Insights from the MIT Systems Awareness Lab Conference “Towards a Science of Systems Change”

The MIT Systems Awareness Lab Conference brought together researchers, educators, policymakers, and practitioners dedicated to the scientific study of transformative, ongoing systems change. The conference explored the complex realities that shape human and societal systems through both tangible artifacts such as formal structures, policies, and metrics, and intangible mental models—habits of thought, feeling, and action. The aim of the conference was to gather these communities in dialogue to advance effective systems change. 

Key Topics
  • Complex Systems in Education: Understanding how underlying structures shaped by artifacts and mental models can change in interconnected ways. 
  • Transdisciplinary Methods: Innovative approaches to studying and measuring systems change over time. 
  • Generative Social Fields: Research on creating collaborative, safe, and innovative school, work, and community climates and cultures. 
  • Iterative and Compassionate Change Processes: Viewing systems change as an ongoing, evolutionary process involving reflection, compassion, learning, and growth. 
  • Case Studies and Lived Experiences: Capturing data through stories and outcomes from individuals and communities engaged in systems change.   

The conference featured keynote speakers who are renowned experts from various universities globally. These experts were from fields including psychology, neuroscience, education, social and emotional learning, media arts and sciences, communication, biomedical anthropology, business, and the Centre for Systems Awareness. Additionally, there were practitioners from various educational institutions, schools, and regions in attendance who shared research: “Stories from the Field”.

It was a privilege to be invited to share research commissioned by LESNW: “A Compassionate Approach to Regenerative Systems Change” which has emerged from an 18-month research project. This research traces the evolution of the approach over a period of eight years examining the application of the two integrated frameworks, Growing Deep and Compassionate Systems, to nurture change.  

There was much interest in the LESNW research, and the way it reflected and aligned with findings from the keynotes, for example: 

  • Top-down initiatives don’t bring about sustained change. Work with the middle / base of systems, taking into consideration the context specific needs, centralised support for localised innovation  (Fullan)
  • Living Systems Change:  Schools are ‘living’ systems, therefore change needs to reflect this reality rather than a mechanistic approach (Boell)
  • Social and Emotional Learning is not a subject but a way of educating. (Schonert-Reichl)
  • Spiritual development is an important aspect of education which contributes to the growth of hope, purpose and wellbeing in students. (Colla) 
  • Be clear about the purpose of education. Is it a means to an end, or knowing our purpose in the world? (Frazier/Senge/Fullan/Boell) 

We look forward to sharing the LESNW research with leaders this year and implications for us individually, relationally and as an association of learning communities.  

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