Systems Change Education Catalog: A Review of the Field of Systems Change Education Programs, Approaches, and Outcomes

Authors

  • Oisín Gill Transformations Community
  • Bruce Evan Goldstein University of Colorado, Boulder
  • Bruce Hull Virginia Tech
  • Shane Casey University of Colorado, Boulder

Keywords:

systems change, education, systems thinking, typology

Abstract

There is a proliferation of ‘wicked problems’ in modern society, such as climate change, inequality, and emerging epidemics and pandemics. Dealing with these wicked problems demands that we use new thinking methods about larger system issues. Fortunately, the field of systems change education is growing, developing new pedagogies, delivering content, and breaking boundaries at an increasing rate. The Transformations Community is a global community of practice that sits at the crossroads of systems change education, practice, and research. To capture this innovative time in the systems change field, the Transformations Community has developed the world’s first systems change education catalog. This catalog is a valuable source of information for students, researchers, and practitioners interested in finding programs within the field of systems education. The catalog also acted as the data set for this field survey. This article reviewed the educational programs featured in the Transformation Community’s system change education catalog for relationships and connections. These programs range from one-day workshops to weeklong retreats and bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. programs. The analysis revealed three distinguishing characteristics of systems change education programs: audience, pedagogies, and competencies. This review is the first step towards producing a typology for systems change education by focusing on similar characteristics within educational programs. This field is still emerging, and the Transformations Community aims to capture and promote new developments and innovations in pedagogical methods for systems change education.

Author Biographies

Oisín Gill, Transformations Community

There is a proliferation of “wicked problems” in modern society such as climate change, inequality and emerging epidemics and pandemics. Dealing with these wicked problems demands that we use new methods of thinking about larger system issues. Fortunately, the field of systems change education is growing, developing new pedagogies, delivering content and breaking boundaries at an increasing rate. The Transformations Community is a global community of practice that sits at the crossroads of systems change education, practice, and research. In order to capture this innovative time in the systems change field, the Transformations Community has developed the world’s first systems change education catalog. This catalog acts as a valuable source of information for students, researchers, and practitioners, interested in finding programs within the field of systems education. The catalog also acted as the data set for this field survey. This article reviewed the educational programs that are featured in the Transformation Community’s system change education catalog, for relationships and connections. These programs range from one day workshops to weeklong retreats, bachelors, masters, and PhD programs. The analysis revealed three distinguishing characteristics of systems change education programs: audience, pedagogies, and competencies. This review is the first step towards producing a typology for systems change education, by focusing on similar characteristics within educational programs. This field is still emerging, and the Transformations Community aims to capture and promote new developments and innovations, in pedagogical methods for systems change education.

Bruce Evan Goldstein, University of Colorado, Boulder

Bruce Evan Goldstein is an Associate Professor in the Program in Environmental Design at the University of Colorado Boulder. He develops partnerships with learning networks and other transformations initiatives in order to understand how professionals and communities combine forces to adapt to social and ecological challenges and foster transformational change. Bruce leads the Transformations Community of Practice.

Bruce Hull, Virginia Tech

R. Bruce Hull is Professor at the College of Natural Resources and Environment and the Center for Leadership in Global Sustainability, both at Virginia Tech. He writes and teaches about climate change and sustainable development, focusing on novel collaborations among government, business and civil society actors. He may be contacted at hullrb@vt.edu.

Shane Casey, University of Colorado, Boulder

Shane is an assistant within the Transformations Community and a graduate student in the Masters of the Environment program at the University of Colorado, with a concentration in urban resilience and sustainability. Shane comes from a professional background in healthcare technology and is interested in geospatial analysis, water policy, and sustainable development.

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Published

2022-11-17

How to Cite

Gill, O., Goldstein, B. E., Hull, B., & Casey, S. (2022). Systems Change Education Catalog: A Review of the Field of Systems Change Education Programs, Approaches, and Outcomes . Social Innovations Journal, 15(5). Retrieved from https://socialinnovationsjournal.com/index.php/sij/article/view/4976

Issue

Vol. 15 (2022): Sustainability Transformations in Practice

Section

Transformations Community Projects

Categories

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Copyright (c) 2022 Oisín Gill, Bruce Evan Goldstein, Bruce Hull, Shane Casey (Author)

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