pptx

1. Systems thinking and
animation
Juliette Rooney-Varga, Ph.D.
CAM Project PI

2. http://cleanet.org/cced_media/cam_tv/index.html

3. Systems thinking
• Perspective/approach centered on the
system level
• Synthesis, rather than reductionism
• Framework for understanding complex,
dynamic systems that cross
disciplinary boundaries (climate
change!)
• Often leads to interesting stories

4. System elements: Stocks
• Stock (noun); something that can
accumulate or decline
– Physical things
– Non-physical things
• You can assess what their level is at any
point in time

5. System elements: Flows
• Movement of things or information
• Occur over time – if time stops, flows stop
– E.g., people entering a room, water flowing
into a tub, CO2 emissions

6. System elements: Feedback
• Relationship or connection between
system elements

7. System behavior can be nonintuitive
• Stock-flow failure
??
debt
deficit
time

8. System behavior can be nonintuitive
• Stock-flow failure
• Non-linear behavior: exponential growth,
thresholds, tipping points
Temperature
Arctic is warming 2-3 x
faster than global average
(R)
Albedo
Arctic sea ice
extent

9. System behavior can be nonintuitive
• Stock-flow failure
• Non-linear behavior: exponential growth,
thresholds, tipping points
• Time delays

10. • How many times would a 2 micrometer
bacterium need to divide to be able to form
a line around the Earth’s equator?
• 34 times

11. Reinforcing (positive) feedback
+
C
+
A
R
+
R
+
B

12. Reinforcing (positive) feedback
+
C
-
Even number
of “-”
relationships
A
R
+
R
-
B

13. Balancing (negative) feedback
-
C
-
Odd number of
“-”
relationships
A
R
-
-
B

14. Public understandin
+
Students
knowledgeable
about cc
Time
CC education efforts
+
+
(+)
Public support for
education policy
+
Public
understanding
+
Student
communication about
cc beyond classroom

15. Note that:
“S” = same or +
“O” = opposite or S
“R” = reinforcing or positive
“B” = balancing or negative
Students
knowledgeable
about cc
CC education efforts
S
S
(R)
Public support for
education policy
S
Public
understanding
S
Student
communication about
cc beyond classroom

16. Causal loop diagram exercise

17. Why animation?
• Depiction of abstract concepts and
systems
• Dynamic
• Readily integrated with science content
– Can be culminating assignment of in-depth
content research
• Little production and post-production time
needed

18. Adjust animation to fit your
needs
• Pre-production:
– Degree of scaffolding can vary easily, e.g.,
• Grades 8-12: Provide a scenario for students
• Higher Ed: Ask students to research primary
literature or create an animation that captures
concepts of their own scientific research
• Systems thinking component can be adjusted –
from simple causal loop diagram to computer
simulation
– Research, diagram or model system, write
narration, create storyboard

19. Adjust animation to fit your
needs
• Production:
– Paper- or clay-mation (or other malleable
objects)
– Whiteboard or illustrated animation
– Computer animation (much more timeintensive)
• Post-production:
– Little editing necessary

20. Conclusions
• Systems thinking can provide a framework
for understanding complex, dynamic
aspects of climate change
• Animation is a natural fit for learning about
dynamic systems
• Actively engages students in thinking
about interconnections and change over
time
• Focus is on pre-production
• Can be effective jig-saw approach