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Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Fun & Games with Systems Theory:
Interactivities for Learning
Denise E. Dedman, Ph.D. & Kathleen Woehrle, Ph.D.
University of Michigan—Flint
Presented March 19, 2009 at BPD Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Systems thinking became fun and games...
• Over time....since early 1990s
• Moved from reading assignment
(Anderson, Carter & Lowe) to an
abridged version w/ case study
• Study guide / vocabulary words
• Class case study
• Toys as demo in lecture, MIT beer game
• Experiential learning
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Application of Kolb’s model
• Concrete: play at designated stations
• Observation & reflection: at each
station, and through discussion with
peers
• Forming abstract concepts: journaling
about the systems principles they saw
• Testing in new situations: applying to a
case study
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Concept Distribution
Activity Principle 1:
3 levels of
system
Principle 2:
Connected,
boundaries,
energy
Principle 3:
Equilibrium,
feedback
Principle 4:
Context
YoYo &
Puzzle + +Parachute
+ +Slinky
+ + +Obstacles
+ +
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
• Principle 1: Levels of systems
• Principle 2: Systems are connected
• Principle 3: Systems maintain equilibrium
• Principle 4: Systems exist in a context
Principles of Systems Theory
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Principle 1: Levels of System Ecology:
–Microsystem
–Mezzosystem (meso)
–Macrosystem
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Microsystem
• An individual, group or family
• One’s physical state
• The smallest social interactions within
primary relationships
• Usually based on enduring, intimate
(close) relationships
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Mezosystem
• The relationships of micro systems
interacting with each other
• The client’s immediate social network
• Can include agency service delivery
systems
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Macrosystem
• The upper levels of a bureaucracy
• Values, cultural ideals
• Concerns of society on a large scale
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Principle 2: Systems are Connected
• Boundaries: define a system and its
internal operations
• Open systems: permeable; allow for
growth, input, output, interactions
• Closed systems: no input, no interactions
from outside, entropy
• Energy exchange: systems interact
through exchange of energy
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Principle 3: Systems maintain equilibrium
• Homeostatic balance--relatively fixed
interaction pattern & rigid control on relationship
patterns
– Minimal adjustments, quick return to previous
state
• Steady state balance--dynamic balance &
favors responding to environmental change
– Enacts flexible roles and functions, sustains
these adaptations after the change has been
resolved.
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Pothole
• You maneuver around it in a quick
adjustment, without changing your
direction of travel, and resume your path.
Homeostatic balance
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Detour
• You must stop your direction of travel
and change your route. May take a
while.
Steady state balance
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Feedback
• Either there is no data (feedback) coming
in (negative feedback = none)
• Or there is feedback (positive feedback)
indicating a change (adjustment) is
needed
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Reinforcing feedback
http://www.systems-thinking.org/arch/arch.htm
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Balancing feedback
http://www.systems-thinking.org/arch/arch.htm
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Principle 4: Systems exist in a context
• Context has two elements, time and place
• Time:
–biological, historical and political time
• Place:
–geographic, political and psychological
place
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Edgar
Ms. Smith
Mike
Mezzo
Mother, grands
Principal,
Sch. Bd.parents
Macro
AfterColumbine:
Macro-system=
State & national
beliefs changed &
legislation was
passed to require
that Mike be
suspended
180 days if he brings
a little knife
BeforeColumbine:
Macro-system=
Community,
State, national
beliefs & values
regarding school
allow Ms. Smith
to take away the
little knife Mike
brought
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
Timeline of systems perspective in social work
• Hearn, Gordon (1958, 1969)
• van Bertalanffy, (1971) (physics and
biology)
• Pincus & Minahan (1973)
• Siporin (1975) (ecological systems)
• Bronfenbrenner (1979) (eco. systems)
• Payne (2005)
Dedman & Woehrle - Social Work Dept.
References
• Ambrosino, R., Heffernan, J., Shuttlesworth, G., & Ambrosino, R. (2001).Social Work and Social Welfare: An Introduction. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
• Anderson, R. E., Carter, I, & Lowe, G. R. (1999) Human behavior in the social environment: A social systems approach. Hawthorne, NY: Aldine de Gruyter.
• Li, M. & Simchi-Levi, D (2002). The web based beer game. Retrieved on June 2, 2008 from http://beergame.mit.edu/guide.htm
• Longres, J. F. (2000). Human Behavior in The Social Environment. (3rd ed). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
• O’Connor, J. & McDermott, I. (1997). The Art of Systems Thinking. San Francisco, CA: Thorsons.
• Senge, P. (1990). The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. New York: Currency Doubleday.
• Smith, D. M., & Kolb, D. A. (1986). Users guide for the learning style inventory: A manual for teachers and trainers. Boston, MA: McBer & Co.