Systems+Academy

Systems Academy
 * Vision **

Systems Academy is a not-for-profit with the goal of changing learning by providing a free world class education about systems for anyone, anywhere, anytime.

After studying math up through Algebra, and having an introduction to the sciences and humanities, Systems Academy introduces users to the process of learning why systems behave the way they do.


 * How Systems Academy Works **

Systems Academy works the same way as the Khan Academy. All of the web site's resources are available to anyone. No matter if you are a student, teacher, home-schooler, principal, or an adult returning to the classroom after 20 years. Systems Academy's materials and resources are available to anyone free of charge.

Students will make use of an extensive video library, interactive challenges, and assessments from any computer with access to the web. Coaches, parents, and teachers have unprecedented visibility into what their students are learning and doing on the Systems Academy.

Rarely are educators trained in systems concepts and few of the trained educators actually use modeling or simulation in the classroom. In ordinary language, Systems Academy has answers to questions about systems concepts. There is no classroom, the student is in control of their own learning path. The student is responsible for their own learning. Learning is not measured by a score on a test, a number grade or a letter.

Students plan their activities and assessments. They do not have to sit quietly and listen. Technology is fully integrated into the lessons. Mistakes are an essential part of learning. Learning from our mistakes is learning how to learn.


 * Why Systems Academy? **

System Academy enables us to understand why systems work they way they do. Politicians and decision makers need to know why systems work the way they do so that they can craft policies that are successful in the future. Policy makers need informed citizens who know why systems work they way they do.

System Academy is a tool to think, learn and communicate about systems. System Academy enables us to understand why systems work they way they do in order to prepare for the future.

You can use Systems Academy's reports, practice problems, and videos to identify and meet students' individual needs and to free up time for more interactive and creative experiences with your students. You will have data to guide learning and coaching. Students will be able to practice the system concepts learned.

Everything good you’ve heard about the Khan Academy also happens at the Systems Academy, we just have different content. Systems Academy extends what was learned about math, science and humanities to include the system concepts of levels, flows and feedback loops.


 * Educational Impact **

Systems Academy has the technological ingenuity and ability to introduce different educational dynamics. The Systems Academy freely distributes lessons that demonstrate technology's ability to eliminate economic barriers that prevent effective education. Close student-teacher interaction has always been a major goal. However, both the cost and realistic implementation have been issues hindering close interaction. The Systems Academy has addressed these issues, through both cost-free nature of the site and wide accessibility via the internet.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">What Hinders Learning? **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Systems Academy brings together inquiry, feedback and reflection so that students have the opportunity, time and space to learn. The things that hinder learning include: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Instead of the long time delays between lecture and test, Systems Academy gives students the opportunity to watch and rewind a video, practice answering questions and be ready for a test the next day at school. Instead of misunderstanding or not getting constructive feedback at school, Systems Academy gives the student the opportunity to get immediate feedback.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Cause and effect separated in time and space
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Misperception of feedback
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Poor interpersonal and organizational inquiry skills
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Insufficient time for reflection.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">What Systems Academy is Not **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Systems Academy is not a substitute for an actual course of study in systems science, systems thinking or system dynamics. Systems Academy is not a substitute for a live teacher and is not a coherent curriculum of study that engages students at all the cognitive levels at which they need to be engaged. Systems Academy is not designed as a complete educational resource.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">When someone has “learned” a subject, typically we mean that they have shown evidence of mastery not only of basic cognitive processes like basic system archetype recall and working modeling exercises but also higher-level tasks like applying system concepts to new problems and judging between two equivalent concepts.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Khan Academy is great for learning about lots of different subjects, but not really adequate for learning subjects on a level that really makes a difference in the world. Learning at these levels requires more than watching videos (or lectures) and doing exercises. Really learning systems concepts takes hard work, difficult assignments that get students to work at these higher levels, open channels of communication that do not just go one way, and above all a relationship to communicate with others.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">What is Systems Academy? **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Mechanical skill is a proper subset of all tasks a student needs to master in order to really learn a subject. Systems Academy is a great place to learn about systems concepts and practice the mechanical skills needed to model and simulate systems. Also, Systems Academy can teach novice learners how to think like expert learners. In other words, learning about learning, or learning how to learn - meta learning.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Khan Academy content includes math, science, engineering, health, art, history, computer science and other traditional education subject domains. However, there is no content that covers the basics about why systems behave the way they do. Systems Academy provides the content that extends the learning (whether from a formal school or from Khan Academy) using basic algebra, science and humanities to be able to understand system concepts.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Systems Academy takes the Khan Academy math lessons to a higher level. Building system models using the higher-level thinking skills that are so important for using mathematics in the real world. Systems Academy redefines mathematics to be more than the study of how to perform hand-calculations and pass exams. Systems Academy applies mathematics to real world problems and teaches learners how to transfer their skills to other subject areas. System Academy offers learners the opportunity to learn how to learn.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Why is System Dynamics difficult to define? **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> System Dynamics points directly at the mental models each of us has in our mind of how we believe the real world works and compares this to dynamic model simulations on a computer. System Dynamics engages the minds of students to resolve the conflict between their own mental model and results of the computer simulations.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;"> System Dynamics is difficult to define because learning happens when a person's mental model changes. (This definition of learning is from Barry Richmond.) First the definition of learning in SD does not match with the definition of learning in K12 education that uses standardized tests to measure the accumulation of knowledge and how people apply that knowledge. SD is used to figure out why systems behave the way they do.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Initial Investment **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Hardware and software needed to get started: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Snagit ($50) or Camtasia Recorder ($200) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">SmoothDraw3 (Free) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Wacom Bamboo Capture Tablet ($100) or Create ($200)

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Alternative hardware and software: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">iPad and ScreenChomp (free) or Educreations (free)

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Website services needed to get started: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Reserve systemsacademy.org domain ($5) - completed 3/15/2013 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Web hosting services $15 per month or more <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Web design and software developer services (unknown) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Khan Academy software (Free) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">YouTube channel (Free)

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Non-profit organizational costs: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">IRS letter as 501(c) 3 education non-profit <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Federal ID number <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Setup and register as non-profit at state level

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Content development:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Need software developers to take Open Source software used by Khan Academy and integrate it with the systemsacademy.org website.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Need staff and support to organize and develop content in the form of videos, practice quizzes, examples, and link to assessment and monitoring tools for coaches, teachers and parents.