Systems Thinking in STEM Education: Pedagogies and Applications

A special issue of Systems (ISSN 2079-8954). This special issue belongs to the section "Systems Theory and Methodology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 1936

Special Issue Editors

Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, School of Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Interests: engineering education; undergraduate education; cognitive assessment; curriculum development; systems thinking; conceptual modeling; creative thinking
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Guest Editor
Department of Planning and Sustainability, Aalborg University, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark
Interests: problem-based learning; STEM education; education transitions; curriculum development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Systems thinking has long been recognized as a higher-order thinking skill, a 21st century skill, and, in particular, as a crucial skill for the work of scientists and engineers. Indeed, various scholars, economic, and educational organizations advocate the integration of systems thinking into STEM Education. However, sound and effective pedagogies for fostering systems thinking in STEM education are still in short supply.

The aim of this Special Issue is to examine pedagogies and applications for fostering systems thinking in STEM education. The scope for studies is k-12, higher education, and vocational education and training. Submissions should focus on STEM education, but may also cover other education disciplines as a minor focus. The pedagogy or application being presented should preferably be theory- or construct-based and include an assessment component (summative and/or formative).

Submissions may be intervention studies (empirical) or prescriptive, suggesting a pedagogy or application. Prescriptive papers should include an intervention study design for evaluating the efficacy of the suggested pedagogy or application.

Dr. Rea Lavi
Dr. Lykke Brogaard Bertel
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • engineering education
  • graduate education
  • k-12
  • mathematics education
  • science education
  • STEM education
  • systems thinking
  • technology education
  • undergraduate education
  • vocational education

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 3117 KB  
Article
Investigating Systems Complexity with the Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) Using Multiple Models: Introducing High School Students to Approaches in Mechanobiology
by Amanda M. Cottone, Zheng Bian, Jianan Zhao, Susan A. Yoon, Talar Kaloustian, Haowei Li and Rebecca G. Wells
Systems 2026, 14(3), 331; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14030331 - 23 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Understanding and developing habits in complex systems thinking using STEM-integrated perspectives is essential in addressing education and workforce needs in society. In this study, we investigated a learning intervention that incorporated multiple models designed to improve engineering students’ understanding of complex systems through [...] Read more.
Understanding and developing habits in complex systems thinking using STEM-integrated perspectives is essential in addressing education and workforce needs in society. In this study, we investigated a learning intervention that incorporated multiple models designed to improve engineering students’ understanding of complex systems through investigating the mechanobiology of the Venus flytrap. Mechanobiology is a transdisciplinary field that integrates biology, engineering, chemistry, and physics to explore how cells and tissues sense and respond to forces in their environment. We used an exploratory, mixed-methods approach to examine the impact of this new curriculum on investigating flytrap closure and prey digestion. We then evaluated students’ understanding of complex systems characteristics (i.e., many interacting parts, decentralization, non-linear interactions, emergence, and adaptation) and in their ability to transfer these principles to other systems. Qualitative analyses demonstrate that students articulated key systems principles in relation to their understanding of flytrap mechanobiology, while descriptive summaries of pre- and post-surveys suggest broader conceptual gains. Furthermore, students demonstrated the transfer of systems thinking to other contexts and reported an enhanced understanding of real-world STEM research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Systems Thinking in STEM Education: Pedagogies and Applications)
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20 pages, 1272 KB  
Article
Towards an Integrated Educational Practice: Application of Systems Thinking in STEM Disciplines
by Selene Castañeda-Burciaga, Omar Alejandro Guirette-Barbosa, Martha Angélica Ramírez-Salazar, José María Celaya-Padilla, Claudia Guadalupe Lara Torres, Hector Durán Muñoz, Oscar Cruz-Domínguez, María Hosanna Iraís Correa Aguado, José de Jesús Reyes-Sánchez, José de Jesús Velázquez-Macías and Martín de Jesús Cardoso Pérez
Systems 2026, 14(1), 97; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14010097 - 16 Jan 2026
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Abstract
Systems thinking is not a static concept, but rather a dynamic and evolving paradigm that continually adapts to the challenges of its time, becoming more refined and applicable in different areas, such as education. The main objective of the study is to identify [...] Read more.
Systems thinking is not a static concept, but rather a dynamic and evolving paradigm that continually adapts to the challenges of its time, becoming more refined and applicable in different areas, such as education. The main objective of the study is to identify the relationship between academic performance and the pedagogical strategies used to promote systems thinking in undergraduate and graduate students in STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The method used is quantitative research with a non-experimental cross-sectional design. For data collection, a 25-item Likert scale called “STEM Pedagogical Strategies” was used, with an overall Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of α = 0.985. The instrument measures students’ perceptions of the application of five key strategies: problem-based learning, thinking routines, system maps and visual diagrams, design thinking, and system dynamics. The sample consisted of 350 undergraduate and graduate students in STEM fields. The main results show that there is a significant correlation between students’ academic performance and the pedagogical strategies of thinking routines and design thinking. Likewise, the skills developed through systems thinking, as shown in the available literature, would be the basis for fostering collaboration, complex problem solving, and students’ ability to become “systems”. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Systems Thinking in STEM Education: Pedagogies and Applications)
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