Subject: Ways of understanding a dynamic system

Posted by Richard Turnock on 5/10/2004
In Reply To:Ways of understanding a dynamic system Posted by Lees Stuntz on 5/10/2004

Message:

The proposed hierarchies fit into Bloom's Taxonomy. See attached.
A Google search gave me 3,900 hits.

Use Bloom as the generic standard then design an assessment tool specific to dynamic systems stepping through each of the six levels. The second level, Comprehension, includes "understanding."

I might develop six tests - each test corresponds to each of Blooms levels. A knowledge test could be a multiple choice test. As you move up the hierarchy the tests will become more complex and require increasing qualitative evaluation. An expert in dynamic systems might need to develop tests and assess results for the top three levels instead of the PhD student in cognitive science.

On the K12 Sys Dyn Listserv, the hierarchies proposed (from work by Richmond, Forrester and others) focus primarily on Comprehension (understanding) however that is only the second level in Bloom. I did see the word Synthesis used once.

I believe everyone in the Systems Thinking and Dynamic Modeling community has a stake in helping this PhD student succeed. Without an assessment tool based on Bloom's taxonomy the education community can not translate systems concepts into a curriculum that can be used and useful. I envision the results of this PhD work becoming the assessment standard in K12 Systems curriculum.

Richard