Educational Systems Theory

Property: Complexity Degeneration

Definition:

Educational system complexity degeneration is decrease in complexity. (p. 64)

Comments:

Complexity degeneration is a decrease in the number of connections within a system. In this case connections can be thought of as interactions between various components within the system.

Illustration:

Examples:

The illustrations above demonstrate how Complexity Degeneration can occur when a teacher moves from an instructional style such as cooperative learning to the lecture format. In cooperative learning the teacher and students all interact thus creating many connections within the classroom environment as illustrated in figure one. In a lecture format the teacher provides most if not all of the interactions within the classroom and thus reduces the number of possible connections or interactions, as indicated in figure two. This reduction in interactions or connections is complexity degeneration.

Related Terms:

complexity

feedout

size

size degeneration

disconnectivity

homomorphism

toput

selective information growth

---

Hypotheses Containing the Property: Complexity Degeneration

#93. If educational system complexity decreases, then complexity degeneration increases.

#94. If educational system feedout is less than some value, then complexity degeneration increases.

#175. If educational system complexity degeneration increases, then size degeneration increases or disconnectivity increases.

#182. If educational system size is constant and complexity degeneration increases, then disconnectivity increases.

#183. If educational system size decreases and complexity degeneration increases, then disconnectivity decreases.

#190. If educational system homomorphism at time 2 is greater than homomorphism at time 1, then toput is nearly maximum and size degeneration is nearly maximum and complexity degeneration is nearly maximum.

#193. If educational system size degeneration decreases and selective information growth is constant, then complexity degeneration increases.

Go to SIGGS Home Page.