Week Sixteen Blog

Write a reflection about what you learned about educational systems, systems thinking, critical theory, systems theory, and the like in class this semester. Did you learn anything else? How might you plan on applying this information in the future?

In my earlier week’s blog I have mentioned that I am a critical thinker and I know how to think and solve problem because that is what I do-problem solving in terms of technology evaluation, analysis, implementation, and discontinuation. But after I have taken this class I felt good that I would have missed lots of information that are very important for my future career to become an administrator in the field of academic technology. This course is an eye opening for me on how to think critically and analyze a system to identify the relevant inputs to process through transformation in to good outputs and make adjustments/recommendations to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of a system.

System thinking is complex and educational systems thinking is more complex as I am familiar with mainly educational system. In our class we compare the system thinking with matrix, some of our classmates called it an enigma. But the happiness thing is that we learn how to analyze an enigma bit by bit that gives charm to think about complexity. The whole class was exciting with thinking and analyzing hard and soft systems which never heard of before this class even though we have been doing it without knowing. Now, lots of things make sense with understanding. One of the notable process I have learned fro this class is depiction. It was very useful to represent thinking in a mind map was new to me. I like the strategy to put all thinking in a visual representation with different diagram is extremely useful to effectively demonstrate systems components, their relationships with environment etc.

I have learned how to critique myself when I have negative result about my own action. I think this class made me more stronger and how to think critically to analyze a system. I felt bit confused about my ability after seeing the gap between my efforts and expected output in the activities!  Then I thought my instructor is helping me to think even more by providing constructive feedback to support my thinking with other established thinker’s writing that remind’s me of Dr. Warren’s advice, “you are not a PhD and your thinking needs validation by other established thinker”. I started thinking again and rewritten the task two again and did enjoyed doing it even though it was so painful to see all those comments and a breath taking failing grade. Regardless of the final grade whatever will it be I feel confident that I have learned valuable knowledge and skills from this class that will be worth in my future life.

After I have taken this course I see any system in a different eye than I used to be. The experience of analyzing a system in various levels such micro, meso and meta level was a valuable learning even though I have been analyzing systems which was not organized based on systems thinking theory. I would use this knowledge in my career specially in the field of educational technology whenever I have the opportunity to make decision of any technology integration or of making any change in a system.

Week Thirteen Blog

How are you feeling about systems thinking at this point? How are you feeling about your Task Three/Final project for the course? What’s left for you to do? What’s challenging? What’s not? How might you use what you have learned here in the future?

I have mixed feeling about this systems thinking at this point. I thought I am able to think critically by nature and thinking and problem is my passion. I am always shown good results in terms of making good decision in right time in right place. But I learn lots of new strategies to thinking and analyzing more critical level than I used to which is an eye opening for me. I did not intend to take this course but I think it was a good decision by the department to make it mandatory for us. Although sometimes it was bit frustrating for me not be able to connect and engage some of the thinking reading but class discussions were most valuable and effective for me to fill that gap and to learning this system design and thinking.

My task three is in draft state. I am not much happy with the progress that I am making. It is taking lots of time for me to comprehend and put them in a coherent thought. I know and I understand the whole complexity but when I try to write them it floes like I am outlining my thoughts and it does not look good to read like a paper. I could do it in table but I personally prefer listing than presenting in table. There are so many inputs to consider and analyze each one of them to find the relevancy and value to the system is very complex. But I am focusing more of content than of structure and aesthetic of a paper. After spending so much time I felt I might missed several important relevant input for the system to be transformed as good outputs. I feel like it is a never ending type of task. It is hard to decide where to stop and what to keep and what not. I tried to be visualizing the broader impact but with thinking critically about each thing it is hard to eliminate some out of it. I want to make sure I am covering all the aspects of analysis of a meta-system in terms of online education and its status in the meta-system.

My future goal is to become an administrator in academic technology field. I have been in this field for more than twelve years. I am familiar with this administration, its characteristics and this system thinking and analysis is an eye opening for me which will help me grow and analyse any system and make good decision. One thing I have learned from reading so many articles and analysis exercise as confirmation of my own long term belief is relationship among components in a system, effective communication among systems, listen to different micro-systems is very effective to analyze for making good decision. Autocratic thinking and process has no good output. Even though some of this course activities did not make sense to me at the beginning but later I have enjoyed. I feel confident that the knowledge and experience of analyzing different types of systems from this course will prepare me to become a visionary and effective leader in academic technology field in future.

