Systems thinking alone is insufficient for investigating complex systems with time delays and feedback, motivating the addition of computational thinking¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r2 · q1
Currency · newest study 2022 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q1 i? The article argues that because multifaceted interactions in systems with time delays and feedback outpace mental simulation, ST alone may not suffice for investigating solutions to complex problems such as climate change. → Namsoo Shin 2022

Evidence¶

Namsoo Shin 2022¶

Namsoo Shin, Jonathan Bowers, Steve Roderick, Cynthia McIntyre, A. Lynn Stephens, Emil Eidin, Joseph Krajcik, Daniel Damelin. (2022). A framework for supporting systems thinking and computational thinking through constructing models. Instructional Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-022-09590-9

q1 · i? · review · r2

A theoretical argument in the introduction, citing prior empirical work (Cronin et al.; Sterman & Sweeney) showing poor forecasting of systems with time delays and feedback. The article offers this as its rationale for integrating CT with ST; it reports no new data.

"Even highly educated people with strong mathematics backgrounds have trouble understanding and predicting the behavior of a system with these features (Cronin et al., 2009), and perform poorly when attempting to forecast the effect of any particular intervention (Sterman & Sweeney, 2002). Therefore, ST alone may not be sufficient for investigation of potential solutions to complex problems such as climate change."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• The framework treats systems thinking and computational thinking as co-equal, separate entities within the context of modeling
• Problem decomposition, artifact creation, data practices, and testing/debugging appear in all 28 reviewed CT manuscripts, while iterative refinement appears in 17
• Identifying interconnections and feedback is the most universally reported systems thinking aspect, proposed by all 27 reviewed manuscripts
• Feuerstein argues learning through direct, unmediated experience cannot yield meaningful learning or full modifiability — a broader claim this one bears on