Training in systems thinking and system dynamics as an effective way to tackle complexity in the management of organisations

The biggest challenge for today’s organisations is to address the growing complexity of their internal and external environment while gaining a competitive advantage. To do this, the leaders of the organisations must be able to understand this complexity through the knowledge of the environment and the implementation of a governance system based on a decision-making process that considers the enormous amount of data available. Such data must lead to the availability of information that guides the organisations themselves in the learning process. Sustainable development requires organisations to rethink their goals and/or business models, with effects on their day-to-day activities. Pursuing to become more sustainable is not only a need for marketing reasons but also an opportunity for growth and alignment with emerging trends. However, managing the complexity of sustainability is not straightforward and requires cognitive and practical tools that are able to capture and jointly consider a wide variety of interrelated factors. Modelling the processes that characterise complex organisations is not an easy task. The aim of this contribution is thus to identify a methodology that helps managers in tackling the challenges that organisations have to adopt when faced with a growing complexity of their internal and external environment, and that might help managers at all levels when analysing various business and management situations, to account for non-linearities, path-dependency and time lags, and that may allow also for organisational and social learning. The study shows how the System Dynamics approach, identified as a methodology for modelling and simulation, is able to lead to the development of effective skills and strategic learning for the management of organisations and hence support the dynamic evaluations of strategies and performance. The System Thinking and System Dynamics approach may prove a useful combined tool for next-generation decision-makers, but this approach needs to be understood and learned in order to develop the necessary skills. In particular, this study will show the results of a test conducted with the collaboration of undergraduate university students, who have attended a course about System Dynamics, in order to test their ability to understand the dynamics underlying counterintuitive system behaviour

The Interactive Lecture: Teaching and Learning Technologies for Large Classrooms

Conventional lectures in large classrooms are connected to fundamental didactic problems due to a lack of interactivity and feedback opportunities. In an interactive lecture each student is equipped with a light-weight, mobile device that can be used to interact with the lecturer during the lesson, thus creating an additional channel of communication. These devices support new teaching and learning paradigms such as participatory simulations. In this paper, we present our experiences with the usage of mobile devices in lectures. After discussing the didactic benefits of interactive lectures, we introduce the software toolkits used in our scenarios, we highlight selected tools like a quiz tool or a support tool for participatory simulation, and present major results from six studies we have conducted

Task Performance vs. Learning Outcomes: A Study of Tangible User Interface in Classroom Setting

Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) offer the potential to facilitate collaborative learning in new ways. This paper presents an empirical study that investigated the effects of a TUE in a classroom setting on task performance and learning outcomes. In the tangible condition, apprentices worked together around an interactive tabletop warehouse simulation using tangible inputs. In the paper condition, they performed the same activity with only paper and pens. Results showed that the tangible condition resulted in better task performance (more alternative solutions explored and better final solution) but did not affect learning outcomes, i.e. understanding of important concepts and applying them to a problem-solving question. We discuss reasons for this in terms of task structure and type, nature of tangible user interfaces and effective interaction requirements

Using Augmentations as Bridges from Concrete to Abstract Representations

We describe a pedagogical approach supporting the acquisition of abstraction skills by apprentices in logistics. Apprentices start with a concrete representation in the form of a small-scale model which aims at engaging them in learning activities. Multiple External Representations are used to progressively introduce more abstract representations displayed on paper-based forms called TinkerSheets. We present the implementation of this approach on the TinkerTable, a tabletop learning environment which is used in two professional schools by four different teachers. We report observations of the use of the environment at different stages of the curriculum with first- and second-year apprentices

