The use of complexity-based evaluation methods remains relatively underexplored in the field of evaluation. While increasingly employed to assess complex interventions, Contribution Analysis (CA) continues to suffer from a lack of operationalization. In this article, we propose enhancing the implementation of CA by leveraging Participatory Systems…

There is increasing attention on evidencing research impact and applying a systems thinking perspective in public health. However, there is limited understanding of the extent to which and how public health research that applies a systems thinking perspective contributes to changes in system behaviour and improved population health outcomes. This…

Deploying systems-theoretical conceptuality, this paper improves understanding of the organisational consequences of the intensified societal engagement of a research university. Aligning its work with Luhmannian organisational analysis, it addresses the dynamic interplay between two modes of administrative decision-making communication, namely,…

Entrepreneurial education plays a vital role in equipping students with the skills and mind-set necessary for success in the dynamic business landscape. While existing literature acknowledges the importance of entrepreneurial education, there is a lack of specific guidance on how courses can be designed to effectively cultivate entrepreneurial…

In contemporary methodological thinking, replication holds a central place. However, relatively little attention has been paid to replication in the context of complex dynamic systems theory (CDST), perhaps due to uncertainty regarding the epistemology-methodology match between these domains. In this paper, we explore the place of replication in…

Early math skills predict later achievement for young children; thus, it is important to expand what is known about how to support preschool children's development of these skills. While there has been some research on interventions, including those using systemic instruction, to teach math skills to preschoolers, there is a need for additional…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences that contributed to the development of a systems thinking paradigm in instructors in a college of agriculture. Design/Methodology/Approach: A phenomenology design was used to understand the lived experiences of eleven instructors. Findings: Three themes emerged regarding how they…

In this article we address two key questions in the application of dynamical systems theory (DST) to second language acquisition (SLA) that have not been resolved in recent debates about this issue. The first question relates to reductionism. Is an antireductionist position a necessary element of DST? We show that the radical antireductionist…

This study aims at elaborating a well-established theoretical framework that distinguishes three modes of thinking in linear algebra: the analytic-arithmetic, the synthetic-geometric, and the analytic-structural mode. It describes and analyzes the bundle of signs produced by an engineering student during an interview, where she was asked to recall…

The recent dynamic turn in second language acquisition research has called for an investigation in learner agency by taking its complex dynamic nature into account. Informed by complex dynamic systems theory (CDST), this study investigated the agency of learners in a complex educational context where mainstream schooling and private tutoring…

In light of ongoing inequalities within society, the role of social justice leadership in educational spaces remains a central arena amongst research and practice. It is widely recognised that clear recognition and understanding of social justice among educators can offer the capacity for meaningful change against inequalities that continue to…

Private dance studios exist outside the scope of K-12 institutions in the United States and serve students within their local communities. Many of them strive to benefit underrepresented groups through community engagement initiatives. This mixed-method study scrutinizes the various community engagement practices of private dance studios through a…

This study investigates the applicability of the system theory framework (STF) to Korean university students with regard to their career development and counseling. The STF-based career group program content consists of MSCI (My System of Career Influences) and MCC (My Career Chapter), and is conducted over ten sessions for two groups of college…

Collaborative problem solving (CPS) enables student groups to complete learning tasks, construct knowledge, and solve problems. Previous research has argued the importance of examining the complexity of CPS, including its multimodality, dynamics, and synergy from the complex adaptive systems perspective. However, there is limited empirical…

This study investigated how pre-service biology teachers perceived the concepts of 'system' -- as the basic component of the systems thinking approach -- and 'biological system' specific to biology. The most important characteristics of a system appear as elements, interactions, interconnections, hierarchy, purpose and forming a whole. The data of…