A Community‐based Complex Systems Approach to High School Completion. (16th June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kasman, Matt; Owen, Brynle; Hayward, Joshua
• Is Part Of: Systems research and behavioral science. Volume 34:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: 267
• Page End: 276
• Publication Date: 2016-06-16
• Subjects: complex systems -- education -- high school completion -- group model building; Psychology -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Periodicals; System theory -- Periodicals; 003
• DOI: 10.1002/sres.2409
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1092-7026

Abstract

Abstract : High school completion, like many educational phenomena, is the result of processes that, when taken together, constitute a complex system. In this paper, we describe the innovative use of group model building (GMB) as an entry point for complex systems analysis of educational processes that collectively determine high school completion. GMB exercises were conducted in a community in the state of Victoria in Australia. GMB brought together stakeholders from around the community and encouraged them to view high school completion from a complex systems perspective. Not only were participants able to use their experience to create an action plan to increase high school graduation rates but they also provided researchers with valuable information that can be used as input into rigorous, quantitative models of high school completion. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.