Education and development as complex dynamic agent systems::how theory informs methodology

This chapter argues that the integrative theory that can serve as the basis of integrative methodology is the theory of complex dynamic agent systems. It explains this general theory by focusing on teaching–learning processes in the educational context, and on pedagogical actions and dynamic assessment in the classroom. A complex dynamic system can be defined as a network of components that interact with each other. Self-organization means that the network of components organizes itself into a particular pattern of temporarily self-sustaining relationships among components. “Self-sustaining” means that systems resist external perturbations, at least to a certain extent. External perturbations, when they occur, may function for the better or for the worse. Emergence means that the interactions between the components of a system lead to the origination of properties that are new, in the sense that they transcend the properties of the components taken separately

Review of ‘A true love story. Young people’s romantic and sexual development in the context of everyday life’

Wieke Dalenberg. A true love story. Young people’s romantic and sexual development in the context of everyday life. Groningen: University of Groningen, 2016, 147 p., ISBN 978 94 6332 100

A complexity approach to investigating the effectiveness of an intervention for lower grade teachers on teaching science

This article describes the effectiveness and sustainability of teacher professional development interventions from a complexity view point as well as a more ‘standard’ viewpoint. The first aim of this study is to give a theoretical overview of effective aspects of interventions regarding teachers’ professionalizing using recent literature. The second aim is to re-interpret effectiveness and effectiveness studies using a complexity approach. The third aim is to empirically illustrate a complexity approach to the effectiveness of interventions using a multiple case studyWe have described intervention specific aspects, teacher specific aspects, context specific aspects and implementation specific aspects and have shown in the cases that during an intervention these aspects intertwine and act as a complex dynamic system.The complexity approach to interventions has implications for future empirical research as well as for the design of interventions. In future research, results of small scale and large scale research should be combined, in order to obtain a better insight in all relevant aspects and their effect on teachers’ behavior. Research ought to concentrate on the effects that all contextual aspects have intertwiningly in order to design more effective interventions and with better implementation processes. <br/