Developing a Measure of Systems Thinking Competency

• In Event: Social Justice and Civic Engagement

Abstract

This paper discusses the development of an assessment tool to measure “systems thinking,” a competency that describes the sort of cognitive flexibility that might be beneficial for graduates to be emerging leaders capable of addressing critical societal issues. A framework for considering systems thinking competency is presented and used as the foundation of a scenario-based assessment tool. Results from a qualitative pilot study are shown as part of introducing the tool with primary findings: (a) the tool elicited meaningful data on each of the constructs for which it was designed; (b) emergent within each construct were possible means of characterizing the data that will allow for future study of variation across respondents.

Authors

• Jacob R Grohs, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• Gary R Kirk, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• David Knight, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University