Desenvolvimento de manipulativos digitais para criação colaborativa de histórias

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia Eletrónica e de Computadores (área de especialização em Tecnologias Sistemas de Informação)Manipulativos Digitais são objetos físicos, embutidos com computação, que podem ser usados para manipular informação digital, por forma a tornar mais natural a interação entre utilizador e máquina. Este novo paradigma de interação tem impacto em áreas diversificadas, permitindo uma interação com o meio físico transposto para um meio virtual. Com a constante evolução tecnológica há várias abordagens a este tipo de sistemas, o que os torna únicos. A par com os desenvolvimentos tecnológicos, existem também diversos trabalhos sobre o desenvolvimento de Manipulativos Digitais que visam investigar o seu efeito na aprendizagem de crianças. No âmbito deste tipo de estudos, têm sido desenvolvidos Manipulativos Digitais para serem usados por crianças do ensino pré-escolar e básico, revelando-se a recetividade das crianças deste nível de ensino ao uso deste tipo de sistema, bem como a contribuição positiva do uso destes manipulativos para o desenvolvimento de capacidades cognitivas e competências sociais. O presente trabalho de dissertação de Mestrado teve como ponto de partida o projeto Mobeybou - Moving Beyond Boundaries — Designing Narrative Learning In the Digital Era [http://mobeybou.comil. O projeto Mobeybou pretende contribuir para o desenvolvimento do conhecimento sobre o potencial dos Manipulativos Digitais (DM) na aprendizagem e socialização de crianças pequenas, através da construção colaborativa de narrativas digitais e, ao mesmo tempo, investigar seu potencial para promover multiculturalismo entre os utilizadores. Neste contexto, o objetivo do trabalho centrou-se no desenvolvimento de um sistema físico de deteção de peças, embutidas com eletrónica, que permitem a manipulação de conteúdos digitais, nomeadamente, a criação colaborativa de narrativas, revelando-se uma ferramenta bastante útil para o desenvolvimento de competências em crianças, em estudos efetuados.Digital Manipulatives are physical objects, embedded with computation, which can be used to manipulate digital information, in order to make the interaction between user and machine more natural. This new interaction paradigm has an impact on various areas, allowing a very natural interaction with the virtual environment through physical manipulation. With the constant technological evolution, there are several approaches to this type of systems, which makes them unique. Along with technological developments, there are also several works on the development of Digital Manipulatives that aim to investigate its effect on children's learning. Within the scope of this type of studies, some Digital Manipulatives have been developed to be used by children in pre- and primary school, revealing children's receptivity to these type of systems, as well as the positive contribution of the use of these manipulatives for the development of cognitive and social skills. This Master's dissertation was developed within the Mobeybou project - Moving Beyond Boundaries -Designing Narrative Learning in the Digital Era l'http://mobeybou.comil. The Mobeybou project aims to contribute to the development of knowledge about the potential of Digital Manipulatives (DM) in the learning and socialization of young children, through the collaborative construction of digital narratives and, at the same time, investigating their potential to promote multiculturalism among users In this context, the objective of this work focused on the development of a physical system for detecting pieces, embedded with electronics, which allow the manipulation of digital content, namely, the collaborative creation of narratives, proving to be a very useful tool for the development of these skills in children.Este trabalho foi desenvolvido no âmbito do projeto: "MoBeyBOU: Moving Beyond Boundaries - Designing Narrative Learning in the Digital Era", referência: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032580, financiado pela Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia - FCT, e o Fundos Europeus Estruturais e de Investimento FEDER através do Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalizaçã

System blocks : learning about systems concepts through hands-on modeling and simulation

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2004.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-101).The world is complex and dynamic. Our lives and environment are constantly changing. We are surrounded by all types of interconnected, dynamic systems: ecosystems, financial markets, business processes, and social systems. Nevertheless, research has shown that people's understanding of dynamic behavior is extremely poor. In this thesis I present System Blocks, a new learning technology that facilitates hands-on modeling and simulation of dynamic behavior. System Blocks, by making processes visible and manipulable, can help people learn about the core concepts of systems. System Blocks provide multiple representations of system behavior (using lights, sounds, and graphs), in order to support multiple learning styles and more playful explorations of dynamic processes. I report on an exploratory study I conducted with ten 5th grade students and five preschool students. The students used System Blocks to model and simulate systems, and interacted with concepts that are traditionally considered "too hard" for pre-college students, such as net-flow dynamics and positive feedback. My findings suggest that using System Blocks as a modeling and simulation platform can provide students an opportunity to confront their misconceptions about dynamic behavior, and help students revise their mental models towards a deeper understanding of systems concepts.by Oren Zuckerman.S.M

Construction kit for computationally enabled textiles

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2006.Includes bibliographical references (p. 87-89).As technology moves forward, electronics have enmeshed with every aspect of daily life. Some pioneers have also embraced electronics as a means of expression and exploration, creating the fields of wearable computing and electronic textiles. While wearable computing and electronic textiles seem superficially connected as fields of investigation, in fact they are currently widely separated. However, as the field of electronic textiles grows and matures, it has become apparent that better tools and techniques are necessary in order for artists and designers interested in using electronic textiles as a means of expression and function to be able to use the full capabilities of the available technology. It remains generally outside the reach of the average designer or artist to create e-textile experiences, thus preventing them from appropriating the technology, and in turn allowing the general public to accept and exploit the technology. There is clearly a need to facilitate this cross-pollination between the technical and design domains both in order to foster greater creativity and depth in the field of electronic textiles, and in order to bring greater social acceptability to wearable computing.(cont.) This thesis introduces behavioral textiles, the intersection of wearable computing and electronic textiles that brings the interactive capability of wearable electronics to electronic textiles. As a means of harnessing this capability, the thesis also presents subTextile, a powerful and novel visual programming language and development. Design guidelines for hardware that can be used with the development environment to create complete behavioral textile systems are also presented. Using a rich, goal-oriented interface, subTextile makes it possible for novices to explore electronic textiles without concern for technical details. This thesis presents the design considerations and motivations that drove the creation of subTextile. Also presented are the result of a preliminary evaluation of the language, done with a sample chosen to represent users with varying capabilities in both the technical and design domains.by Sajid H. Sadi.S.M

