Abstract for: Over 200 Systems Thinking/System Dynamics Assessment Questions Released for K-12 Research

There is a lack of research describing K-12 student learning of systems thinking (ST) concepts, with a focus on system dynamics (SD) analysis and tools. To that end a collection of over 200 ST assessment questions have been accumulated and curated to assist/encourage additional K-12 research in this area. For the past three years (2021-2024) the SDS Precollege Education SIG has collected (over 200) K-12 ST assessment questions. Those ST assessment questions were reviewed (4 separate passes), assigned ST levels (3 separate passes), had pre-requisite ST concepts identified (1 pass), and partially validated subsets of Systems Thinking Assessment Questions for use in precollege research and teaching. We have collected and reviewed over 200 K-12 ST assessment questions. We have validated about 20 questions in multiple experiments. We find we are lacking in questions at the upper level of ST concepts – students creating SD models and students testing policy decisions using SD simulations. But we also lack good questions to assess student learning via the use of SD simulations. There is a need to identify more K-12 teachers who are willing to use/teach students to use SD models. There are some key middle school/high school teachers who will be requested to become involved in this ST assessment question project. We also need more researchers who focus on K-12 student learning to partner with K-12 teachers using ST/SD to use our questions so we can validate more questions.