Learning Ecosystem Infographic

This post was inspired by some subreddits I've been watching lately: r/infographics, r/educationalgifs, and r/dataisbeautiful. In that spirit, I decided to share some graphics I've been working on to help explain the concept of a learning ecosystem.

I'll appreciate any comments you have!

Johnson (2008) demonstrated that Bronfenbrenner & Evans' (2000) bioecological model can represent the complex and chaotic interactions of the human learning and development. As shown in the figure below, the bioecological model consists of a: 

• microsystem: the individual people, including their inherent characteristics, can interact with each other and with non-human elements of the system;
  
• mesosystem: interactions between individuals and with non-human elements of the system; this includes influences like the teacher-student relationship;
• exosystem: factors outside the direct control of the people in the microsystem, like social systems, events, and policies;
• macrosystem: factors that influence the micro-, meso-, and exosystem, such as a national political climate; and
  
• chronosystem: temporal influences on all levels of the system.
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I reviewed literature that empirically identified complex characteristics of learning. Six of the studies included elements in the macrosystem that impact learners in the microsystem (Fernández-Giménez et al., 2019; Guevara & Porta, 2016; MacGillivray, 2010; Maroulis et al., 2014; Rowland & Kitchner-meyer, 2018; Tosey et al., 2005). The following graphic summarizes the main learning ecosystem elements examined in those articles.

Bronfenbrenner, U., & Evans, G. W. (2000). Developmental science in the 21st century: Emerging questions, theoretical models, research designs and empirical findings. Social Development, 9(1), 115–125. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9507.00114/abstract%5Cnpapers2://publication/uuid/4ADCD033-DA46-4A39-B617-FF2305B25483

Fernández-Giménez, M. E., Augustine, D. J., Porensky, L. M., Wilmer, H., Derner, J. D., Briske, D. D., & Stewart, M. O. (2019). Complexity fosters learning in collaborative adaptive management. Ecology and Society, 24(2). https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-10963-240229

Guevara, P., & Porta, E. (2016). Educational systems and the intergenerational transmission of inequality: A complex dynamical systems perspective. In M. Koopmans & D. Stamovlasis (Eds.), Complex Dynamical Systems in Education (pp. 323–343). Switzerland: Springer.

Johnson, E. S. (2008). Ecological systems and complexity theory: Toward an alternative model of accountability in education. Complicity: An International Journal of Complexity and Education, 5(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.29173/cmplct8777

MacGillivray, A. (2010). Leadership in a network of communities: A phenomenographic study. Learning Organization, 17(1), 24–40. https://doi.org/10.1108/09696471011008224

Maroulis, S., Bakshy, E., Gomez, L., & Wilensky, U. (2014). Modeling the transition to public school choice. Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, 17(2).

Rowland, G., & Kitchner-meyer, A. L. (2018). Powerful Learning at SEA: Connecting to complexity and systemic design. Form Akademisk, 11(4), 1–22.

Tosey, P., Mathison, J., & Michelli, D. (2005). Mapping transformative learning: The potential of neuro-linguistic programming. Journal of Transformative Education, 3(2), 140–167. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541344604270233