Answer to Question #193472 in Economics for Phumzile Zondi

Question

Discuss how you would expand concepts and design and orginise learning experiences according to your own local circumstances when teaching Ecosystem and Structures including indigenous knowledge of habits of plants and animals, indigenous housing structure at grade 6 level. This is not a lesson plan.

Answer 1

The ecosystem approach to education is still in its infancy, so there is still no consensus on what an “educational ecosystem” is. At the same time, practicing leaders intuitively sense the difference between “ecosystem” and “non-ecosystem” management methods. A survey of respondents showed that more often than others, the key characteristics of educational ecosystems include versatility, co-creation, and purposefulness.

Educational ecosystems are defined as networks of interconnected and diverse actors involved in the learning/upbringing/development process throughout life. Educational ecosystems bring learners and communities together to unleash their individual and collective potential. They are diverse, dynamic, and constantly evolving. The (ultimate) goal of education ecosystems is to create a prosperous future for people, communities, and the planet.

One of the central results of this study is the description of the phenomenon of ecosystem organizers or “guardians” (a neologism proposed by the authors to translate the term Thrivalist used in the study). The Guardian is not a monolithic role, but a set of five different types of leadership that can be classified in terms of how they weave and maintain networks of relationships (the Weaving archetype), as well as their ability to take initiative and “ cultivate "new projects (the archetype of" Gardening "). These are the roles of “change leader”, “unifier” (or organizer of communities and spaces), “storyteller” (or storyteller), “thinker” (or visionary researcher), and “developer” (architect/designer).