Week Twelve Blog

How might you use the motion picture lens best to analyze a system? Are there some systems that lend themselves better to this for analysis than others? What examples can you give? Is this a depiction mode that you like or that makes sense to you vs. the first two we learned and you have applied?

The motion picture model of Banathy is the complete guide book for analyzing a system. It is obviously complex because of indefinite number of components in this system analysis. It is hard to cover everything in different time. It is super complex to monitor a system’s activities over time but motion picture model helps identifying system’s trends and behaviour in an iterative way. This model how a system operates, its input processing, transformation, output processing, and system guidance such as feedback, adjustment and change. It helps developing a continuous interaction with ever changing society, and establish coordination with societal systems that are relevant to the system.

Based on my knowledge and understanding from analyzing two different micro-and meso-systems it will be very hard to analyze a small system using this model. It may be useful in micro-system analysis only to find the relationship of a micro-system to a meso- or macro-system. I believe this model is better for the macro-systems to analyze. Educational system, health system etc are good examples for analyzing using this model. Unlike structure/function model analyze a system in a specific time this model is useful to identify the system behavior as a pattern or cyclic way over a long period of time. The depiction strategies are good in this model which organizes everything in a logical manner to analyze the system easily. The process makes adjustments and corrects for differences between the actual and desired output or changes the system itself. At this moment I am not as familiar as this model so it is hard to say whether it is the best model to analyze a HAS/EAS.

I think this model is more comprehensive that other two models. The micro-system analysis using System-Environment model was hard to analyze and meso-system analysis was easier that the micro-system analysis. The motion-picture model guides to analyze a system over time so it is hard to limit the analysis a much larger system than other two systems. The inputs, transformation, outputs, and system guidance and management give the specific blueprint to analyze a meta-system. Each process has several internal process to analyze. So it is very detail to analysis process. Feedback through system guidance and management process the outputs are identified for making adjustments for improving the system.  The limitation of this model to me is that it is easy to forget many smaller things that is important in system analysis such as any micro-system that might be critical in a macro-system. This process model helps a meta-system for long term adjustment and improve the efficiency of the system. As time passes I am getting more interested to learn system thinking and system analysis. It was very dry and confusing to me as this is the first time I have come across this topic but more I read the more I enjoy about it. Especially all the class activities we are using it in our real life experience and that makes it more enjoyable. I would admit that after I have enrolled this course I no longer see any system with my own lens the same way I saw before. It opened my eyes to a new world that I now enjoy more.

 

Week Eleven Blog

Reflect on Mindwalk and what they were saying about the interconnections among all things, the mechanical vs. the organic view of systems, and other relevant topics.

Mindwalk movie is a philosophical deep conversation among three characters, a physicist, a politician, and a poet about system thinking. The whole movie was shot in Mont Saint Michel. It was bit boring most of the part. I was able to connect the movie with system thinking in 82th minutes and I enjoyed the last 25 minutes of the 1 hour 48 minutes long movie.  It was hard to comprehend about interconnectedness among all things in the first half of the movie but later part in the movie it was cleared to me. I liked how Sonia explain the different systemic view of a tree as Cartesian view versus systemic view. The poet Thomas Harriman asked the physicist Sonia what is life and she answered that “the essence of life is self-organization”. But I think life is more than just self-organization. We can’t compare human life with matters. If we used the word creation then there is a creator exists whether we see or not. I do see the interconnectedness of all thing in our ecosystems, the organisms, the trees, the mountain, the oceans, the solar systems, human, animals, and the whole universe. This amazing interconnectedness is the reminder of a superpower who organize and control the interconnectedness of all things out of our sight whom the people of faith recognize as God.

