At 09:44 AM 11/10/97 -0700, Shaheen Jeraj wrote:
> Why is Archetype Knowledge important to an educator's practice?
The archetypes in Senge's book are descriptions of ways of think that the
researchers found when using the causal loops. Generally they illustrate
errors in the way we think. Deming tried to get us to address this issue
by always measuring the result of process changes or adjustments. Senge is
trying to illustrate it with causal loops. it is only by understanding the
errors of our ways that we can move on and actually learn.
When we do not measure and do not understand what our actions actually
cause we are doomed to repeat-- failure or winning
The archetypes are canned illustrations of flawed thinking. They permit us
to se our selves and coworkers in a new way. The archetypes are not so
important as the understanding of how the causal loops can be used to
understand the systems and decision making practices of the educators and
the administrators.
The real value is to use the causal loops to understand the decision
systems around you and the decision systems you are in. The causal loops
can be used to illustrate the following.
Culture is determined by manager (administrator) actions. Manager actions
are determined by their mind sets or mental models. Mind sets are
determined by experience , education and visioning and perceived
experience. School boards drive the mental model of the administrators and
teachers with their actions. That in turn drives the actions of teachers
and the quality of education.
Causal loops help us understand this system.
When Deming told us most of the problems are systemic, this is one of the
systems he was talking about. Senge is showing us how to study the systems
and uncover the mind sets that drive the systems.
Gene
--Eugene Taurman <ilx@execpc.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>