Description of the Interactive Tool
This teaching tool is purposed to assist students in real world observations of natural and social systems. The learning objectives include developing an understanding of systemic thinking including concepts such as interdependence, multiple causation, the importance of context, energy flows and communication patterns, system goals and how the system is organized to meet their goals.
The students are placed in small groups and tasked with observing and commenting on their assigned systems e.g. –
- Natural: garden, river, grove of trees, etc.
- Social: club meeting, a group of people at dinner, a classroom of students, a sports event, etc.
The student groups will be assigned various prompt observation questions. After completing their observations, they will return to their class and process the experience by comparing observations, contrasting the two types of systems. They should be guided to process the experience by exploring the above-mentioned learning goals.
Students will then be required to submit a reflection of the experience

Points of Strength
This interactive teaching tool provides students with a real-world experience in observing systems and thinking systemically. This tool is basic and could be a valuable introductory experience of systems thinking.
The tool is relatively easy to set up.