Systems theory knowledge helps us think deeper about anything we see and hear. I see Sonia as a pessimistic. She took her out of the holistic approach of systems thinking. She does not even think about her connection as part of a human system activity. Just thinking is not going solve the problem unless use it for a solution. We can’t solve the whole world’s problem alone but if we all share to solve some problem that is better than just thinking without doing nothing. In this aspect I like politician Jack whom I found pragmatic. Even though some of my classmates think politician just talk and do nothing then who solve the problem? If we don’t involve ourselves in political process how can we expect change and make the politician more accountable? If we just hate politician then we are on the the side of Sonia. We are the problem we if do not offer the solution. I do thing holistic approach of anything is better than short-cut method. If a doctor treats a patient just by looking at one symptom without taking holistic approach to collect other history of related symptoms then the cure will be for short term. So, we we see the world as living organisms then we need think about how everything is interconnected in this world and we need to take part in the systems to do our part to preserve the nature system without much disruption.

Even though the whole movie was dominated with only one media verbal it would have been easy if there were some pictorial or diagramical use of some of the complex systems thinking aspects were analyzed. The dialogue among three characters tried to give the message about mechanistic vs organic views of all components’ interconnectedness in the living world. It fascinates me how a physicist turned himself into a system thinker and explained such a nice way about organic world’s view and forgot about the blessings of machines in human life. Is it practically avoidable in this era of technology revolution? I personally think we can’t avoid the Cartesian approach of mechanistic view of the world in systems thinking. Over all I liked the movie and all three characters were well developed.

Week Ten Blog Part 1 and 2

Part 1. Reflect on an instance in which you have tried to make some form of systemic change in your own life, work, or other system. It could be an instance where someone else started a systemic change process and you were part of the group being changed. Tell me what it was, how it went, and how you feel about it. What did you learn from the experience?

I have been involved several systems changes during my 15 years of professional career. I will share the experience of my involvement in the last systems change at my current work place. I was given the leadership responsibility of a tough system change of a university where people have been using a in house custom made  web-based application for information sharing which they called “Courses Website”. It was a bit shocking for me to know that they never heard of a learning management system as being part of a university system where other system university uses the learning management system (LMS) widely in their campus. I have realized during the implementation of LMS why this university clients were kept aside from taking advantage of using the system’s LMS instead of using the in house system which is not an efficient system at all.

I have  experience working with people from different professional background and this is the first time I am dealing with people from medical profession. I was confident that I am familiar with health sector people from my earlier job at one of the top health science university in the nation but I was not aware of this specific group of people which I do not want to label and did not have the chance to work with. This group of people was the toughest to change and still after five years later with 2 LMS implementation I find them not enthusiastic about it. They just reply on their assistant rather than taking their own responsibility as an instructor. This could be they do not have enough time to involve in this aspect as they have other services beyond teaching. This could be there is no motivation in teaching from the hierarchy. Or, this may be one of the failure that I need to work with to bring change in their attitude toward LMS and other technology tools implementation in this environment.

Now, I know I did do system analysis during my involvement of all technologies implementation process in my career. I formed a committee with members from each schools withing the university and met with them separately from my other team which I build with IT departments and the system’s university in other campus.  I started my campaign. I start meeting with each individual department faculty and staff and started studying and observing their personality that later I used to recruit them as pioneer in this change process.  And most importantly the custom system was not an LMS that was just an FTP based file sharing process. Without bringing the custom system I was just focusing on the advantages of using an LMS for their instructional purposes. The strategies worked. I implemented the new LMS within 6 months for the first time.

The things that I did not like during the system change is the meta system’s action for those who used to manage the in house built custom system. I found some of them are no longer here. I was watching the change powerless and felt bit unhappy. My boss’s boss started massive restructuring in her territory without thinking much of a systems thinking and systems analysis. Like I mentioned before some systems change affected me too within two years. I found myself moving from office to office 3 times within 3 years but was able to continue my services till now. After 4 years later I found out that the person who was doing all these systems changes that caused the system becomes less efficient and less effective are no longer here. Finally, the higher level systems agents realized it and let the person go.  I have learned the most valuable experienced during my tenure here and now I am ready to move next level of my career. My leadership style would be transformational rather authoritative. If i am not successful that is okay because I think some times we have to accept failure for common good. I do not want the good that brings harms to others in general.

—————————————————————————

Part 2. Think about the project you just did. Was it how you wanted it to come out? What did you learn from the process, your interactions with peers, etc. Free form this a bit and talk about what interested you about your system and what you might have missed without examining the myriad systems surrounding the one you were focused on here.

