Educational Systems Theory

Property: Interdependence

Definition:

"Educational system interdependence is components which have channels to and from them." (p. 57)

Comments:

When considering interdependence, it is important to remember that components must have channels both to and from them.

Illustration:

Examples:

Example 1 - An example of interdependence takes place in two classrooms with a university professor, a student teacher, and a high school school student. The affect relation is "guides the learning of another." In one classroom, the university professor guides the leaning of the student teacher, and in the second classroom, the student teacher guides the leaning of the high school student. The student teacher represents the component which has a channel to and from them and thus represents interdependence. A graphic representation might look like Figure 1. S1 represents the university professor, S2 represents the student teacher, and S3 represents the high school student.

Example 2 - Another example of interdependence takes place in a classroom or study area with three students. Each student has an area of mathematics that they understand very well. The three students are studying together for an upcoming mathematics test. The affect relation is "guides the learning of another." Each student teaches the other two students about their area of mathematics expertise. Each student represents a component which has a channel to and from them and thus represents interdependence. A graphic representation might look like Figure 2. S1, S2, and S3 each represent a student. S1 has expertise in addition, S2 has expertise in subtaction, and S3 has expertise in multiplication.

Related Terms:

passive dependence

active dependence

independence

segregation

wholeness

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Hypotheses Containing the Property: Interdependence

63. If educational system interdependence increases, then complexity growth increases.

102. If educational system interdependence increases, then feedin increases.

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