Ed Morrison · Ohio’s STEM Learning Network

January 2nd, 2010

Liz Nilsen writes a good post this morning on Ohio’s STEM Learning Network, an initiative funded by the Gates Foundation.

Building a STEM system in Ohio

She points to an excerpt from the Learning Network web site on why OSLN is a network:

A network-centric approach is an effective way of introducing key elements of systems thinking and knowledge management that allow for positive change to occur within a rigid structure. In this case, we make use of the first principles of systems engineering in designing the network. Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary approach and means to enable the realization of successful systems. It focuses on defining customer needs and required functionality early in the development cycle, documenting requirements, and then proceeding with design synthesis and system validation while considering the complete problem (visit www.INCOSE.org). A network-centric approach allows people and resources to be structurally mobilized in order to adapt to new realities.

Network approaches to complex challenges require systems thinking, and transforming complex systems involves new disciplines of strategically thinking and doing. In these complex systems, we need to find the leverage points — the 20% that yields the 80%. (So, for example, it turns out that if we want to significantly boost the performance of the next generation of adult workers, investing in early childhood education yields disproportionate results.)

In my view, this is the only way we will transform inflexible industrial structures that have such difficulty to adapt to our changing economy. We will not “reform” them. (Exhibit A: Primary and secondary education. Twenty years of reform have yielded only marginal improvements.) We will only transform these systems with a swarm of innovation — dozens of promising ideas translated into replicable, scalable and sustainable initiatives.

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