The Complementarity of Tangible and Paper Interfaces in Tabletop Environments for Collaborative Learning

The current trend in Human-Computer Interaction aims at bridging the gap between the digital and the real world, exploring novel ways to engage users with computational devices. Computers take new forms that are better integrated into our environment and can be embedded in buildings, furniture or clothes. Novel forms of interfaces take advantage of people's intuitive knowledge of everyday objects to offer more direct and natural interactions. Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) allow users to interact with digital objects through tangible artifacts, building on their rich physical affordances. Paper User Interfaces (PUIs) add digital capabilities to paper documents, synchronizing for instance their content with their digital counterpart. Unique properties of paper are also used to create engaging and intuitive interfaces to computer applications. This dissertation is interested in the complementarity of tangible and paper interfaces in tabletop environments. We introduce the concept of Tangible and Paper Environments (TaPEs) where Interactive Paper Forms (IPFs), a particular type of PUIs based on the paper form metaphor, are used as a complementary interface to a TUI. We evaluate the potential of IPFs to overcome two main shortcomings of TUIs, in terms of scalability and pedagogy. The scalability issue comes from the limited expressiveness of task-specific physical artifacts, which offer rich physical affordances but limit the complexity of applications that can be controlled by a TUI. The pedagogy issue is raised by the lack of consistent evidence regarding the use of physical manipulatives in educational settings, which is one of the main application domain of TUIs. IPFs overcome the scalability issue by offering a set of generic interaction elements that allow TaPEs to cope with applications of any complexity. In a pedagogical setting, IPFs present learners with abstract representation which facilitate understanding by the embodied and concrete representations offered by tangible artifacts. A TaPE, the Tinker Environment, has been developed with two logistics teachers in the context of the Swiss vocational training system. It consists of a warehouse physical small-scale model (TUI) and TinkerSheets, our implementation of IPFs. It aims at helping apprentices understand theoretical concepts presented at schools. We followed a Design-based Research (DBR) approach: ten studies were conducted during the development of the Tinker Environment in authentic classroom settings. Controlled experiments were conducted to address specific questions. v The general research questions concern the respective affordances of paper and tangible components of TaPEs. The analysis is not limited to usability aspects but also considers their impact on group problem-solving activities and their potential in terms of integration of the system in its context of use. A descriptive model is proposed, built around three interaction circles: individual (usability), group (collaboration) and context (integration). Results identify design guidelines that limit the impact of the less direct interaction modality offered by IPFs, allowing TaPEs to overcome the scalability issue while supporting rich interactions. At the group level, observations of groups of apprentices solving problems around the Tinker Environment show that the consistent physical interaction modality offered by TaPEs naturally supports collaborative interactions. Apprentices tend to take implicit roles based on their location around the system. Regarding the context circle, we observed that carefully designed IPFs play the role of bridges between offline and online activities and contribute to a tight integration of the system in a its context (i.e. a classroom). The specific research questions address the potential of the Tinker Environment in this pedagogical context and its appropriation by teachers. The observations conducted with the Tinker Environment show that the warehouse small-scale model reduces the complexity of problems and allows apprentices to engage in meaningful problem-solving activities. Controlled experiments comparing a TUI to a mulitouch interface demonstrate that tangible artifacts lead to a higher learning gain and an increased performance in a problem-solving activity. Collaboration quality and perceived playfulness are also improved. The teacher plays a central role in the use of the environment, guiding apprentices through activities and encouraging reflections during debriefing sessions. The design of IPFs, emphasizing either their interface or document nature, has a strong influence on their ability to support teachers. We finally discuss the two-way adaptation process that took place between teachers and the system during the development of the Tinker Environment

A physical interface for system dynamics simulation

We present the System Blocks, a new physical interactive system that makes it easier for kids to explore dynamic systems. A set of computationally enhanced children blocks, made of wood and electronics, the System Blocks can assist K-12 educators to teach the complex concepts of system dynamics and causalities. System dynamics and system thinking are methods for studying the world around us. They deal with understanding how complex systems change over time, and how structure influences behavior. In this paper we will show how the System Blocks enable young children (as early as four years old) to create and interact with systems that simulate real-life dynamic behavior such as a bank account; population growth; or the delicate equilibrium of an ecosystem. The System Blocks gives young children a hands-on environment to learn about complex behavior and encourage new ways of thinking. Figure 1: A four-year-old girl plays with the System Block