How Systems Form And How Systems Break

How Systems Form and How Systems Break

Our world is composed of systems within systems—the machines we build, the information we share, the organizations we form, and elements of nature that surround us. Therefore, nearly every field of study and practice embodies behaviors stemming from system dynamics. Yet the study of systems has remained somewhat fragmented based on philosophies, methodologies, and intentions. Many methodologies for analyzing complex systems extend far beyond the traditional framework of deduction evaluation and may, thus, appear mysterious to the uninitiated. This book seeks to dispel the mysteries of systems analysis by holistically explaining the philosophies, methodologies, and intentions in the context of understanding how all types of systems in our world form and how these systems break. This presentation is made at the level of conceptual understanding, with plenty of figures but no mathematical formulas, for the beginning student and interested readers new to studying systems. Through the conceptual understanding provided, students are given a powerful capability to see the hidden behaviors and unexplained consequences in the world around us.

How Systems Form and How Systems Break

Advancing Differentiation

Powerful strategies that will transform the way you teach and the way your students learn. Advancing Differentiation will lead you through the process of creating a thriving, student-centered, 21st-century classroom. Since its initial publica­tion, the book’s materials have undergone rigorous testing and refinement in classrooms all over the world to deliver the best and most effective differen­tiation strategies. The strategies in this book will help you: Deeply engage every learner while challenging students to think critically, self-regulate, and direct their own learning Set new roles for student and teacher that encourage learner autonomy Employ cutting-edge techniques for designing rigorous E4 curriculum (effective, engaging, enriching, and exciting) This revised and updated edition features: A primer on differentiation, which answers the crucial question, Why differentiate at all? Self-assessment surveys, observation forms, and new ideas for increasing proficiency in classroom differentiation Ways to address the changing needs of the future workforce More articulated curriculum design defining the differences between strategies and skills—refining the levels of conceptual knowledge