The project that I finished is about a meso-systems analysis. I felt it was bit easier than the micro-systems analysis. Both micro-and meso-systems analysis were done using Banathy’s two lenses, System-Environment and Structure/Functions models. The analysis using system-environment model was very tough as I did not have clear understanding about system analysis. But the last project which was meso-system analysis using function/structure was easy to define the system image, identify purpose and systems specification, identify the functions of the system, determine the components of the system that will carry out the functions, and define the structure of the system and its relationships among various parts. This structure/functions gave the specific guidelines that was very helpful to analysis the meso-system analysis.

I felt having more freedom to analyze a meso-system than that of a micro-system. Micro-system analysis was restricted to me in terms of limitation of considering a fixed static single point of time. It was hard to identify the purpose and also make recommendations. Where as meso-systems analysis was over a period of time that made it easy to offer comprehensive recommendations. I believe it will be more perfect in meta-system level analysis to make over all recommendations after analyzing to improve a system’s effectiveness response to its changes. Banathy’s list of questions guided to organize and identify functions of elements in the systems. The important thing I learned from Banathy’s model is how to identify components, their relationships, and used these info to create mind maps.

Peer interactions were useful. I strongly believe interactions is a good teaching strategy. I will use it if I choose to be an instructor if not I will recommend who are instructors to use it. It has been very helpful to this class to understand and clear any complex idea through interactions between instructor and students and peer interactions. Some students exchange task two for peer feedback and it was tremendously helpful to get the feedback in improving the task. One of the smart students shared how the student analyzed a meso-systems thinking it as micro-system. It was a big lesson to learn how complex is complex thinking. I though I was the only person who was struggling in this class but peer instructions helped clearing lots of misconceptions and helped improving the understanding of many complex things.

My interest to this system become deeper because I am analyzing my own micro-and meso-systems. The meso-systems was the Center for Innovative Learning where I work and I have been seeing its evolution for last five years.  I have been physically and emotionally attached to its evolution since its inception. The Center for Learning & Development was established in 2010 with the goals of faculty training and development to improve students learning outcomes. For some mysterious reasons the systemic changes started and after two years another center has been created by the name of Center for Online Education in 2012. Then again in 2014 both centers merged together with a new name Center for Innovative Learning. During this five years periods lots of things happened which are now I know as systemic changes. I was not aware of how system changes affect its components and effectiveness of the system. Lots of things I did not understand before I took this class. Now, I am able to connect and understand because of my knowledge about systemic thinking and systems change that I learned from this class. Actually I was interested to learn about the systems design and analysis due to witnessing these events in my career that motivated me to take this class. I am glad I have learn some new things that will be helpful in my future professional career.

Reference

Banathy, B. H. (1973). The functions/structure model. In Developing a systems view of education: The systems-model approach (pp. 59–97). Salinas, CA: Intersystems Publications.

Week Nine Blog

Malott, M.E. and Nartinez, W.S. (2006).  Addressing organizational complexity: A behavioural systems analysis application to higher education. International Journal of Psychology, 41 (6), 559-570.

This paper describes a change initiative of a higher education in Mexico by applying a behavioral system analysis approach. The analysis shows how behavior analysts can alter the behavior of individuals by manipulating behavioral contingencies. Organizational change is more complex than specific behavior change because organization analysis involves many components. A behavioral entity comprises actions of a single individual or group. An organization such as a university involves greater complexity that includes “1. Interlocking behavioral contingencies of many faculty, students, staff, and administrators and their interaction with external system’s members such as government officials, unions etc.; 2. Insignificant impact of a single behavior of an individual on overall output of the organization; 3. Aggregate products; and 4. unique dynamic configurations of behavioral contingencies of multiple individuals” (Malott and Martinez, 2006, p. 559). So, a behavior and an organization involve different units of analysis.  This study attempted to describe how the organizational complexity study can guide change strategies.

