Strategy – ETAP

Complexity Thinking as a Tool to Understand the Didactics of Psychology

“…In regards to temporal factors, time is an issue according to teachers in the case study, especially where the transformation of theory into practice related to abstract models within psychology is concerned. An emphasis on lectures, as evident in this study, implies a more traditional uni-directive approach with asymmetric relations between students and teachers—(student–teacher axis of the model), which is common when logistical problems arise due to limited resources ( Herbert, 2018 ). Fuite (2005) has hypothesized that the tendency of educators to perceive time as a limited resource may be one of the reasons for the emergence of centralized nested systems in the modern classroom where knowledge goes through the teacher (teacher-centered network).…”

“…The national curriculum ( Skolverket, 2011b ) of psychology points to the education of a citizen accepting of change, adjusted to a multicultural society, and prepared to take part in democratic processes. However, the latter aim is also part of general didactics as described by Klafki ( Herbert, 2018 ).…”

“…Complex systems are open and information can be exchanged across boundaries, and small changes can cause large effects or no effects at all. For example, individuals who participate in education become active members of society, and some employ their influence on political decisions and culture, which, in turn, may effect changes in the educational system ( Herbert, 2018 ). In this way, micro levels affect macro levels, and small scale affects large scale.…”

“…These recursive systems can be described as nested, affecting subsystems, and can affect the structure on a lower level of nested systems such as those seen in a classroom. If a teacher, for instance, is working with a demanding curriculum (with many diverse goals and fields of study) and the time allocated for work is limited—there is a risk that the structure will be centralized and hierarchical, with the teacher at the helm of all activities ( Herbert, 2018 ) to maximize production and the output of work (essays and examinations)—a teacher-centered network. If, however, a curriculum is less demanding and time is relatively liberal—decentralized networks with flat organizations allowing pupils to interact and direct activities can develop as a nested system—a student-centered network.…”

“…It is possible to describe the model proposed here of classroom interactions as a self-organizing system according to the sociological application of self-organization theory introduced by Luhmann (1995) (self-referential theory). For Luhmann, the elements of a social system are self-producing, i.e., “a communication produces further communications and hence a social system can reproduce itself as long as there is dynamic communication.” Self-organizing systems involving classroom interactions (four different discourses) have been described mathematically using the Scale Invariant theory ( Herbert, 2018 ). The model above ( Figure 1 ) can also be considered to be an assemblage.…”