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A system contains interconnected parts, which function like dynamic and complex webs of interactive loops. The notion of systems thinking is not a new one; it has been around for decades. In large part, systems theory owes its origins to the study of ecology, through which scientists have discovered that complex webs of life exist throughout nature. They observed that seemingly minor changes or additions to natural systems can have dramatic and unforeseen effects. For example, in Hawaii, the introduction of feral pigs has severely altered the island's ecosystem. The pigs eat rare plants that native birds depend on for nectar. Through their digging, the pigs create large puddles, which breed diseases-carrying mosquitoes, which further decimate the bird population. To make matters worse, the pigs spread the seeds of non-native vines that eventually choke out trees in the forest (Dolan, n.d.). Similarly, small changes in human systems, such as schools, often have complex and unforeseen effects. For example, a seemingly straightforward change from grade-letter student report cards to more detailed reports on student competencies may have numerous ramifications. For starters, teachers may need training to ensure they adopt the new format as intended. District assessments may need to be revamped to ensure they measure the elements of student progress that will be reported. And parents may need guidance on how to interpret the new format. As a result, resources may be required to train teachers, modify assessments, and communicate with parents. Moreover, new processes may need to be developed for recording, reporting, and communicating data as feedback to teachers, students, and parents. Despite the neat, pyramid-type structure often ascribed to schools through organizational charts, schools tend to operate much more like living systems. The parts of a system function more like dynamic and complex webs of interactive loops, rather than as compartmentalized units following clear chains of command, like cogs in a machine. Thus, a major component of systems thinking is looking for the connections in the system (Beckhard & Pritchard, 1992), that is, the ways in which changes to one part might affect, and be affected by, other parts of the system. Although systems theory describes the inner-workings of school communities, Patterson (1993) notes that "the language and tools of systems thinking have been by and large obscured in complex and intricate formulas and diagrams" (p. 66). In short, it is easy to get so wrapped up in the complexity of school systems that one ends up with an overly complicated vision of school improvement, like one of cartoonist Rube Goldberg's "inventions" - rather than a clear vision to guide a school through change.
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