As the challenges facing our global food systems become increasingly complex, it’s critical to prepare the next generation of agricultural professionals with systems thinking skills.
The first published study from a project that sought to explore innovative teaching methods for systems thinking, this 2022 study published in the Journal of Agricultural Education was the pilot study that utilized hypothetical case scenarios to help students understand interconnected agricultural systems.
What Was the Study About?
The research team, led by Katie Sanders and colleagues at the University of Georgia, developed hypothetical cases to simulate real-world food systems challenges. These scenarios encouraged students to analyze complex problems, identify system-level interconnections, and propose thoughtful, informed solutions.
Key Findings
The results were exciting:
Students showed improved systems thinking skills, better recognizing how changes in one part of an agricultural system could ripple across others.
The low-risk, imaginative scenarios allowed students to explore potential solutions without fear of real-world consequences.
The approach bridged the gap between theoretical knowledge and its practical applications, making abstract concepts more accessible and engaging.
Why This Matters
Teaching systems thinking is no longer just an academic exercise—it’s an essential skill for tackling food system challenges such as sustainability, resource management, and global food security. By training students to think systematically, educators are equipping them with tools to innovate and lead in their future careers.
Curious to learn more? Read the full article here: Using Hypothetical Case Scenarios to Teach Systems Thinking in Agriculture.
What’s Next?
The study’s authors suggest further research to refine these tools and extend their use across other areas of education. They conducted additional research in the subsequent study that built upon the pilot data. Read the 2023 study findings here.
Members of the STEPS project are helping this systems thinking approach gain traction by creating hypothetical case scenarios that can be used in undergraduate agricultural classrooms across various disciplines, equipping students to solve complex problems they will face in their future careers.
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