Chaos Theory and the Sciences of Complexity: Foundations for Transforming Educational Systems (original) (raw)

2019, Learning, design, and technology: An international compendium of theory, research, practice, and policy

Chaos theory and the sciences of complexity are branches of systems theory that were developed to help understand highly complex systems. This chapter begins with a summary of some key features of these theories that are particularly relevant to understanding educational systems: coevolution, disequilibrium, positive feedback, perturbation, transformation, fractals, strange attractors, self-organization, and dynamic complexity. Then it explores two major ways that these theories can inform systemic transformation (paradigm change) in K-12 education in the United States and other parts of the world. One way is to help people understand their present systems of education, how each islikely to respond to changes that people try to make, and the effects of those changes, to determine when a system is ready for transformation and identify the system dynamics that are likely to influence both the attempted changes and the effects of those changes. The other way is to help people understand and improve the transformation process, which is itself a complex system that educational systems can use to transform themselves. Strange attractors and leverage points are two particularly powerful tools for influencing the success of the transformation process.