Thinking in levels: A dynamic systems approach to making sense of the world

Uri Wilensky; Mitchel Resnick

doi:10.1023/A:1009421303064

Thinking in levels: A dynamic systems approach to making sense of the world

Uri Wilensky^*, Mitchel Resnick

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Education and Social Policy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

484 Scopus citations

Abstract

The concept of emergent "levels" (i.e., levels that arise from interactions of objects at lower levels) is fundamental to scientific theory. In this paper, we argue for an expanded role for this concept of levels in science education. We show confusion of levels (and "slippage" between levels) as the source of many of people's deep misunderstandings about patterns and phenomena in the world. These misunderstandings are evidenced not only in students' difficulties in the formal study of science but also in their misconceptions about experiences in their everyday lives. The StarLogo modeling language is designed as a medium for students to build models of multi-leveled phenomena and through these constructions explore the concept of levels. We describe several case studies of students working in StarLogo. The cases illustrate students' difficulties with the concept of levels, and how they can begin to develop richer understandings.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	3-19
Number of pages	17
Journal	Journal of Science Education and Technology
Volume	8
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009421303064
State	Published - 1999

Funding

The preparation of this paper was supported by the National Science Foundation (Grants RED-9552950, RED-9358519, REC-9632612). The ideas expressed here do not necessarily reflect the positions of the supporting agency. Brian Silverman, Andy Begel and Rob Froemke played significant roles in the development of the StarLogo modeling environment. Walter Stroup was an invaluable contributor to the GasLab project. Ken Reisman, Ed Hazzard and Rob Froemke contributed greatly to many of the models described herein. We would like to thank Seymour Papert for his overall support and inspiration and for his constructive criticism of this research in its early stages.

Keywords

Complexity
Dynamic systems
Levels
Mathematics education
Modeling
Science education
Simulation
Systems thinking

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Education
General Engineering

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10.1023/A:1009421303064

Cite this

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Thinking in levels: A dynamic systems approach to making sense of the world

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