Mexican government has been struggling to reduce the people’s illiteracy rate. The government has taken an initiative to raise the educational level of their school teachers up to at least BA degree from a 3 year certificate of technical education. In order to accomplish this target the government has established the National pedagogy University of Veracruz (UPV) in 1980. After twenty years of service the university presented significant problem that threatened its long-term survival. Low productivity, declining enrollment, and outdated programs have caused it to go under considerable transformation. The behavioral systems engineering model (Malott, 2003) has been applied to improve the change.

Changing organization is like engineering (Gilbert, 1996). Like building a bridge, behavioral system analysis also involves scientific principles of behavior, their unique application as each organization is different. “A behavioral contingency is to organizational change like a drop of water is to an ocean (Malott and Martinez, 2006, p. 560)”. The organizational complexity analysis is essential in planning change and in identifying targets which justify resource utilization. This study used three types of complexity-environmental, hierarchical, and component to determine the change plan (Glenn and Malott, 2004).

In environmental complexity analysis they identified variables that are relevant to change are population characteristics, economic conditions, federal and state regulations, labor unions, and elected governments. The hierarchical complexity includes macro-system’s environmental variables , and educational system such as pre-schools, secondary, technical and higher education and their dynamic relationship with government, industry, and family. The component complexity which is determined by the number of elements that constitute an organization. Component complexity is important to develop effective interventions that that is survivable in a dynamic environment of an organization. The analysis found enrollment in BA program in 1980 was 7000 which declined to 5000 in 2000, and 2324 in 2004.

The analysis found that high proportion of young and rural population who are living under high level of poverty, government excessive regulation over administrative processes, high illiteracy rate, high drop-out in primary school children, decreasing demand for specific programs, and inefficient and ineffective administrative process. The complexity study helped to identify these variables that are critical in the design of effective intervention. Four change initiatives were identified from the analysis of complexity-“1. Incorporation of adult literacy training at the macro-system level; 2. Adding various options to thesis requirement to increase graduation rate; 3. Development of new programs to increase enrollment; and 4. Re-engineering of the student-centered administrative processes” (Malott and Martinez, 2006, p. 567).

Week Eight Blog

What are you learning about how to rapidly analyze systems and the level of complexity contained in each? How does the world of systems thinking differ from critical theory/thinking and emancipatory learning? Why? When is each appropriate? Do you view them as fundamentally separate? Are you comfortable with one versus the other? Which applies most in your work or future/intended work setting?

In-class discussions helped learning rapidly analyzing system. Group discussion was very useful to learn how to rapidly analyze system. I have realized that individualized learning in this course is not effective compare to group learning. There are many concepts that are hard to understand from reading. We analyzed meso system during rapid analyzing of Detropia system. Both environment and function structures models have been used in rapid analyzing of system. The level of analysis is highly complex but it is getting easier day by day from the in-class discussion. After completing the task one micro-system analysis this meso system analysis became little bit easier. Every system has sub-system and every sub-system has indefinite components and complex relationship with their environment. So, it is very hard to analyze a system completely over time. That is why it is important to identify a particular time to analyze a system.

I still do not deeply understand the difference between systems thinking and critical thinking. System thinking is much more complex than critical thinking. Critical thinking process involves analyzing a problem critically and finding a possible solution for that problem. Systems have indefinite sub-systems, its environment and relationship among its components makes it complex. System has boundary and boundary has many breaks. Changes of any environment factor impacts in output of a complex system. Environmental factors impact the system expectations and functions. System thinking process identify problem but not necessarily solve the problem. System thinking is time sensitive. Systems continuously change and evolve over time.

Critical systems theory brings a system thinking lens to help understanding the complex nature of a system and problem, while incorporating critical perspectives in both methodology and broader research objectives such as emancipation and social justice. Systems thinking entails identifying the components that make up a system, understanding relations between them, and how these components impact the larger system, external systems, and supra-systems, and vice versa (Watson and Watson, 2011, p. 63).

Hard systems thinking reflects positivist epistemology, and research methods focused on prediction and control within natural science. The hard systems approach strives to identify an “optimal” solution regardless of the differing opinion or values within the system. Soft systems thinking includes the cultural, psychological processes of human activity. Soft systems thinking does not seek for “one optimal solution” and seeks to facilitate a dialogue between individuals and decision makers in order to reach agreement (Jackson, 1982, cited in Watson and Watson, 2011). Incorporating critical theory into systems analysis emphasize the importance of recognizing issues of power, oppression, and emancipation in systems thinking. “The critical systems theory seeking to empower individuals and transforms society’s systems and their policies and processes that replicate oppression and injustice” (Denzin and Lincoln, 2011). Emancipation is one of the core principles of critical systems theory. Emancipatory values are important in social system wherein inequality of power exists in relation to opportunity, authority, and control.

