Background: Despite the suggested benefits of shared decision-making (SDM), its implementation in policy and practice has been slow and inconsistent. Use of complex adaptive systems (CAS) theory may provide understanding of how healthcare system factors influence implementation of SDM. Methods: Using the example of choice of mode of birth after a…

In this article, we introduce a systemic framework for the development of learning potential to professional excellence inspired by the Actiotope model of giftedness. First, we critically reflect on three theoretical approaches representing different psychological constructions of learning potential. We label these approaches theories of…

Pre-service teachers are typically supervised by two differently situated mentors: university-based clinical supervisors and cooperating teachers. These two types of supervisors are positioned differently within the institution of teacher education. Using ecological systems theory combined with institution theory, this paper offers an analytical…

Interpreting and creating computational systems models is an important goal of science education. One aspect of computational systems modeling that is supported by modeling, systems thinking, and computational thinking literature is "testing, evaluating, and debugging models." Through testing and debugging, students can identify aspects…

The evaluation of teaching quality and practice is increasingly important in higher education and usually done via student surveys (quantitative data) alone. Much less attention is given to teachers' self-evaluations of teaching practice (qualitative data). This emphasis on quantitative over qualitative data can result in incomplete and biased…

Purpose: Drawing on diverse findings in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) and Language Teaching research, but centering on the unique needs and contexts of international students in post-secondary education, this paper aims to develop a working theory of international students' continued language development. Design/methodology/approach: As a…

The rate of emigration of highly educated people from the Caribbean is one of the highest in the world but little research exists on this phenomenon. This paper helps to fill this gap by focusing on one particular subset of Caribbean skilled emigrants, those working in higher education in the US, including academics and administrators. Drawing on…

Purpose: This study examines the deployment of excellent retired principals (ERPs) as system leaders to facilitate systemic professional capital building in Taipei City, Taiwan. It explores the unique approach of the Taipei City government and contributions of ERPs in driving educational reforms. Design/methodology/approach: This study combines…

NSF's Eddie Bernice Johnson INCLUDES Initiative has released the Special Report to the Nation III -- Accelerating Collaborative, Systemic Change to Broaden Participation in STEM. The INCLUDES Initiative is catalyzing collaborative, systemic efforts to increase diversity and inclusion in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)…

Teacher cognition has been a major topic of interest in applied linguistics as researchers have worked toward "better understanding the fullness of the work of teaching, a fullness that has proved complex and problematic" (Burns et al., 2015, p. 585). This qualitative study draws upon participant interview data in order to analyze and…

This study analysis the provision of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) in Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia. To achieve this objective, the researchers used a mixed methods research design followed by Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory as a conceptual framework. Parents, preschool teachers, and education experts were chosen using…

Business schools have a responsibility for educating global citizens capable of understanding and addressing the major societal challenges of the 21st century. However, working on complex societal problems within business school curricula remains a challenge. This teaching brief presents a learning project that helps instructors introduce…

Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) are an integral part of the healthcare team, who address children and families' psychosocial needs and help children and families cope throughout their healthcare experiences. The history of child life, description of the interventions provided by Certified Child Life Specialists, and educational preparation…

This study compares two leadership styles, emergent leader (EL) and assigned leader (AL), to explore effective leadership in second language (L2) group work. ELs were spontaneously chosen by the group, while ALs were pre-assigned by teachers before the task. The study involved 45 university students, who were divided into seven EL groups (n = 21)…

Universities consist of students, faculty and staff, interacting through multiple layers of organization and on a variety of time scales. They are complex adaptive systems (CAS) yet the bulk of scholarship on higher education analyzes them using conventional social science methods, with little work that tries to understand them using complexity…