness on the development of complex geographical causal structures via a quasi-experimental pre-posttest design. It can be shown that metacognitive strategies strongly affect students’ creation of causal structures, which depict a multitude of elements and relations at a high degree of interconnectedness, thus enabling a contentually and linguistically coherent representation of system-specific properties of the human-environment system. On the basis of the discussion of the results, it will be demonstrated that metacognitive strategies can provide a significant contribution to initiating systemic thinking-competences and what the implications might be on planning and teaching geography lessons. (Orig.).

The intention of this article is to invite readers to explore and understand how literature reviews can be conducted from a systemic and dialogical approach. After reading a paper by Montuori (2005), I considered how literature reviews could be situated systemically whereby connections and relatedness between people and ideas are identified. This opened up possibilities for me that were transformative, re-positioning a process that I had previously seen as positivist, to one which is connected to a systemic position (Barge, 2006). In this article, I discuss how I conduct literature reviews from a systemic position; each text speaking to the others as in conversation, identifying themes, connections and generating new knowledge. The concept of texts 'speaking' to each other lends itself to a dialogical approach. I will discuss how the systemic, dialogical and ethical considerations should be made.

Wir alle werden in eine bestimmte Kultur hineingeboren, in eine bestimmte Sprache, in bestimmte Denk-, Verhaltens- und Handlungsmuster, die nicht wir selbst erfinden, sondern die uns vorgegeben werden und in die wir durch einen Sozialisationsprozess hineinwachsen. Auch wenn heute durch die fortschreitende Globalisierung die ursprünglichen Herkunftskulturen immer weiter zurückgedrängt werden und einer Internationalisierung und Nivellierung weichen, lassen sich die jeweiligen Herkunftskulturen nicht gänzlich leugnen. Welche Rolle sie spielen, auch welche Schwierigkeiten sie bereiten, zeigt der cross-race-Effekt, die für das Leben erforderliche Gruppenzugehörigkeit. Das vorliegende Buch macht sich zur Aufgabe, grundkategoriale Differenzen der diversen Kulturen aufzuzeigen: Parataxe, Hypotaxe und Vernetzung, die in allen Bereichen der Sprache, Wissenschaft, Kunst, Jurisprudenz, Zeit- und Geschichtsauffassung wiederkehren. Die parataktische Struktur wird anhand der altvorderorientalischen Kultur demonstriert, die hypotaktisch-hierarchische anhand der abendländischen und die vernetzte anhand der modernen globalen.

'Fifth Discipline' is one of the very few approaches to management that has attained position on the International Hall of Fame. Professor Flood's book explains and critiques the ideas in straight forward terms. This book makes significant and fundamental improvements to the core discipline - systemic thinking. It establishes crucial developments in systemic thinking in the context of the learning organisation, including creativity and organisational transformation. It is therefore a very important text for strategic planners, organisational change agents and consultants.The main features of the book include:* a review and critique of 'Fifth Discipline' and systemic thinking* an introduction to the gurus of systemic thinking - Senge, Bertalanffy, Beer, Ackoff, Checkland, and Churchman*a redefinition of management through systemic thinking*a guide to choosing, implementing and evaluating improvement strategies*Practical illustrations.Robert Flood is a renowned and authoritative expert in the field of management. He has implemented systemic management in a wide range of organisations in many continents and lectured by invitation in 25 countries, including Japan and the USA. Professor Flood has featured on many radio and TV programs. His book Beyond TQM was nominated for the 'IMC Management Book of the Year 1993'.