Subject: Request for Guidance on References for Systems Thinking

Posted by Torrey McMillan on 9/7/2006
In Reply To:Request for Guidance on References for Systems Thinking Posted by Grace M. Lieberman on 9/7/2006

Message:

This is a list of helpful resources I put together for a presentation I did for teachers as an introduction to systems thinking. There are lots of other good pieces out there, but I have found these helpful and accessible.

-Torrey McMillan

Web Resources
The Creative Learning Exchange (CLE) <[ http://www.clexchange.org/ ]http://www.clexchange.org/> An organization dedicated to helping elementary and secondary schools implement systems education MIT Systems Dynamics in Education Project <[ http://sysdyn.clexchange.org/sdep.html
]http://sysdyn.clexchange.org/sdep.html>
Group of students at MIT working with Dr. Jay Forrester, creator of systems dynamics, to develop tools to encourage systems dynamics education and “learner-centered learning”
Many of their materials are available through CLE Developed “Road Maps: A Guide to Learning Systems Dynamics,” a 9 chapter tutorial in systems dynamics, available on-line.
The Sustainability Institute <[ http://sustainabilityinstitute.org/
]http://sustainabilityinstitute.org>
An organization that uses systems thinking and modeling as a tool to analyze systems and their sustainability Has a complete archive of Donella Meadows’ writings for her column The Global Citizen.
Great resource for articles using systems thinking and systems modeling.

Articles and Books
“Places to Intervene in a System” by Donella Meadows. Accessible through The Sustainability Institute.
Limits to Growth by Donella H. Meadows et al. (1972), Beyond the Limits by Donella H. Meadows et al. (1992), and Limits to Growth: The Thirty Year Update by Donella H. Meadows et al (2004).
Believing Cassandra by Alan Atkisson (1999) Ishmael by Daniel Quinn (1992)

Other
Fish Banks, Ltd. – An interactive simulation game in that can be used to teach systems dynamics, developed by Dennis Meadows