Systemic Change :: Systematic Systemic Essays

general ChangeWhat Is It To fully reckon Systemic Change, one must first be able to break schemeic from systematic. The term systematic often is associated with images of a linear, generalizable model of how to do something. Systemic on the other hand implies a global initiation of the problem and an understanding of the interrelationships and interconnections. (Carr 1996). The systemic location in instructional shape is traditionally limited to feedback via needs assessment or evaluation. The systematic perspective in instructional design, however, is strongly represented in a configuration of step-by-step models. (Carr 1996) Systemic view requires keeping many aspects of the problem rig in your head at one time. It is a community activity, not an individual one, with all the requisite challenges of any group task. Systemic thinking demands persistence, because to think systemically means to constantly reflect back to previous assumptions, and to be flexible enou gh to reposition thinking that has been agreed upon previously. (Reigeluth, Garfinkle 1994). Using a systemic view, we develop ways of determination out about the pile of inter-relationships which dwell between the different components of systems as well as finding out about the components themselves and we have to find out about the relationships which exist between the whole system and the environment in which it exists. (Bateson, 1979 Bawden 1991, Carr 1996) There are two types of change. There is piecemeal change, often called tinkering, which entails modifying something (fixing a part of it) and in that respect is systemic change, often called paradigm shift, which entails replacing the whole thing. Reigeluth, Garfinkle 1994). Systemic change is comprehensive. It recognizes that a fundamental change in one aspect of a system requires fundamental changes in other aspects in order for it to be successful. In education, it must pervade all levels of the system class room, building, district, community, state organisation and federal government. And it must include the nature of the learning experiences, the administrative system that supports the instructional system, and the governance system that governs the whole educational system (Banathy, 1991, Reigeluth, Garfinkle 1994). Systemic change is needed because of the paradigm shift that is occurring in education overdue to the information age. Although this paradigm shift in education is only a microcosm of the changes in society as a whole, these changes in society is making the current educational system obsolete.