Subject: From Jamie Cloud

Posted by Lees Stuntz on 1/16/2006

Message:

This is from Jamie Cloud of the Cloud Institute for Sustainability
Education.

Dear K-12 Systems Thinking folks,

Linda Booth Sweeney forwarded me a recent exchange about sustainability
education and systems thinking/system dynamics education-K-12. Here at
the Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education our mission is to
ensure the viability of sustainable communities by leveraging changes in
K-12 school systems to prepare young people for the shift toward a
sustainable future. We use systems thinking/system dynamics education
as content and as a way to develop in young people the habits of mind
that are core to educating for sustainability and to moving toward a
sustainable future. The whole story can be found on our website under
"What is sustainability? And What is Education for Sustainability?

We embed the core content and habits of mind into core curricula
(civics, global studies, math, science, English) through the development
of full courses of study (the ideal) and by the development of smaller
units (better than nothing-but not ideal). Ultimately-we consider it
just good education for the 21st century -and necessary if you like
people and life in general.

We have spent quite a bit of time (ten years) trying to figure out what
makes education for sustainability distinguishable from all other kinds
of education. To us it is the highly functional and elegant system that
is created as a result of the relationships between the core content and
the habits of mind; the instructional methodologies(all standard best
practice these days) and the org. structure (a learning org.), and the
availability of real world examples of sustainable practices in the
communities within which the schools and the children live. I have a
positive feedback loop that describes the relationship between
sustainable communities and education for sustainability-



I don't have a good graphic way of describing the following list that
makes up EFS as a system yet-we are working on that. We are well aware
that the relationships are where the action is: For more detailed
descriptions of our work, you can go to our website at
www.cloudinstitute.org
What are the HABITS OF MIND OF EFS?
Understanding of Systems as the Context for Decision Making
The extent to which one sees both the whole system and its parts as well
as the extent to which an individual can place one's self within the
system
Intergenerational Responsibility
The extent to which one takes responsibility for the effect (s) of
her/his actions on future generations
Mindful of and Skillful with Implications and Consequences
The extent to which one consciously makes choices and plans actions to
achieve positive systemic impact
Protecting and Enhancing the Commons
The extent to which one works to reconcile the conflicts between
individual rights and the responsibilities of citizenship to tend to the
commons
Awareness of Driving Forces and their Impacts
The extent to which one recognizes and can act strategically and
responsibly in the context of the driving forces that influence our
lives
Assumption of Strategic Responsibility
The extent to which one assumes responsibility for one's self and others
by designing, planning and acting with whole systems in mind
Paradigm Shifter
The extent to which one recognizes mental models and paradigms as
guiding constructs that change over time with new knowledge and applied
insight
What Core Content will Students Study?

Ecological Literacy
Science principles and natural laws that help us to understand the
interconnectedness of humans and all of the Earth's systems...
System Dynamics/"Systems Thinking"
Understanding systems as the context for decision-making...
Multiple Perspectives
Truly valuing and learning from the life experiences and cultures of
others...
Sense of Place
Connecting to and valuing the places in which we live...
Sustainable Economics
An evolving study of the connections between economic, social and
natural systems...
Citizenship (Participation and Leadership)
The rights, responsibilities, and actions associated with participatory
democracy toward sustainable communities...
Creativity and Visioning
The ability to envision and invent a rich, hopeful future...
Selected Fields of Study that Contribute to Education for Sustainability
Sciences
Environmental Science and Education
Science Education (Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Earth
Science...)
System Dynamics and Systems Thinking Education
Economic
Sustainable Economics
Social
Global Education
Ecological Design and Architecture Education
Holistic Education
Future Studies
Organizational Learning and Change
Environmental Ethics and Philosophy
Ecological Psychology
Conflict Resolution Education
Game Theory
What are Schools Already Doing?
Applied Research on Instructional Methodologies
Brain Research
Multiple Intelligences
Learning Styles
Constructivist Approaches to Learning
Student-Centered Learning
Creative Problem-Solving
Cooperative Learning
Inquiry-Based Learning
Critical Thinking and Analysis
Conceptual Frameworks
Character Education
The Virtues Project
Environment as an Integrating Context
Habits of Mind (Costa)
Utilizing the Community as a Resource
Service Learning
Project-Based Learning
Place-Based Learning
Authentic Instruction and Assessment
Hope this is useful in your discussions. Please let me know if I/we can
be of any help.
Jaimie

PS: we don't talk about balance in the ecosystem-we talk about dynamic
equilibrium-because balance is stasis and stasis is death. Living
Systems develop (or they die). (In addition, Energy Flows and
Materials cycle.)



Jaimie P. Cloud, President
The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education
307 7th Avenue, Suite 1201
New York, NY 10001
212-645-9930 x *823 (tel)
212-645-9931 (fax)
Jaimie@sustainabilityed.org
www.cloudinstitute.org