Learning by Doing with the

Century’s Children XXIst

Systemic Approaches for Reinventing the School

The changes and paradoxes in contemporary society and globalised

economy urgently demand to rethink traditional approaches to
education. Despite the number of educational reforms in schools
and educational authorities worldwide, we do not have enough
evidence of the impact some of these transformation projects have
on regional or national levels. Nor do we have sufficient examples of
more integral and radical systemic educational transformations
within schools.

The possibilities given by the new ICT and web based technologies,
the well known project based learning approach and social-emotional
strategies in educational institutions worldwide, provide a rich
context for effective implementation of more transdisciplinary and
systemic educational transformations, which have been announced
and suggested worldwide for a few decades.

This is why Tinta, Gimnasio Moderno School and Los Andes University
are organizing a two-day congress to explore systemic tools and
approaches to reinvent education in schools. In this congress we will
have the opportunity to listen to worldwide experts who have been
successfully pioneering innovations in both schools and in the
classroom. Our panelists will be sharing insights on their work, along
with the tools they have used and the transformations and educational
results they have achieved.

The agenda will include conferences and workshops that seek to

explain the systemic approaches and relationships given in project
based learning, experiments and achievements transforming
schools towards an inclusive, transdisciplinary and systemic education.
In addition, we will explore the opportunities generated by the online
platforms to enable project based learning, educational curricula
and systemic transformative experiences, both in the classroom in
the organization of the school.

During the congress, we will be looking for answers to questions such

as: How do we reinvent school’s education for 21st century children?
How do project-based learning methodologies contribute to a more
systemic educational transformation? Which systemic approaches
and tools have proven more effective in changing existing educational February 20-21, 2020
paradigms? Which examples of systemic project-based learning can Los Andes University and
we learn from? What does a systemic transformation of a school Gimnasio Moderno
mean and how can we implement it? How can we choose and access Bogota, Colombia
quality educational resources within the enormous online content
variety? How do we enhance students’ autonomy to make them fully
responsible for their own education? How do we promote their social
and environmental responsibility through a systemic educational
approach? Which examples worldwide have we to follow?
Key Speakers
Derek Cabrera PhD

“Systems Thinking Made Simple”

Systemic thinker, inventor and social entrepreneur. Professor at Cornell University

on systems thinking, systemic leadership and systems mapping. Member of the
College of Human Ecology of Cornell University. Program Director for the
Graduate Certification Program in Systems Thinking, Modeling, and Leadership
(STML).

He is senior scientist at Cabrera Research Lab, and Co-Founder and Chief Science
Officer of Plectica, and inventor of the Plectica systems mapping software.
Author of eight published books.

Louise Lowings

“Making the Parts Whole: Creating and sustaining a school rooted in

transcontextual curriculum”
Head teacher at Madeley Nursery School. Board member of the Bateson Institute
(Sweden). Board member of the Slightlines Initiative - an organization that brings
together schools and nurseries inspired on the Reggio Emilia methodology in
the UK.

Peter Tuddenham

“Ocean Literacy Going Global: Living Systems Leadership”

Business Administrator and Economist from Regis University, Colorado. Master

on systemic design and behaviour from Saybrook University, Pasadena, California.
President of the International Society of Systems Sciences and a member of the
American Cybernetic Academy. Director of Co-Exploration for 28 years, a global
learning network on environmental issues. He is a systemic organizational leader
in the US, the UK and Europe, assessing companies, governments, NGOs and
military organizations.

Angela Espinosa PhD

“From the classroom to the School: A cybernetic approach for school

transformation”

Systems engineer from Los Andes University. PhD on organizational cybernetics

from Aston University, UK. Professor at Hull University, UK. Consultant and adjacent
professor at Andes, Rosario, Externado, Sabana and Magdalena Universities in
Colombia. She has also been an invited professor in Cuba, Mexico, Australia,
Ireland, Scotland and Oman. Both her academic research and consultancies
have mainly focused on systemic community and organizations transformations,
many in educational contexts and focused on sustainability. She has published
several academic papers and books and organized multiple academic events in
the systemic and cybernetic communities.
Schedule Los Andes University Feb. 20 of 2020

Key Speakers

• Derek Cabrera. Systems Thinking made simple (Cornell University, NY)

• Angela Espinosa. “From the classroom to the School: A cybernetic approach for school
transformation” (Hull University, UK)