I do view them as fundamentally separate but understanding is not crystal clear. As a problem solver I am comfortable toward critical thinking. I am comfortable applying critical thinking most in my daily job. When I will have more knowledge about system thinking I may apply in future work.

Watson, S. L., & Watson, W. R. (2011). Critical, emancipatory , and pluralistic research for education: A review of critical systems theory. Journal of Thought, Fall-Winte(1968), 63–77.

 

Week Seven Blog

Analysis of Detropia system

We learned about rapid analysis of Detropia as complex system. The analysis was done as group work using Banathy’s system-environment model lens. There were three groups with four members in each group. One member was selected as presenter to record each group discussion for presentation in class. Other three members discussed about Detropia system analysis. It was very helpful and bit easier as we have learned the fundamental aspect of system analysis from task one. Also, instructor has led excellent in-class discussions about the system analysis, critical system theory, and pattern recognition. My group was assigned to discuss about narrative of system and other two groups were assigned to draw the mind-maps.

In our group we used GoToTraining chat window to share our thought about Detropia analysis. There were five members in our group. One member facilitated the discussion and other member kept the time track. Occasionally we used microphone to discuss the topic. Analysis of Detropia based on Banathy’s environment-function lens was hard. We had to identify the image of the system, its different component, and relationship to it components, input, output, expectation to apply our own understanding of meso system analysis.

First we identified the image of the system. We thought the government is purposive but other systems are heuristic. We have identified the different sub-systems of Detropia and analyzed each sub-system. The purpose of the system is to provide its members the opportunity to fulfill the American dream. Transition city’s economy to a sustainable future without solely reliance on automobile industry. Regain a place of domestic and global competitor. Focus less on greed and profit and more on branding and benefit of the city as a whole. I admit that group discussions was very useful to understand and clarify complex concept of system, its components, functions, and relationship with different parts of components. I would not have been able to make my learning effective unless I was in this group discussion. Definitely group discussion has a positive impact on my learning. I think other members may have similar positive experience as well.

Our team members are responsible and cooperative. we had some issue first whether to use microphone or just chat option. But withing short time we decided to use chat mostly but microphone occasionally. So we all took part in discussions and contributed fairly to analyze the system. We always shared responsibilities and do the job as necessary. We had a good discussion as I felt our team members are strong and contributed from different perspectives. Then we have come to a consensus to write it down for sharing with other groups during in-class presentation. We have worked in a group project before and I am very pleased that all the groups that I worked with are very professional and team oriented. We trust each other since we worked together during previous semesters. I strongly expressed that our team work was very effective and efficient.

Other group created the mind-map. The mind map was nice and clear. The component, boundary, input and output were presented in mind-map. They did an excellent job to create the visual depict.

Week Six Blog

Write a reflection about what you learned about analyzing educational micro-systems from Task One.  What have you come to understand about the complexity of even simple systems? What have you learned about yourself as a learner and budding research analyst? How do you think you did on the Task? Why? What will you do differently in the future?

Micro-system analysis using Banathy’s Systems-Environment model was a challenge for me. This is the first time I have analyzed a system. It was a very complex task. I am still struggling to separate a micro system from the meso- and macro-system while analyzing a single system. Even though I used myself in the name of an employee micro-system my though got lost again and again. Sometimes I felt I was writing my resume and other time I felt I was describing the meso-system or the macro system. It was very hard to make the connection of human system to education system. How one system impacts the other systems. My understanding is still vague about system analysis. I still can’t picture it what the actual micro-system analysis should look like. It would have been helpful if the instructor was providing a model example of a system analysis to learn where the gap is. I could not comprehend my thought well to put it in writing to express my understanding about what I was trying to say. I have gotten frustrated and have felt exhausted.

