Graduate Abstract

Megan Aline Hopper
Winter 2007

Proposing measures for assessing systems thinking interventions

by

Megan Aline Hopper

Bachelor of Science
Cornell University
2005

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the

Master of Science Degree in Environmental Science

Department of Environmental Studies
Greenspun College of Urban Affairs

Graduate College
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Winter 2007

Dr. Krystyna Stave, Examination Committee Chair
Professor of Environmental Science
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

ABSTRACT

This paper presents an analysis of systems thinking interventions in educational settings. Although these interventions have been implemented in K-12 classrooms since the mid 1980s, there is still no clear definition of systems thinking or identification of the best method to test the effectiveness of interventions or methods for teaching systems thinking The goal of this paper is to answer the question: how do we assess the effectiveness of systems thinking interventions in education? In order to answer this question, I had to address the following sub questions: (1) what is systems thinking, (2) what systems thinking interventions are being used in education, and (3) how have the effect of interventions been measured? The purpose of answering these questions was to propose methods for assessing systems thinking interventions. Through analysis of systems thinking interventions in the classroom, I derived guidelines for measuring and raising a person’s level of systems thinking.