Teaching Systems Thinking
Systems Thinking is at the root of the world we operate in. One of the most important things we can do moving forward in our complex world is to pass on the intricacies of Systems Thinking to students. Beginning in the fall of 2016, a class was created for juniors and seniors called A Systems View of Life. The course acted as a catalyst for many students who were on their way to navigate the real world of wicked problems, tipping points, and feedback loops. The students were charged with developing a syllabus for a large introductory course on Systems Thinking, imagined to be mandatory for all incoming students at UW-Madison. The 9 students in the 2016 class—whose interests ranged from business to limnology—immersed themselves in systems vocabulary and learned skills such as presentation etiquette, team building, and what working as part of a system really means. The following fall a second iteration of the class completed a similar project—the syllabi from each year are linked below.
2016
Agronomy 375 was the capstone course created by Molly Jahn and taught to juniors and seniors at UW-Madison. Here you will find the syllabus for the Fall 2016 Agronomy 375 class.
As the final project for the class, the students created a syllabus for UW 100, an imagined introductory course in Systems Thinking which could be taught to all incoming freshman at UW-Madison. To find the syllabus created by the 2016 students, click here
During the Agronomy 375 class, students had a weekly assignment to journal any reflections they had on Systems Thinking. Here are highlights from the 2016 students’ journals.
2017
Agronomy 375 was the capstone course created by Molly Jahn and taught to juniors and seniors at UW-Madison. Here you will find the syllabus for the Fall 2017 Agronomy 375 class.
As the final project for the class, the students created a syllabus for UW 100, an imagined introductory course in Systems Thinking which could be taught to all incoming freshman at UW-Madison. To find the syllabus created by the 2017 students, click here
During the Agronomy 375 class, students had a weekly assignment to journal any reflections they had on Systems Thinking. Here are highlights from the 2017 students’ journals.