I did enjoy reading about system complexity and chaos theory and learned the characteristics of complexity and chaos theory. I am trying to connect those to real life but micro-system analysis I felt there is no limit in the boundary. My understanding about the complexity of a simple system is very complex. Each system is closely interconnected with another system. There is no independent system. If one is impacted the other is impacted too. Each system is influenced by factors of system environment and general environments. The factors are indefinite in number and hence there is end of discussion about a simple system.

As a learner and budding research analyst I have learned that I need to build confidence in myself and continue to grow more in writing and analyzing. I feel I could do more but did not have time. I was not comfortable to analyze my own family factors and I dropped in in my analysis. The most uncomfortable feeling I had when I saw the similarity index. I absolutely felt embarrass when I saw my similarity index was more than expected. I have deleted lots of quoted materials and have rewritten most of the quotes and resubmitted next day. I hope Dr. Cox will accept it as first time. I will manage my time properly for next tasks.

Even though Banathy’s model was a guide for us to analyze a system, I do not think that I did an excellent job. I do think I did excellent in mind mapping the system but could not articulate in analyzing the system. Overall, I think I did a good job but only Dr. Cox can judge how good or bad I did. In future, I need to prepare myself well ahead of time so I can manage time efficiently. There was an expected time constraint affected my last day. I thought I will be able to complete it before Saturday as I knew I will not be able to use Saturday for my study. I did not want to make excuse in a PhD level study. I should have acted more responsively and proactively. I will remind myself next time to be more proactive and well organized.

Week Five Blog

Write a reflection about how your system of interest (micro) compares in terms of complexity with the Donnie Darko analysis we did as a group in Week Three. What is different? What’s similar? Any patterns emerging about human behavior/cognition?

My system of interest is an employee as micro system who provides support for faculty and students in blended and online learning. The employee is a part of a macro system, the UNTHSC. As an employee the reflection on system thinking and pattern recognition is discussed below based on understanding from in-class discussions and the outside reading about Donnie Darko film.

The big difference between two systems is the function of each system. The employee as a micro system of an education system provide services to faculty, staff, and student. On the other hand, Donnie Darco as a student who receives the service from an education system. Aslo, Donnie leaves in a dual system simultaneously in tangent and general universes. An employee is a real character in an education system but Donnie is a fictitious character in a cult movie system . In Donnie Darko there is a tangent universe which lasts for 28 days compare to the actual universe. In case of the employee there is only one universe that coevolved with the education system. Unlike tangent universe the employee’s activities are scheduled based on a day-to-day and semester-based calendar. Boundaries are also different for each system. There are there semesters in a year in education system. The employee has to provide some specific services with some specific date related activities such as enrollment, training, and other time sensitive critical services on priority. But Donnie Darko has fixed 28 days period to prepare himself to survive or to choose to die.

There are indefinite numbers of micro systems, unpredictable behavior, nonlinear relationships among parts of the movie system Donnie Darko. The employee is not as complex as Donnie Darko is at this moment of his understanding. The employee finds it hard to compare and relate an education system to a movie system. The employee system deals with different types of technologies, human behaviors, communications which makes it a complex system. One of the similarities between two systems is the technology part. Donnie Darko also deals with high tech events that exhibit complex communication system between tangent and general universes. In Donnie Darko’s system the tangent universe of 28 days could be considered as micro system within the general universe which could be considered as a macro system.

There are some patterns that have emerged about human behavior. Some of the characters like Frank, Dr. Thurman, and Roberta have different level of influence in Donnie’s life. In tangent universe Donnie Darko can see the future with the help of agent which manipulates his thinking ability. The employee’s life and services are also influenced by his boss, colleagues, and other people in the hierarchy of the employee’s system. But in real world the employee cannot see the future events in advance to prepare for any unpredicted natural disasters like earth quake, tsunami etc. Even though the employee has his own personal goals and objectives he has to fulfill the department’s goals as well. There are unlimited inputs and outputs involved in education system and it is hard to identify all at once to manage properly. Even if the employee identifies some there is always some that appear unexpectedly. The most complex micro system of the employee is the human system which itself is a very complex system. It is hard to analyze and understand all human systems and functions to find a unique predictable pattern. The employee hopes to learn more as the learning accretion continues in his life.