Speakers

• Laura Cabrera. “Flock not Clock: The simple rules of Systems Leadership” (Cornell University,
NY)

• Alfonso Reyes. “Stimulating social leadership in university students: The semester of Peace
and Region at the University of Ibague” (Universidad de los Andes)

• Eduardo Escallon Largacha. “Training adaptive experts” (Universidad de los Andes)

• Luis Pinzon. “Building peace from the classroom: A systemic approach” (Universidad de los
Andes)

• Allenna Leonard. “Systems Thinking Through the Side Door” (Metaphorum President)

• Alvaro Galvis. “Transforming learning environments and processes with digital technology:
Los Andes University’s experience” (Universidad de los Andes)

• John Taborda. “Biocultural Territories as Living Laboratories in Sustainability: Towards a

disruptive educational model of co-creation between universities and schools, based on
a systemic and adaptive architecture” (Universidad del Magdalena)

• Hernando Bayona. “How are we seen as teachers in Latin-America: Figures and challenges”
(Universidad de Los Andes)

• Ricardo Barros. “A critical systemic perspective to improve collaborative learning processes”

(Universidad Javeriana)

• Javier Velasquez. “Gamification and educational innovation” (Azahar and Free To Play)

• Ernesto Lleras. “The Learning Communities approach as a pedagogical experiment:

Two examples” (Universidad de los Andes)

• Kerry Turner. “Systems Thinking to Save the World” (Hull University, UK)

Panels

• Panel: Education & technology

Alvaro Galvis / Laura Cabrera / Marc Pierson / Sanjay Fernandes / Tatiana Jimenez Hoyos
Moderator: Ricardo Barros

• Panel: Education in communities

Dugonawin Arroyo / John Taborda / Raphael Ferbas / Zabrina Zangen
Moderator: Marcela Escovar

• Panel: Systemic transformation in educational institutions

Allenna Leonard / Angela Espinosa / Derek Cabrera / Luis Pinzon
Moderator: Ernesto Lleras
Schedule Gimnasio Moderno Feb. 21 of 2020

Key Speakers

• Peter Tuddenham. “Oceans, systems, literacy and sustainability” (International Society of

Systems Sciences, USA)

• Louise Lowings. “Making the Parts Whole: Creating and sustaining a school rooted in
transcontextual curriculum” (Madeley Nursery School, UK & Bateson Institute, Sweden)

Speakers

• Gabriela Ramirez. “Tinta, a digital platform for systemic education” (Tinta)

• Juan Hoyos. “What is Positive Education or education for happiness and flourishing and how
to take it to the classroom?” (Gimnasio Moderno)

• Alejandro Sanz de Santamaria. “Does current education contribute to ethical malformation in

students?” (Universidad de los Andes)

• Dugunawin Arroyo y Sofia Molina. “Indgenous education in the Arhuacos community from a
systemic point of view” (Proyecto pedagogico intercultural Armadillo)

• Henry May. “Ensuring teachers in challenging contexts can educate in developing socio
emotional skills: A scalable, systemic approach” (Co-School)

• Marcela Junguito. “Women’s education in the XXIst Century: Reinterpreting the educational
model” (Gimnasio Femenino)

• Sanjay Fernandes. “Self-organised learning environments (SOLE): Learning to learn”

• Zabrina Zangen. “Spiral Up! Joining systems: Case study at Bali’s Green School” (Green School,
Bali)

• Marcela Escovar. “Why do we read?” (Tinta & Words’ Picnic)

• Sandra Moreno. “The teacher’s place in curriculum renewal processes” (Gimnasio Moderno)

• Camilo Rincon y Juan Sebastian Sanchez. Living Lab: Education innovation from a systemic
perspective (United Way Colombia)

• Kerry Turner. “Systems Thinking to Save the World” (Hull University, UK)

• Marc Pierson M.D. & Noah Williams. “Systems Stories Drawn by Lay Experts: A talk about drawing
social systems, presented by a disenchanted high school student and a disenchanted doctor”
(Independent consultant)

Panels

• “How Systems Thinking and digital technologies contribute to education in the XXIst Century?”
Derek Cabrera / Peter Tudennham / Louise Lowings / Angela Espinosa / Juan Hoyos
Moderator: Gabriela Ramirez

Organized by