To the Providence College Students:
My most memorable experiences (in fact, virtually my only fond memories
of) graduate school involved non-traditional classes focused very much on
systems thinking. In our class on soft-systems methodology, we identified
several projects in the university and the community which presented
sticky problems. We used our systems-solving skills to solve real
problems for real people! Not only did we have the oppirtunity to learn
in a messy environment (noone gives you a syllabus in the real world), but
we were able to do some good. The evaluation was quite simple - did we
solve the problem?
You (or other educators) may want to try something similar, perhaps
requiring of yourselves some structured system mapping. Most importantly,
hold yourselves accountable to the 'client' - this will be the best way to
learn how to do things in the "real world."
Best of luck!
-- Barak Rosenbloom, Troublemaker Employment and Training Administration US Department of Labor, Seattle 206-553-4543 x8030 rosenbloomb@doleta.gov"The way enlightenment comes . . . is in bits and pieces of humdrum reality, each adding its mosaic bit of glitter to the eventual vision." - E.L. Doctorow